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α-Ketoglutarate (AKG) as a nutritional supplement to enhance health and exercise performance

Research reveals that α-Ketoglutarate (AKG) supplementation promotes skeletal muscle mass, improves exercise endurance, and increases blood flow, making it a potential nutritional supplement for enhancing health and exercise performance. AKG also relaxes vascular smooth muscle, allowing tissues to receive abundant oxygen and nutrients.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalLife Metabolism·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 24, 2022

Harnessing the heart regeneration ability of marsupials

Researchers at RIKEN have discovered how marsupials' hearts can regenerate for several weeks after birth, allowing for potential treatment of human heart disease. They found that inhibiting a protein called AMPK extended the period of regeneration in both mice and opossums, with minimal scarring.

SourceRIKEN·JournalCirculation·DateAug 19, 2022

A novel drug suppresses muscle inflammation and restores muscle weakness

Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University found a novel GLP-1R agonist, PF1801, that can suppress muscle inflammation and restore muscle strength in patients with polymyositis. The study suggests PF1801 could be used to treat patients with muscle wasting disease and improve symptoms associated with inflammatory myopathies.

SourceTokyo Medical and Dental University·JournalJournal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle·DateAug 18, 2022

Determining how and why cells make decisions

Researchers at Texas A&M University are developing mathematical models to predict and control cellular differentiation. They created a technique using mix-and-read assays, which allow for the detection of key signaling proteins in live tissues. This method enables researchers to gain a deeper understanding of how cells make decisions.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalACS Omega·DateJul 1, 2022

Cancer drug shows potential as treatment for muscular dystrophy

Researchers have discovered that a cancer drug could slow the progress of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in mice by increasing muscle fibre resilience. The findings suggest that the drug may help delay disease progression and improve mobility for patients, potentially serving as an adjunct to emerging gene therapy approaches.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia·JournalScience Translational Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 29, 2022

Clinical study shows postbiotic urolithin a improves muscle strength and exercise performance in middle aged adults

A new clinical study published in Cell Reports Medicine found that daily intake of postbiotic Urolithin A improved muscle strength by 12% in middle-aged adults. The supplement supported the cells' ability to renew their powerplants, the mitochondria, during the aging process.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalCell Reports Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 17, 2022

CNIC scientists discover a new mechanism involved in the modulation of heart muscle elasticity

Researchers have identified a new mechanism involving the oxidation of cysteines in titin protein that modulates cardiac stiffness and dynamics. This discovery sheds light on how the heart adapts to various situations and responds to oxidative balance disorders.

SourceCentro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (F.S.P.)·JournalRedox Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 27, 2022

Lab grown, self-sustainable muscle cells repair muscle injury and disease, mouse study shows

Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine have successfully cultivated human muscle stem cells capable of renewing themselves and repairing muscle tissue damage in mice. The self-renewing stem cells were created by reprogramming laboratory-grown human skin cells, which then differentiated into specific cell types using a nutrient-rich broth.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalCell Stem Cell·DateApr 20, 2022

Multiple treatments to slow age-related muscle wasting

Researchers have discovered a combination therapy that can delay sarcopenia, a condition where muscles shrink and strength declines with age. Calorie restriction and rapamycin have been shown to have additive benefits in mice, promoting healthy muscle function and physical capability.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 20, 2022

Higher blood fats more harmful than first thought

Researchers discovered that elevated blood fats in people with metabolic diseases create stress in muscle cells, leading to cell death and worsening the illness. Ceramides, a signal created by stressed-out cells, can be passed on to other cells, increasing the risk of severe symptoms.

SourceUniversity of Leeds·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 1, 2022

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC researcher becomes Virginia Tech’s first NIH Outstanding Investigator Award recipient

Robert Gourdie, a cardiovascular scientist at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, has been awarded an R35 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. This seven-year, $6.4 million grant enables him to pursue research on intercellular communication and its applications in treating various medical challenges.

Study probes how DNA folding might affect gene activity

Researchers have clarified the mechanism behind activating genes in drosophila fly sex cells, which may hold clues to understanding diseases. The study's findings suggest that DNA packaging plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression, with abnormal packaging potentially leading to misregulation and disease.

SourceSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)·JournalNucleic Acids Research·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 22, 2022

Cellular tornadoes sculpt our organs

A team from UNIGE demonstrates that cells can self-organize to generate forces that model the shapes of our tissues. Topological defects create cellular tornadoes that concentrate forces and shape tissues similar to those observed in embryo development.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalNature Materials·TypeNews article·DateFeb 11, 2022

A naturally-occurring metabolite is a potent senolytic in both mice and human cell culture

Researchers at the Buck Institute discovered a naturally occurring metabolite, 25-hydroxycholesteral, that significantly reduces senescent cells in multiple cell types and improves muscle mass in aged mice. The molecule targets CRYAB, a small heat shock protein associated with age-related diseases like myopathies.

SourceBuck Institute for Research on Aging·JournaliScience·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 2, 2022

Harvard scientists take the study of regeneration to the next level by making three-banded panther worms transgenic

Researchers have successfully created transgenic three-banded panther worms to study regeneration, revealing detailed insights into the cellular anatomy of these animals. By manipulating specific genes, scientists can now investigate the role of muscle cells in holding the worm's body together and storing information for regeneration.

A breakdown in communication -- mitochondria of diabetic patients can’t keep time

A team of international scientists has shown that skeletal muscle cells from people with type 2 diabetes have a different circadian rhythm, leading to altered mitochondrial metabolism. The study suggests that considering cellular rhythms when prescribing treatments for type 2 diabetes could optimize their effectiveness.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 20, 2021

Mathematical model predicts best way to build muscle

A mathematical model developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge can predict the optimum exercise regime for building muscle. The model takes into account individual physiology and optimizes exercise regimes based on user input, promising to maximize athletes' potential.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalBiophysical Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 23, 2021

Study identifies molecule that stimulates muscle-building in humans

Researchers found that consuming dileucine enhances the metabolic processes driving muscle growth, resulting in a 42% increase in protein synthesis. In contrast, leucine alone showed no significant impact on protein breakdown, highlighting the molecule's potential as a signaling agent for muscle-building pathways.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of Applied Physiology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 9, 2021