Titin, a central mediator for hypertrophic signaling, exercise-induced mechanosignaling and skeletal muscle remodeling

Abstract

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Titin is a giant scaffold protein with multiple functions in striated muscle physiology. Due to the elastic I-band domains and the filament-like integration in the half-sarcomere titin is an important factor for sarcomere assembly and serves as an adaptable molecular spring that determines myofilament distensibility. Protein-interactions e.g. with muscle ankyrin repeat proteins or muscle LIM-protein link titin to hypertrophic signaling and via p62 and Muscle Ring Finger proteins to mechanisms that control protein quality control. This review summarizes our current knowledge on titin as a central node for exercise-induced mechanosignaling and remodeling and further highlights the pathophysiological implications.

Keywords

• posttranslational modification
• striated muscle
• Connectin
• passive tension
• hypertrophic signaling