The Carnosine Clock Ticks for Healthy Aging
Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass and function with age, is a major issue for healthy aging. It is worsened by oxidative stress, which leads to muscle breakdown and inflammation. Circadian factors like glucocorticoids (cortisol in people, corticosterone in mice, or the artificial versions of those molecules we use as anti-inflammatory drugs) or circadian clock genes, which regulate many body functions, also affect muscle health. Circadian rhythms and process are disrupted by aging and contribute to aging-related disorders like sarcopenia, but the mechanisms remains still largely unknown. Dr. Quattrocelli’s study aims to define the muscle-specific mechanisms through which glucocorticoids – typically considered deleterious for muscle - can actually boost the intrinsic muscle rhythms of protection/preparation to oxidative stress, and therefore counteract chronic muscle inflammation and muscle loss. Understanding these mechanisms could lead to better treatments for sarcopenia.
