The multifaceted roles of BAF60 subunits in muscle: regulation of differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic homeostasis

Muscle development and metabolic homeostasis are critical aspects of human health. As a key component of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, the BAF60 subunit plays a widespread and crucial role in the differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic regulation of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth mu...

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Main Authors: Yaoxia Liu, Zhen Fan, Yang Zhai, Haotian Huang, Ruifeng Shi, Tao Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1594423/full
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author Yaoxia Liu
Zhen Fan
Yang Zhai
Yang Zhai
Haotian Huang
Ruifeng Shi
Tao Wang
Tao Wang
author_facet Yaoxia Liu
Zhen Fan
Yang Zhai
Yang Zhai
Haotian Huang
Ruifeng Shi
Tao Wang
Tao Wang
author_sort Yaoxia Liu
collection DOAJ
description Muscle development and metabolic homeostasis are critical aspects of human health. As a key component of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, the BAF60 subunit plays a widespread and crucial role in the differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic regulation of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. Recent studies reveal that BAF60c promotes skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration by interacting with MyoD, while also driving cardiac-specific gene expression and cooperating with transcription factors such as NKX2.5 and GATA Binding Protein 4 (GATA4) during heart development and remodeling. In smooth muscle, BAF60c interacts with serum response factor to maintain contractility and homeostasis by reducing inflammation and apoptosis. In contrast, BAF60a promotes inflammatory responses and extracellular matrix degradation, contributing to vascular diseases such as abdominal aortic aneurysm and atherosclerosis. Importantly, different BAF60 isoforms exhibit antagonistic, synergistic, or mutually exclusive effects in different muscle types, highlighting their complexity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of BAF60 isoforms’ regulatory roles, with an emphasis on their potential as therapeutic targets for muscle-related metabolic and vascular diseases.
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spelling doaj-art-83fe4ec52db6439d8f8ea526216b1a122025-08-20T02:22:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology2296-634X2025-06-011310.3389/fcell.2025.15944231594423The multifaceted roles of BAF60 subunits in muscle: regulation of differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic homeostasisYaoxia Liu0Zhen Fan1Yang Zhai2Yang Zhai3Haotian Huang4Ruifeng Shi5Tao Wang6Tao Wang7Department of Geriatric Endocrinology, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaDepartment of Geriatric Endocrinology, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaDepartment of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Women’s and Children’s Central Hospital, Chengdu, ChinaSchool of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaDepartment of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaKey Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, ChinaMuscle development and metabolic homeostasis are critical aspects of human health. As a key component of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, the BAF60 subunit plays a widespread and crucial role in the differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic regulation of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. Recent studies reveal that BAF60c promotes skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration by interacting with MyoD, while also driving cardiac-specific gene expression and cooperating with transcription factors such as NKX2.5 and GATA Binding Protein 4 (GATA4) during heart development and remodeling. In smooth muscle, BAF60c interacts with serum response factor to maintain contractility and homeostasis by reducing inflammation and apoptosis. In contrast, BAF60a promotes inflammatory responses and extracellular matrix degradation, contributing to vascular diseases such as abdominal aortic aneurysm and atherosclerosis. Importantly, different BAF60 isoforms exhibit antagonistic, synergistic, or mutually exclusive effects in different muscle types, highlighting their complexity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of BAF60 isoforms’ regulatory roles, with an emphasis on their potential as therapeutic targets for muscle-related metabolic and vascular diseases.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1594423/fullBAF60 subunitBAF60aBAF60bBaf60cmuscledifferentiation
spellingShingle Yaoxia Liu
Zhen Fan
Yang Zhai
Yang Zhai
Haotian Huang
Ruifeng Shi
Tao Wang
Tao Wang
The multifaceted roles of BAF60 subunits in muscle: regulation of differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic homeostasis
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
BAF60 subunit
BAF60a
BAF60b
Baf60c
muscle
differentiation
title The multifaceted roles of BAF60 subunits in muscle: regulation of differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic homeostasis
title_full The multifaceted roles of BAF60 subunits in muscle: regulation of differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic homeostasis
title_fullStr The multifaceted roles of BAF60 subunits in muscle: regulation of differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic homeostasis
title_full_unstemmed The multifaceted roles of BAF60 subunits in muscle: regulation of differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic homeostasis
title_short The multifaceted roles of BAF60 subunits in muscle: regulation of differentiation, reprogramming, and metabolic homeostasis
title_sort multifaceted roles of baf60 subunits in muscle regulation of differentiation reprogramming and metabolic homeostasis
topic BAF60 subunit
BAF60a
BAF60b
Baf60c
muscle
differentiation
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1594423/full
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