Lycopene Increases Skeletal Muscle Mass by Promoting Myoblast Differentiation

Area of Science:

• Muscle physiology and cellular biology
• Nutritional science and nutraceuticals

Background:

• Skeletal muscle differentiation is crucial for muscle growth, development, and regeneration.
• Lycopene is known to promote mitochondrial biogenesis and energy metabolism in skeletal muscle.
• The specific role of lycopene in muscle differentiation remained uninvestigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of lycopene supplementation on skeletal muscle differentiation in vivo and in vitro.
• To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of lycopene's effects on muscle differentiation.

Main Methods:

• In vivo studies involving lycopene-fed mice and in vitro studies using C2C12 myoblasts.
• Assessment of muscle mass, myofiber size, and muscle protein synthesis.
• Analysis of myogenic regulatory factors (MyoD, MyoG) and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression.
• Transcriptome sequencing and pharmacological inhibition/knockdown of ERα.

Main Results:

• Lycopene supplementation significantly increased gastrocnemius muscle mass and myofiber size in mice.
• Lycopene promoted muscle protein synthesis and upregulated key myogenic regulatory factors (MyoD, MyoG).
• Lycopene enhanced myotube formation in C2C12 cells, associated with increased ERα expression.
• ERα suppression blocked lycopene's pro-differentiation effects, confirming its crucial role.

Conclusions:

• Lycopene positively influences skeletal muscle differentiation and contributes to increased muscle mass.
• The pro-myogenic effects of lycopene are, in part, mediated by the estrogen signaling pathway via ERα.
• Lycopene represents a potential nutritional strategy for enhancing muscle health and mass.