Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases suppresses the migration of skeletal muscle cells

Skeletal muscle satellite cells are quiescent stem cells that localized between the plasmalemma and the basement membrane of muscle fiber. When muscle is injured, satellite cells are activated, migrate to the injured site and contribute to the regeneration of muscle. However, little is known about the mechanism by which satellite cells migrate underneath the basement membrane. To clarify this, we investigated the effect of MMP inhibition on the migration of C2C12 muscle cells in vitro using a time-lapse imaging system. The migration speed of cells cultured with an MMP-inhibitor reagent was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the control cultured without an inhibitor reagent. The persistency index was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in cells cultured with an inhibitor than in those without an inhibitor. Furthermore, MMP-3 knockdown cells migrated faster than control cells. These results strongly suggest that MMPs synthesized in skeletal muscle cells play an important role in the migration of these cells.