Suppression of chicken embryo myoblast protein synthesis by antisense oligonucleotide against myostatin

The interactive effect between varying fetal calf serum concentrations (1% and 10% in the medium) and transfection treatment with antisense and sense myostatin oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) on the protein synthesis of chicken embryo myoblasts was examined. The interactive effect of antisense myostatin ODN, IGF-l and IGF-II on myoblast protein synthesis was also investigated. A significant (p<0.05) interaction between fetal calf serum concentration and transfection treatment was observed. Protein synthesis of chicken embryo myoblasts was significantly decreased by antisense myostatin ODN, and its influence was enhanced in the low-serum medium. The antisense myostatin ODN did not influence interactively with chicken IGF-I and/or IGF-II. These results suggest that a decrease in myostatin gene expression reduces the protein synthesis of chicken embryo myoblasts and that the influence of myostatin on protein synthesis would be independent of either IGF-I or IGF-II.