Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by body weight loss, muscle wasting, and systemic metabolic alterations, significantly contributing to patient morbidity and mortality. A key feature of cachexia is the excessive degradation of muscle proteins and mitochondria, largely mediated...
The endocannabinoid (EC) system is a complex network comprising endogenous ligands, enzymes responsible for their synthesis and degradation, and various receptors (including CB1 and CB2). Present in many peripheral tissues, including skeletal muscle, EC system is now recognized to influence...
Sarcopenia is characterized by age-related declines in muscle strength and mass, along with impaired physical function. It remains an unmet medical need, and there are no pharmacological interventions approved for this indication. The activation of growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR)-1a,...
BACKGROUND
Barth syndrome (BTHS) is a rare X-linked mitochondrial disorder caused by mutations in the TAFAZZIN gene, which disrupts cardiolipin (CL) remodelling and mitochondrial function. While cardiac manifestations of BTHS are well characterized in male patients, the mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle...
BACKGROUND
Skeletal muscle in wasting conditions often exhibits a common set of phenotypes that include atrophy, mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction, and fragmentation of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) cluster at the endplate. Mitochondria are frequently implicated in driving muscle pathology in these conditions,...
BACKGROUND
Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly effective chemotherapeutic agent whose use can cause respiratory toxicity, increasing patient fatigue and negatively impacting quality of life and survival. These adverse effects occur due to diaphragm muscle mitochondrial accumulation of DOX, where it causes...
Age-related sarcopenia, characterized by progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, impacts metabolic health and quality of life in the elderly. Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is a transcription factor that orchestrates cellular responses to various stresses, while its...
As life expectancy increases, cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) create serious problems for older adults. Women regardless of ethnicity and age group, are disproportionately affected, accounting for two-thirds of AD cases, with post-menopausal women representing over 60% of...
We recently identified that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) α2 phosphorylation at S491 is mediated by p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), leading to muscular and systemic insulin resistance. This study examined how muscle PAK4 deletion affects atrophy in male mice and its...
BACKGROUND
Mitochondrial homeostasis is vital for optimal skeletal muscle integrity. Mitochondrial quality control (MQC) mechanisms that are essential for maintaining proper functions of mitochondria include mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics and mitophagy. Previously, Syntaxin 4 (STX4), traditionally considered a cell surface protein known...
The degree to which mitochondrial-linked programmed cell death pathways contribute to skeletal muscle atrophy during cancer remains unknown. Here we combined a novel and robust mouse model of metastatic ovarian cancer with chronic administration of the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 to...
BACKGROUND
Mutations in the desmin gene cause skeletal myopathies and cardiomyopathies. The objective of this study was to elucidate the molecular pathology induced by the expression of R405W mutant desmin in murine skeletal muscle.
METHODS
A comprehensive characterization of the skeletal muscle pathology...
BACKGROUND
Skeletal muscle aging is associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Peroxiredoxins (PRDXs), particularly PRDX3 and PRDX5, are antioxidant enzymes that are uniquely localized to mitochondria. While PRDX3 has been reported to play a role in maintaining mitochondrial function in...
The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) plays an important role in maintaining skeletal muscle homeostasis by regulating cell growth, protein degradation, and nutrient sensing. Beyond its role in muscle growth and atrophy, recent findings suggest that mTORC1 also...
BACKGROUND
The coupling of oxygen consumption to ATP synthesis via oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is central for cellular energy homeostasis. Some studies suggest exercise training increases the efficiency of ATP synthesis, but the molecular mechanisms are unclear. We have previously shown that...
