A Tead1-Apelin axis directs paracrine communication from myogenic to endothelial cells in skeletal muscle

Apelin (Apln) is a myokine that regulates skeletal muscle plasticity and metabolism and declines during aging. Through a yeast one-hybrid transcription factor binding screen, we identified the TEA domain transcription factor 1 (Tead1) as a novel regulator of the Apln promoter. Single-cell analysis of regenerating muscle revealed that the apelin receptor (Aplnr) is enriched in endothelial cells, whereas Tead1 is enriched in myogenic cells. Knock-down of Tead1 stimulates Apln secretion from muscle cells in vitro and myofiber-specific overexpression of Tead1 suppresses Apln secretion in vivo. Apln secretion via Tead1 knock-down in muscle cells stimulates endothelial cell expansion via endothelial Aplnr. In vivo, Apln peptide supplementation enhances endothelial cell expansion while Tead1 muscle overexpression delays endothelial remodeling following muscle injury. Our work describes a novel paracrine crosstalk in which Apln secretion is controlled by Tead1 in myogenic cells and influences endothelial remodeling during muscle repair.