Researchers at Japan's Kyushu University have developed an improved form of a protein that contributes to muscle tissue regeneration, a discovery that may help in understanding muscle repair mechanisms and developing future methods to limit weakness as people age.
Experiments showed that treating the enhanced protein, dubbed "Super HGF" by the researchers, with the compound known as lipoic acid tri-sulfide enhanced its ability to bind to the cellular receptor "c-Met" by more than double compared to the untreated protein.
For its part, the hepatocyte growth factor protein plays an important role in activating satellite cells specialized in repairing damaged muscle fibers, but its efficiency declines with age due to exposure to a chemical change known as "nitration."
The researchers noted that the LASSS compound helps limit this chemical change and may also contribute to modifications in the protein's three-dimensional structure, enhancing its ability to perform its function and activate cellular signals related to muscle repair.
In this context, researchers believe these findings may contribute to developing future methods to maintain muscle tissue's regenerative capacity and limit its decline associated with aging or prolonged inactivity, although the technology remains in the research and experimentation stages.
The scientific website "Science Daily" confirmed that the study published in the journal "Scientific Reports" revealed the role of the LASSS compound in enhancing the effectiveness of the protein responsible for activating stem cells that contribute to muscle tissue repair.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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