Molecule Discovery Reverses Muscle Aging with 15% Strength Gain

Tejal Somvanshi

Stanford scientists discover single molecule can reverse muscle aging in older mice

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As we age past 50, we lose 10-15% of muscle strength per decade, leading to frailty and falls

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The culprit? Researchers found an enzyme called 15-PGDH increases with age, breaking down vital molecule PGE2

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When PGE2 levels drop, muscle stem cells stop functioning properly, causing muscles to weaken and shrink

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"PGE2 is an alarm clock to wake up stem cells. Aging reduces the volume and the stem cells put on ear plugs," explains researcher Dr. Wang

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Just one PGE2 treatment combined with exercise improved muscle strength by 15-20% in aged mice within a month

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The treatment works by removing aging-induced chemical tags on DNA, essentially reprogramming old muscle cells to behave like young ones

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PGE2 is already safely used in humans for other conditions, potentially speeding up the path to clinical trials

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Could this discovery lead to treatments for sarcopenia, affecting 15% of elderly and costing $380 billion annually?

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Stanford team now studying whether similar molecular changes occur in humans, offering hope for healthy aging

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