ANTIOXIDANT LAZAROIDS ENHANCE DIFFERENTIATION OF C2 SKELETAL-MUSCLE CELLS

We have examined the incidence of new antioxidant compounds, so-called lazaroids, on the morphological and biochemical aspects of differenti ation of C2 mouse skeletal muscle cells. We show that three lazaroids (U-74006F U-74389F and U-83836E) enhance fusion of myogenic cells when added at the day of fusion. A parallel increase in nicotinic acetylch oline receptor expression and skeletal muscle a-actin content was obse rved. This promoting effect of lazaroids on myogenesis could be relate d to inhibition of free radical-mediated muscle damage. Therefore, one could expect that lazaroids might he useful in the treatment of degen erating muscle diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy.