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Scientists find compound that may help muscles stay strong as we age
Medical Xpress • • general
Key Points:
- Researchers at Kyushu University identified lipoic acid trisulfide (LASSS), a sulfur-based antioxidant compound, that enhances the function of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a key muscle-repair signal impaired by aging.
- Aging causes nitration of HGF at specific sites, reducing its ability to bind c-Met receptors on muscle stem cells and hindering muscle regeneration; LASSS was found to both prevent this nitration and increase HGF's receptor-binding affinity over twofold.
- In mouse models of muscle atrophy, LASSS pretreatment significantly reduced HGF nitration and improved muscle repair signals, suggesting potential protective effects against muscle decline due to aging or disuse.
- The study indicates that LASSS may induce a structural change in HGF, creating a "Super HGF" form that resists age-related dysfunction, offering promising avenues for therapies to maintain muscle health in humans and companion animals.
