Elevated expression of NF-kappaB and Bcl-2 proteins in C2C12 myocytes during myogenesis is affected by PD98059, LY294002 and SB203580.

The initial phase of muscle differentiation depends on the activities of protein kinases including phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI-3K), the extracellular signal-regulated kinases ERK1/2 (p42 and p44), and p38 kinase. Myogenesis is also characterized by an apoptosis-resistant phenotype of myotubes. The effects of inhibitors of the above-mentioned protein kinases on myogenesis from C2C12 mouse myoblasts and on muscle cell apoptosis were examined individually over 5 successive days.