Regulatory Roles of GADD45α in Skeletal Muscle and Adipocyte

GADD45α, a member of the GADD45 family proteins, is involved in various cellular processes including the maintenance of genomic integrity, growth arrest, apoptosis, senescence, and signal transduction. In skeletal muscle, GADD45α plays an important role in regulating mitochondrial biogenesis and muscle atrophy. In adipocytes, GADD45α regulates preadipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, and thermogenesis metabolism. Moreover, it has been recently demonstrated that GADD45α promotes gene activation by inducing DNA demethylation. The epigenetic function of GADD45α is important for preadipocyte differentiation and transcriptional regulation during development. This article mainly reviews and discusses the regulatory roles of GADD45α in skeletal muscle development, adipocyte progenitor differentiation, and DNA demethylation.