Extracellular ATP Increases <i>L</i>-Carnitine Transport and Content in C2C12 Cells

Extracellular ATP regulates cell proliferation, muscle contraction and myoblast differentiation. ATP present in the muscle interstitium can be released from contracting skeletal muscle cells. <i>L</i>-Carnitine is a key element in muscle cell metabolism, as it serves as a carrier for fatty acid through mitochondrial membranes, controlling oxidation and energy production. Treatment of C2C12 cells with 1 mmol/l of ATP induced a marked increase in <i>L</i>-carnitine uptake that was associated with an increase in <i>L</i>-carnitine content in these cells. These effects were found to be dependent on the density of the cultured cells and on the dose of ATP. The…