Researchers at the National Institute of Health have realized how aging affects the depletion of muscle cells stock.
When a muscle is to be regenerated or repaired, our reserves muscle stem cells are activated. Part of them will merge the muscle fibers to strengthen, while another part remains “in the corner” to quietly proliferate and reconstitute the initial stock. This is called quiescence. By focusing on this particular mechanism, researchers from the National Institute of Health (INSERM) have discovered why the muscles melt with age.
Several in vitro experiments conducted on mice and have shown that muscle cells lose their ability to enter into quiescence and self-renewal due to the progressive inhibition of a gene, called Sprouty1. Result: Reserves responsible for maintaining our constant muscle mass are depleted.
Develop therapeutic molecules
But the scientists also found the process responsible for the inhibition of gene Sprouty1. Several tests have shown that blocking the expression of this gene in young cells, muscle stock decreases. By reversing this process, the team has managed to increase the total reserve of muscle cells. The results, they say, open a new avenue of research in the fight against aging of muscles.
“The idea would include developing therapeutic molecules capable of preventing the inhibition of gene Sprouty1” said Stephanie Duguez, one of the study authors. The researchers are continuing their work in order to discover the factors causing gene inhibition process and how best to control it.
