Arecoline inhibits myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts by reducing STAT3 phosphorylation

Areca nut (Areca catechu) is chewed regularly as a medical and psychoactive food by about 10% of the world population, in countries including India, Taiwan and parts of Southern Asia. Areca nut chewing during pregnancy has been associated with both lower birth weight and premature birth. Animals of low birth weights showed retardation of muscle development. Our previous study showed that arecoline, the major areca alkaloid, decreased the number of implanted embryos. Here we sought to determine the effects of arecoline in myogenic differentiation by in vitro assays using C2C12 myoblast cells. The results showed that arecoline higher than 0.4 mM significantly increased apoptosis and decreased viability of C2C12 cells. Morphometric measurements of myotube formation and analyses of myogenic markers, myosin heavy chain and myogenin, revealed that myogenic differentiation was inhibited by 0.04–0.08 mM arecoline. Moreover, phosphorylated but not total STAT3 was significantly inhibited by arecoline during myotube formation. These results indicate that arecoline inhibits the myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells by reducing the activation of STAT3, an upstream regulator of myogenesis. Improved understanding of the effects of arecoline during myogenic differentiation may help to establish public health policies and to develop potential treatments for such patients.