Investigation of novel factors influencing muscle fiber metabolism

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05364
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Sports science
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Motohashi Norio 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (50532727)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 骨格筋 / 筋線維タイプ / 代謝 / 幹細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Skeletal muscle has plasticity between hypertrophy and atrophy under several circumstances, and is composed of two types of muscles, slow- and fast-twitch muscles. Muscle hypertrophy or atrophy is known to affect muscle fiber transition. However, it is unclear how muscle fiber type transitions are regulated. Using myotubes derived from MusColor mice, which allow distinguishing each muscle fiber type by fluorescence, we screened cytokines or growth factors to identify potential fiber type modulator, and found that several factors could influence fiber type transition. One of them could induce fast-to-slow type fiber transition both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, administration of the factor that induces fast-type muscle against aged mice resulted in the improvement of muscle metabolism and functions, suggesting the possibilities that the factors obtained in this study may lead to clarify the mechanism of muscle fiber type transitions and provide new therapy for muscle atrophy.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学