Poster #012, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Effects of Nicotine Exposure on In Vitro Skeletal Muscle Differentiation
Mentors: Juan Carlos F. Rivera Camano, PhD
Skeletal muscle plays an important role in movement and physical function. The ability of skeletal muscle to repair and maintain itself depends on the differentiation of muscle cells into mature muscle fibers. Nicotine exposure from electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in vivo showed an impairment of muscle cell energy production and metabolism. However, the effects of e-cigarettes on skeletal muscle differentiation are not fully understood. This study aims to determine how exposure to e-cigarette-containing nicotine affects the skeletal muscle differentiation process in vitro. Skeletal muscle cells (C2C12 cells) were cultured to induce differentiation (myogenesis) under control and e-cigarette-bubbled media containing nicotine for 5 days. Then, cells were stained for myosin heavy chain (MyHC), a marker of differentiated muscle cells, and DAPI to visualize nuclei. Fluorescence microscopy images were collected and analyzed using ImageJ to calculate the differentiation index. The differentiation index was determined by measuring the percentage of nuclei located within MyHC-positive structures compared to the total number of nuclei. Image analysis was completed using a blinded approach to reduce potential bias during quantification. Data analysis is currently in progress. Based on the study hypothesis and our preliminary data, e-cigarettes nicotine-treated cells are expected to show a lower differentiation index compared to control cells. These expected results would suggest that nicotine exposure may decrease the ability of skeletal muscle cells to differentiate and form mature muscle structures. This study will provide insight into how nicotine exposure affects skeletal muscle differentiation. Understanding these effects may contribute to future research on skeletal muscle health and the factors that influence muscle regeneration.