Secreted ADAMTS-like 2 promotes myoblast differentiation by potentiating WNT signaling

Myogenesis is the process that generates multinucleated contractile myofibers from muscle stem cells during skeletal muscle development and regeneration. Myogenesis is governed by myogenic regulatory transcription factors, including MYOD1. Here, we identified the secreted matricellular protein ADAMTS-like 2 (ADAMTSL2) as part of a Wnt-dependent positive feedback loop, which augmented or sustained MYOD1 expression and thus promoted myoblast differentiation. ADAMTSL2 depletion resulted in severe retardation of myoblast differentiation in vitro and its ablation in myogenic precursor cells resulted in aberrant skeletal muscle architecture. Mechanistically, ADAMTSL2 potentiated WNT signaling by binding to WNT ligands and WNT receptors. We identified the WNT-binding ADAMTSL2 peptide, which was sufficient to promote myogenesis in vitro. Since ADAMTSL2 was previously described as a negative regulator of TGFβ signaling in fibroblasts, ADAMTSL2 now emerges as a signaling hub that could integrate WNT, TGFβ and potentially other signaling pathways within the dynamic microenvironment of differentiating myoblasts during skeletal muscle development and regeneration.