Polyphenol dietary supplementation prevents inflammation-induced muscle atrophy in a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model

Diet-induced inflammation is a major cause of muscle degeneration impacting human and animal health. Owing to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, polyphenols have attracted considerable interest as feed additives. Using a combined immunohistochemical, western blotting (WB), and proteomic approach, we tested the hypothesis that a pro-inflammatory diet in zebrafish (Danio rerio) induces skeletal muscle degeneration, and that dietary polyphenols can prevent or reverse this effect. Fish were supplemented with a blend of polyphenol extracts, tannins from Castanea sativa shells and apigenin from Verbascum macrurum, administered before (PVpreI), during (PVwithI), or after (PVpostI) the inflammatory diet.

Inflammation led to muscle fiber degeneration, expanded intercellular space, and increased TNF-α, COX2, and caspase 3 expression. Polyphenol supplementation prevented or attenuated these alterations and reduced expression of inflammatory markers. WB revealed changes in IκBα phosphorylation, desmin, and titin levels in inflamed muscle, fully or partially restored in PVpreI and PVwithI groups. Proteomics of inflamed muscles showed quantitative alterations in structural and regeneration-related proteins, connective tissue components, inflammatory and immune mediators, and metabolite transporters, reflecting the observed morphological and molecular changes, which were in most cases reverted in polyphenol-treated groups.

These outcomes demonstrate that dietary supplementation with a specific polyphenol blend counteracts muscle atrophy by modulating the proteomic landscape. Among treatments, polyphenol pre-treatment was the most effective in preventing inflammation-induced damage, followed by co- and post-treatment, which showed partial recovery. These findings strongly support the use of dietary polyphenols as a robust nutritional strategy to preserve muscle integrity during systemic inflammation. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.