Probiotic-fermented deer antler extract protects against inflammation-induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 myotubes

This study investigated the muscle-protective effects of deer antler hot-water extract fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum SST-9961 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides SST-9962 in a tumor necrosis factor-α-induced muscle atrophy model using C2C12 myotubes. Both strains exhibited probiotic properties including acid and bile tolerance, strong adhesion to Caco-2 cells, and antioxidant activity. Fermented extracts preserved myotube morphology and fusion index, upregulated mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor 1, myogenic differentiation 1, myogenin, and mechanistic target of rapamycin, and downregulated muscle RING-finger protein-1, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, and tumor necrosis factor-α. In addition, phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, protein kinase B, and forkhead box protein O1 was enhanced, while intracellular reactive oxygen species levels were reduced and glucose uptake was improved. These results suggest that microbial fermentation enhances the biofunctional properties of deer antler extract and may contribute to development of functional materials for inflammation-associated muscle wasting.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-026-02190-0.