Resveratrol improves muscle regeneration in obese mice through enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis

Area of Science:

• Muscle physiology and regeneration
• Metabolic disorders and obesity
• Nutraceuticals and molecular mechanisms

Background:

• Obesity globally impairs muscle regeneration by inhibiting AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity.
• This inhibition affects mitochondrial biogenesis, myogenic differentiation, and overall muscle repair processes.
• Resveratrol, known for anti-obesity effects, has potential but untested benefits for muscle regeneration in obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if resveratrol can activate AMPK and enhance mitochondrial biogenesis to improve muscle regeneration in obese mice.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying resveratrol's effects on muscle repair in the context of obesity.

Main Methods:

• Male C57BL/6J mice were fed control or high-fat diets with/without resveratrol for 8 weeks.
• Cardiotoxin-induced muscle injury was induced in the tibialis anterior muscle.
• Muscle tissue analysis and C2C12 myogenic cell experiments were performed at 3 and 7 days post-injury.

Main Results:

• Resveratrol treatment enhanced satellite cell proliferation and differentiation in injured muscles of obese mice.
• Key markers of mitochondrial biogenesis were upregulated following resveratrol supplementation.
• In vitro studies confirmed resveratrol activates AMPK and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) in myogenic cells, promoting differentiation.

Conclusions:

• Dietary resveratrol activates the AMPK/PGC-1α pathway, facilitating mitochondrial biogenesis.
• This activation mechanism improves muscle regeneration impaired by obesity.
• Resveratrol represents a potential therapeutic strategy for obesity-associated muscle dysfunction.