# The Role of TRIM28 Phosphorylation in the Mechanical Regulation of Skeletal Muscle - Re-entry Supplement

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2021 · $55,053

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
Mechanical stimuli play a major role in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass, and the maintenance of muscle
mass contributes significantly to disease prevention and quality of life. Although the link between mechanical
signals and the regulation of muscle mass has been recognized for decades, the molecular mechanisms that
drive this process are still not known. Hence, the long-term goal of our research is to define the molecular
events via which mechanical stimuli regulate skeletal muscle mass. The primary objective of this project is to
determine the extent to which changes in the phosphorylation of TRIM28 contribute to the mechanical
regulation of muscle mass. We are focusing on this topic because TRIM28 can control the activity of mTOR (a
kinase that has been widely implicated in the mechanical regulation of muscle mass). A recent study also
identified TRIM28 as a scaffold protein that interacts with key myogenic transcription factors (e.g., Mef2 and
MyoD), and it has been shown that phosphorylation of the S473 residue on TRIM28 can act as a switch that
unleashes the transcriptional activity of Mef2 and MyoD. This is intriguing because alterations in the activity of
MyoD and Mef2 have been widely implicated in the regulation of muscle mass, and a recent phosphoproteomic
analysis from our lab revealed that mechanical stimulation leads to a profound increase in TRIM28(S473)
phosphorylation. Moreover, we discovered that the expression of a S473D phosphomimetic mutant of TRIM28
is sufficient to induce hypertrophy, and that the hypertrophic effect is dependent on the
phosphomimetic mutation. Combined, these observations led us to our central hypothesis: an increase
in TRIM28(S473) phosphorylation is a fundamental part of the pathway via which mechanical stimuli
promote an increase in muscle mass. To rigorously test this hypothesis, we will first use of a combination
of biochemical, molecular and genetic interventions in mice. Importantly, the mouse-based studies will
enable us to: i) gain insight into the mechanisms via which TRIM28(S473D) induces hypertrophy, and ii)
define the role that both myofiber and satellite cell specific changes in TRIM28(S473) phosphorylation play in
mechanical load-induced hypertrophy. In addition to the mouse-based studies, we will also perform a human
trial to determine whether the primary conclusions from mice can be translated to the human condition.
Collectively, the outcomes of this project are expected to establish TRIM28 as a novel regulator of muscle
mass and shed light on some of the basic mechanisms through which alterations in S473 phosphorylation
control its hypertrophic effect. The outcomes are also expected to reveal the existence of a TRIM28-
dependent pathway that not only enables mechanical stimuli to induce hypertrophy, but also the activation
of satellite cell proliferation and fusion. Such outcomes would not only dramatically advance our
understanding of how mechanical st...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10285337
- **Project number:** 3R01AR074932-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** TROY A HORNBERGER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $55,053
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-02-01 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10285337

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10285337, The Role of TRIM28 Phosphorylation in the Mechanical Regulation of Skeletal Muscle - Re-entry Supplement (3R01AR074932-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10285337. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*