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Myoblast Therapy Ameliorates Skeletal Muscle Atrophy Resulting From Chronic Denervation
Shaquielle Dias1,2, William Padovano3, Chenhu Qiu4
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Muscle & Nerve
|April 25, 2026
Summary
Myoblast injections reverse muscle atrophy after nerve injury. This therapy improved grip strength and muscle structure, offering hope for patients with lifelong disability from denervation-induced muscle atrophy (DIMA).
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Muscle Biology
- Peripheral Nerve Injury
Background:
- Denervation-induced muscle atrophy (DIMA) severely limits motor function recovery after peripheral nerve injury.
- Current treatments do not reverse chronic DIMA, leading to persistent disability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if syngeneic myoblast injection can reverse histologic and functional deficits of chronic DIMA.
- To assess myoblast delivery in a nanofiber hydrogel composite (npNHC) for enhanced efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Rodent model of median nerve transection with delayed repair.
- Injection of satellite cell-rich myoblasts into atrophic digital flexor muscles.
- Delivery via saline or npNHC loaded with agrin and IGF-1 releasing nanoparticles.
- Assessment of grip strength and histological myofiber cross-sectional area.
Main Results:
- Myoblast therapy significantly improved stimulated grip strength.
- npNHC-delivered myoblasts reversed whole muscle atrophy and restored myofiber size.
- Functional recovery correlated strongly with increased myofiber cross-sectional area.
Conclusions:
- Targeted myoblast injection effectively reverses functional and histologic effects of DIMA.
- This approach shows promise for improving recovery outcomes after peripheral nerve injuries.
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