A recent scientific study showed that physical exercise may help limit some cellular changes associated with muscle aging, by enhancing cells' ability to eliminate damaged proteins and maintaining the balance between the production of new proteins and the maintenance of muscle tissue.
The Sputnik news agency reported on Saturday that the study, conducted by researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School in collaboration with Singapore General Hospital and Cardiff University, and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), identified a gene known as "DEAF1" as one of the factors associated with the decline in muscles' ability to repair themselves with age.
The results clarified that elevated levels of this gene may increase the activity of a cellular pathway known as "mTORC1," disrupting the balance between protein synthesis and the removal of damaged proteins, and contributing to the accumulation of damaged proteins within muscle cells, which may weaken muscle efficiency and regenerative capacity.
Researchers indicated that physical activity may help lower "DEAF1" gene levels and achieve better balance in "mTORC1" pathway activity, thereby supporting cellular maintenance processes and helping muscles maintain their functions. They also pointed to the role of "FOXO" proteins in regulating these processes, noting that their reduced activity with age may contribute to imbalance within muscle cells.
The experiments included fruit flies and aged mice, showing that changing "DEAF1" gene levels affects muscle strength and protein balance within them, providing a basis for future research exploring the possibility of targeting these mechanisms in humans.
Researchers emphasized that the results do not mean the discovery of a treatment that reverses muscle aging in humans, as further studies are still needed to verify whether the discovered mechanisms apply to humans and to assess the safety and efficacy of any potential therapeutic intervention.
The study sheds light on the cellular mechanisms associated with the decline in muscle efficiency with age and provides additional understanding of how physical activity affects them, which may help in the future to develop means to support muscle strength and maintain mobility and independence in the elderly.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
Comments (0)