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Updated: Aug 12, 2026
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TMT Sample Preparation for Proteomics Facility Submission and Subsequent Data Analysis
Published on: June 8, 2020
Protein turnover in atrophying muscle: from nutritional intervention to microarray expression analysis
T Peter Stein1, Charles E Wade
1Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - SOM, 2 Medical Center Drive, Stratford, NJ 08084, USA. tpstein@umdnj.edu
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
|December 24, 2002
Summary
Skeletal muscle wasting, or disuse atrophy, is a common clinical issue. Understanding molecular changes can reveal new therapeutic targets for non-exercise interventions.
Area of Science:
- Muscle physiology
- Molecular biology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Skeletal muscle undergoes adaptive remodeling in response to reduced usage and decreased mechanical tension.
- Disuse atrophy is associated with bed rest, space flight, chronic diseases (COPD, heart failure), and aging.
- Impaired function and exercise intolerance are primarily linked to muscle wasting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the clinical importance of disuse atrophy.
- To highlight advances in understanding and treating muscle wasting.
- To identify potential non-exercise therapeutic interventions.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on disuse atrophy.
- Description of anabolic drug and dietary manipulation strategies.
- Focus on molecular discoveries, including the atrogin-1 gene.
- Application of gene expression analysis and proteomics.
Main Results:
- Disuse atrophy is a significant clinical problem with broad implications.
- Muscle wasting, not primary organ dysfunction, drives functional decline.
- Key molecular pathways involved in disuse atrophy have been identified.
Conclusions:
- Disuse atrophy necessitates therapeutic interventions beyond exercise.
- Molecular-level understanding is crucial for identifying novel targets.
- Nutritional and pharmacological interventions may offer new treatment avenues.
