Biozentrum, Division of Pharmacology/Neurobiology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Gerontology. 2011;57(1):37-43. doi: 10.1159/000281883. Epub 2010 Feb 4.
Aging is associated with far-reaching changes in physiological functions resulting in morbidity and ultimately death. Age-related frailty, insecurity and reduced physical activity contribute to a progressive loss of muscle mass and function, commonly referred to as sarcopenia. Due to the increase in life expectancy in many countries, loss of muscle mass and its consequences gain in relevance for public health. At the same time, the molecular mechanisms that underlie sarcopenia are poorly understood and therefore, therapeutic approaches are limited. Interestingly though, endurance, strength and stretching exercise is significantly superior to all known pharmacological, nutritional and hormonal interventions for stabilizing, alleviating and reversing sarcopenia. Thus, increased knowledge about the plastic changes of skeletal muscle after physical activity and the signaling factors that mediate the beneficial effects of exercise on other organs might yield a better understanding of the disease and open new avenues for treatment. Here, we discuss how current discoveries about the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), a key exercise factor in muscle, and myokines, factors produced and secreted by active muscle fibers, expand our view of the pathological changes and the therapeutic options for sarcopenia.
衰老是与生理功能的广泛变化相关的，这些变化导致发病率，最终导致死亡。与年龄相关的虚弱、不安全和体力活动减少导致肌肉质量和功能的逐渐丧失，通常称为肌肉减少症。由于许多国家的预期寿命增加，肌肉减少症及其后果对公共健康的相关性日益增加。与此同时，肌肉减少症的分子机制还知之甚少，因此治疗方法有限。有趣的是，耐力、力量和伸展运动在稳定、缓解和逆转肌肉减少症方面明显优于所有已知的药理学、营养和激素干预措施。因此，更多地了解体力活动后骨骼肌的可塑性变化以及运动对其他器官有益影响的信号因子，可能会更好地了解疾病，并为治疗开辟新途径。在这里，我们讨论了当前关于过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ共激活因子-1α（PGC-1α）的发现，该因子是肌肉中关键的运动因子，以及肌因子，即由活跃的肌纤维产生和分泌的因子，如何扩展我们对肌肉减少症的病理变化和治疗选择的认识。
