Effect of liensinine supplementation on muscle hypertrophy in mice

• Grant number: 24/05542-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2024
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Rochete Ropelle
• Grantee: Scylas José de Andrade Junior
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas (FCA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Limeira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The skeletal muscle plays multiple functions in the human body, including movement production, posture maintenance, energy storage, metabolic control, and body temperature regulation, among others. Therefore, the maintenance or increase of muscle mass can be considered crucial in various situations, whether pathological or related to physical performance. In this context, ActRIIB, a receptor for myostatin and activin A, has proven to be an excellent target for therapies related to muscle mass loss, as well as strategies aimed at muscle hypertrophy. Studies indicate that pharmacological inhibition of ActRIIB attenuates muscle mass loss in various models of muscle atrophy. Surprisingly, mice deficient in ActRIIB exhibit increased protein synthesis and greater muscle mass. Besides pharmacological and genetic strategies, little is known about the ability of nutrients or natural compounds to modulate ActRIIB activity. A recent study demonstrated that treatment with Liensinine, an alkaloid belonging to the isoquinoline class found in lotus flowers, was able to attenuate ActRIIB activity in vitro; however, the impact of Liensinine on muscle metabolism in vivo has not yet been properly investigated. In this context, the present study aims to evaluate the effect of oral treatment with Liensinine on muscle mass gain in sedentary mice and those subjected to resistance training. We are confident that the development of the current project could open new nutritional perspectives for the control of muscle mass in different situations, whether therapeutic, aesthetic, or competitive.