Fibroadipogenic progenitors: a potential target for preventing breast muscle myopathies in broilers

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Muscle Biology
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• Modern broiler breeding for production traits has led to increased breast muscle myopathies.
• These myopathies, characterized by myodegeneration and fibrofatty infiltration, negatively impact meat quality.
• The lesions share similarities with human myopathies like muscular dystrophy and sarcopenia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evidence implicating fibroadipogenic progenitors (FAPs) in broiler breast muscle myopathies.
• To explore FAPs as a potential novel target for therapeutic interventions.
• To highlight the need for characterization of FAPs in chickens.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing gene expression studies and literature on broiler myopathies.
• Examination of the known roles of FAPs in mammalian muscle development and disease.
• Comparative analysis of broiler myopathies with human myopathies.

Main Results:

• Gene expression studies suggest FAPs are involved in broiler wooden breast and related disorders.
• FAPs are mesenchymal stem cells capable of differentiating into fibroblasts and adipocytes.
• FAPs are established contributors to myopathies in mice and humans.

Conclusions:

• Fibroadipogenic progenitors (FAPs) are likely involved in the pathogenesis of chicken breast muscle myopathies.
• Targeting FAPs may offer a new strategy to mitigate the incidence and progression of these conditions.
• Further characterization of chicken FAPs is warranted to validate their role and explore therapeutic potential.