Pyruvate Kinase M2 Supports Muscle Progenitor Cell Proliferation but Is Dispensable for Skeletal Muscle Regeneration after Injury.

Background: Skeletal muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) repair damaged muscle postinjury. Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is a glycolytic enzyme (canonical activity) that can also interact with other proteins (noncanonical activity) to modify diverse cellular processes. Recent evidence links PKM2 to MPC proliferation.

Objectives: This study aimed to understand cellular roles for PKM2 in MPCs and the necessity of PKM2 in MPCs for muscle regeneration postinjury.

Methods: Cultured, proliferating MPCs (C2C12 cells) were treated with a short hairpin RNA targeting PKM2 or small molecules that selectively affect canonical and noncanonical PKM2 activity (shikonin and TEPP-46). Cell number was measured, and RNA-sequencing and metabolic assays were used in follow-up experiments. Immunoprecipitation coupled to proteomics was used to identify binding partners of PKM2. Lastly, an MPC-specific PKM2 knockout mouse was generated and challenged with a muscle injury to determine the impact of PKM2 on regeneration.

Results: When the noncanonical activity of PKM2 was blocked or impaired, there was an increase in reactive oxygen species concentrations (1.6-2.0-fold, P < 0.01). Blocking noncanonical PKM2 activity also increased lactate excretion (1.2-1.6-fold, P < 0.05) and suppressed mitochondrial oxygen consumption (1.3-1.6-fold, P < 0.01). Glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (GLUD1) was identified as a PKM2 binding partner and blocking noncanonical PKM2 activity increased GLUD activity (1.5-1.6-fold, P < 0.05). Mice with an MPC-specific PKM2 deletion did not demonstrate impaired muscle regeneration.

Conclusions: The results suggest that the noncanonical activity of PKM2 is important for MPC proliferation in vitro and demonstrate GLUD1 as a PKM2 binding partner. Because no impairments in muscle regeneration were detected in a mouse model, the endogenous environment may compensate for loss of PKM2.