A research team at Gachon University College of Medicine has discovered a bioactive peptide that activates mTORC1, a major regulator of muscle mass regulation and muscle cell differentiation.

The team, led by Professors Yoon Mi-sup and Choi Chul-soo of the Department of Molecular Medicine, also developed a technique using the highly safe Adeno associated virus (AAV) and M12, a cell-penetrating peptide that can be delivered specifically to muscle cells, to deliver the peptide directly to the muscle effectively.

The researchers confirmed the muscle strengthening effect using the candidate and delivery system through an animal model, thereby confirming the possibility of developing a muscle enhancer to prevent and treat sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia is a disease that causes a decrease in muscle mass and muscle strength due to disease or aging.

Geriatric sarcopenia occurs in 40 percent of the elderly over 80 years of age and closely relates to the onset of metabolic diseases.

The economic and social burdens of sarcopenia are increasing due to rapid population aging, but there is no fundamental treatment or improvement agent. Since sarcopenia starts with a decrease in initial muscle mass, followed by a decrease in muscle strength, recovery of muscle mass at the beginning of the onset is very important in overcoming the disease.

Therefore, it is necessary to develop a therapeutic agent for fundamental muscle regeneration that enhances the activity of factors that control muscle mass.

The research team secured the potential for treatment for sarcopenia by examining the muscle regeneration efficacy of the bioactive peptide and confirmed the possibility of developing a muscle disease treatment based on muscle growth regulators.

Researchers hoped that the muscle cell-specific effective peptide delivery technology constructed through the study would help develop muscle therapy using various muscle modulators.

“We expect that establishing a therapeutic agent for muscle disease will greatly contribute to the development of technology for overcoming muscle disease and metabolic disease through muscle enhancement,” Professor Yoon said. “The treatment will be an alternative to improving the quality of life in old age by preventing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, by treating sarcopenia early.”

Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle published the result of the study in its Feb. 17 online edition.