Macrophage immunometabolism: emerging targets for regrowth in aging muscle

The recovery from muscle atrophy is impaired with aging as characterized by improper muscle remodeling and sustained functional deficits. Age-related deficits in muscle regrowth are tightly linked with the loss of early pro-inflammatory macrophage responses and subsequent cellular dysregulation within the skeletal muscle niche. Macrophage inflammatory phenotype is regulated at the metabolic level, highlighting immunometabolism as an emerging strategy to enhance macrophage responses and restore functional muscle regrowth. Accordingly, metabolic targets with an emphasis on glycolytic, hypoxia, and redox-related pathways stand out for their role in promoting macrophage inflammation and enhancing muscle regrowth in aging. Here we highlight promising immuno-metabolic targets that could be leveraged to restore optimal pro-inflammatory macrophage function in aging and enhance muscle regrowth following muscular atrophy.