Exercise’s powerful role in maintaining skeletal muscle could be the key to improving health and resilience in older people, according to new research from Monash University.
Physical activity is one of the most powerful ways to combat biological aging, which is the deterioration of organs and tissues as we age.
New research published today: scientific progressUsing a preclinical model, they revealed the important role that NOX4, a protein found in skeletal muscle, plays in this process.
Physical activity and NOX4 naturally decline with age, making it more difficult to reap the health and anti-aging benefits of exercise.
Studies have shown that decreased NOX4 levels are associated with muscle weakness and weakness, and that restoring levels is associated with better regulation of metabolism and increased muscle mass and strength.
Lead author Professor Tony Tiganis, from the Monash Institute for Biomedical Discovery, said finding another way to induce the same response in skeletal muscle could help maintain muscle mass and strength even as NOX4 declines with age.
“Our findings may present important new therapeutic targets that will dramatically improve the lives of many older people,” said Professor Tiganis.
“If we can find other ways to mimic the processes initiated by NOX4, we may be able to better combat biological aging and extend healthspans.
Therefore, there may be some truth to the old adage that “you only grow old as much as you feel”. ”
Tony Tiganis, Professor at Monash University
The study builds on previous research by Professor Tiganis and his team, led by Monash Research Fellow Dr Chrysovarantou Sirouchaki, which found that NOX4 acts as a signal to muscles to release oxygen-rich molecules that help cells adapt, improve energy production, reduce damage and maintain overall health.
Dr. Shirouchaki said the next step is to identify the “downstream” or subsequent cellular signals triggered by NOX4 that may be replicated.
“We aim to utilize naturally occurring compounds from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts to potentially restore this pathway and recapitulate some of the health benefits of exercise as we age,” Dr. Shirouchaki said.
