Mitochondrial pathways in sarcopenia of aging and disuse muscle atrophy

Biological Chemistry - Tập 394 Số 3 - Trang 393-414 - 2013
Riccardo Calvani1, Anna‐Maria Joseph2, Peter J. Adhihetty3, Alfredo Miccheli4, Maurizio Bossola5, Christiaan Leeuwenburgh2, Roberto Bernabei6, Emanuele Marzetti6
1Institute of Crystallography, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Bari 70126, Italy
2Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
3Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
4Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00185, Italy
5Department of Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart School of Medicine, Rome 00168, Italy
6Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences and Orthopedics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart School of Medicine, Rome 00168, Italy

Tóm tắt

Abstract Muscle loss during aging and disuse is a highly prevalent and disabling condition, but knowledge about cellular pathways mediating muscle atrophy is still limited. Given the postmitotic nature of skeletal myocytes, the maintenance of cellular homeostasis relies on the efficiency of cellular quality control mechanisms. In this scenario, alterations in mitochondrial function are considered a major factor underlying sarcopenia and muscle atrophy. Damaged mitochondria are not only less bioenergetically efficient, but also generate increased amounts of reactive oxygen species, interfere with cellular quality control mechanisms, and display a greater propensity to trigger apoptosis. Thus, mitochondria stand at the crossroad of signaling pathways that regulate skeletal myocyte function and viability. Studies on these pathways have sometimes provided unexpected and counterintuitive results, which suggests that they are organized into a complex, heterarchical network that is currently insufficiently understood. Untangling the complexity of such a network will likely provide clinicians with novel and highly effective therapeutics to counter the muscle loss associated with aging and disuse. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the mechanisms whereby mitochondrial dysfunction intervenes in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia and disuse atrophy, and highlight the prospect of targeting specific processes to treat these conditions.

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Biological Chemistry

Tập 394 Số 3

393-414

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