Key points from article :
Blocking a single protein in old mice restores muscular mass & strength, and helps them run longer on treadmill.
While increasing the expression of the protein in young mice causes their muscles to atrophy and weaken.
The protein, 15-PGDH, is elevated in old muscle and other old tissues.
Similar pattern of 15-PGDH expression was found in human muscle tissues.
Effect of a small molecule that blocks 15-PGDH was observed in old and young animals.
“In old mice, even just partially inhibiting 15-PGDH restored prostaglandin E2 to physiological levels found in younger mice” - Helen Blau, author.
“The muscle fibres in these mice grew larger, and were stronger, than before the treatment."
Treated animals were also able to run longer on a treadmill than untreated animals.
"Considering that humans lose about 10% of muscle strength per decade after about age 50, this is quite remarkable.”
Research by Stanford University published in Science.
