The upregulation of miR-29c as therapeutic potential for sarcopenia treatment

• Grant number: 23/12660-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Duration: February 01, 2024 - October 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biology
• Principal Investigator: Ana Carolina Panveloski Costa Salomão
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Panveloski Costa Salomão
• Host Company: Mirscience Therapeutics Serviços de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Ltda
• CNAE: Pesquisa e desenvolvimento experimental em ciências físicas e naturais
• City: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Lucas Ariel Fernandes da Rocha ; Milena Trevisan Pelegrino ; Ricardo Di Lazzaro Filho
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/01561-0 - The upregulation of miR-29c as therapeutic potential for Sarcopenia treatment, BP.PIPE

Abstract

Sarcopenia is a pathological process which occurs during advancing age, when there is a progressive loss of muscle mass and function. This process entails other relevant clinical conditions such as metabolic and cognitive disorders, in addition to increasing the chance of falls and, consequently, fractures, post-operative complications and longer hospitalization and/or rehabilitation. Among diverse interventions for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia, the combination of physical resistance exercises and nutritional protein supplementation is currently considered the most effective therapy. However, the reduced ability to synthesize muscle proteins (anabolic resistance) and the coexistence of other co-morbidities such as cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, neuronal diseases, among others, are factors which contribute to the low effectiveness of these interventions. RNA therapies have emerged as a promising approach for the treatment of a wide range of diseases and have gained ground in recent decades due to their ability to act on targets considered undruggable when compared to other technologies such as small molecules and antibodies. Preliminary results demonstrated that overexpression of miR-29c in skeletal muscle tissue attenuated the loss of muscle mass and strength in old mice, demonstrating a potential muscular protective effect against sarcopenia. In this context, the aim of this project is to analyze the potential therapeutic effect of overexpression of miR-29c in models of sarcopenia induced by aging. Our hypothesis is that miR-29c will reduce atrophy and improve skeletal muscle function in elderly mice. The project starts with the TRL-1 and proposes to mature the technology up to the TRL-2. (AU)