Mizzou Study Reverses Age-Related Muscle Weakness in Animal Models, Targeting Protein Linked to Adults Over 80
Updated
Updated · EurekAlert · Sep 22
Mizzou Study Reverses Age-Related Muscle Weakness in Animal Models, Targeting Protein Linked to Adults Over 80
1 articles · Updated · EurekAlert · Sep 22
Summary
University of Missouri researchers found age-related muscle weakness stems partly from failing nerve-muscle communication, overturning the view that the neuromuscular junction stays reliable with aging.
Reduced NaV1.4 levels weakened the final step of signaling between nerves and muscles in both humans and animal models, the team reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
By partially inhibiting the ClC-1 protein, researchers made aging muscles more responsive to nerve signals and improved muscle strength in an animal model, pointing to a potentially reversible mechanism.
Sarcopenia affects nearly half of adults over 80, and the finding could open a path to testing ClC-1-targeting drugs such as NMD Pharma's ignaseclant in older adults.