Rapamycin and Muscle Aging: Stronger for Longer

SHR # 2589 :: Rapamycin and Muscle Aging: Stronger for Longer - Dr. Daniel Ham, PhD - With life expectancy increasing, age-related diseases are also on the rise, including sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass due to aging. Researchers from the University of Basel's Biozentrum have demonstrated that a well-known drug can delay the progression of age-related muscle weakness. Already in our best years, our muscles begin to shrink and their strength dwindles. Unfortunately, this is a natural part of aging. For some people, the decline in muscle mass and function is excessive. This condition, called sarcopenia, affects every second or third person over 80, reducing mobility, autonomy and quality of life. Rapamycin helps to reduce senescent cell accumulation and extend lifespan by modulating mTORc1 activity and has been thought to also reduce muscle mass and protein synthesis. But is this true? Database web app discussed during the interview can be found here https://sarcoatlas.scicore.unibas.ch/ . mTORC1 signaling is not essential for the maintenance of muscle mass and function in adult sedentary mice https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31697050/