Researchers Identify Key Mechanism in Muscle Energy Production, Unlocking Potential for New Treatments

Researchers Identify Key Mechanism in Muscle Energy Production, Unlocking Potential for New Treatments

(IN BRIEF) Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered a vital cellular mechanism, involving the protein SLIRP, that supports energy production in muscle cells. Their study reveals that exercise can bypass genetic errors affecting this mechanism, restoring energy capacity and stabilizing mitochondrial function. This breakthrough offers potential for developing treatments that replicate the benefits of exercise for over 200 disorders linked to muscle energy deficiencies, including diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and rare mitochondrial conditions. While a full “exercise in a pill” solution remains distant, this discovery brings scientists closer to therapies that could improve muscle function and quality of life for patients unable to engage in physical activity.

(PRESS RELEASE) COPENHAGEN, 7-Dec-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — A groundbreaking study by researchers from the University of Copenhagen has revealed a crucial cellular mechanism responsible for energy production in muscles, opening the door to potential new treatments for muscle-related disorders such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. The discovery highlights the extraordinary ability of exercise to counteract genetic errors in muscular energy production and may pave the way for therapies that replicate the benefits of physical activity.

Exercise as a Solution to Genetic Errors

The study, led by Associate Professor Lykke Sylow from the Department of Biomedical Sciences, identified the protein SLIRP as essential to the energy production process within the mitochondria, the cell’s energy factory. The researchers demonstrated that when SLIRP is absent, exercise can activate alternative pathways to restore energy production, effectively bypassing the genetic deficiency.

“Exercise proves to be a powerful tool in compensating for genetic errors,” said Postdoctoral researcher Tang Cam Phung Pham, the study’s first author. “Our findings show that physical activity can restore the muscle’s energy capacity and stabilize mitochondrial function even in the absence of this critical protein.”

Transformative Potential for Treatment

The implications of this research extend far beyond understanding the benefits of exercise. The findings could inspire the development of therapies targeting mitochondrial function, offering hope for more than 200 disorders linked to muscle energy deficiencies, including rare mitochondrial diseases and common conditions such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases.

“By mimicking the effects of exercise through drugs, we could provide new treatment options for patients who are unable to engage in physical activity due to illness,” explained Associate Professor Sylow. “This could dramatically improve outcomes for individuals with reduced muscle function, which is often associated with higher mortality rates.”

Addressing Critical Health Challenges

The study also emphasizes the relationship between muscle mass, physical activity, and survival rates in cancer patients. Loss of muscle mass can prevent cancer patients from tolerating optimal chemotherapy, directly impacting their survival chances. “If we could help patients maintain or increase their muscle mass even slightly, it could mean the difference between life and death for some,” noted Sylow.

The Role of SLIRP in Mitochondrial Function

SLIRP plays a vital role in stabilizing mitochondrial genes and facilitating the production of proteins essential for energy generation. Without SLIRP, mitochondria become damaged and fail to produce adequate energy. Remarkably, the study shows that physical activity can bypass this deficiency, preserving mitochondrial function and energy production.

Toward “Muscle Magic” Without Exercise

While a pill replicating the full benefits of exercise remains a distant goal, this discovery represents a significant step toward therapies that emulate some of exercise’s effects. “Exercise is magic for the muscles, but for many patients, engaging in physical activity is incredibly challenging,” Sylow said. “If we can harness even a fraction of this magic through targeted treatments, we could greatly improve the quality of life for countless individuals.”

The study underscores the extraordinary adaptability of the human body and the profound impact of physical activity on health, offering hope for transformative advancements in muscle-related disease treatment.

Media Contacts:

Lykke Sylow
Associate Professor
lykkesylow@sund.ku.dk
+45 20 95 52 50

William Brøns Petersen
Communications Consultant
william.petersen@sund.ku.dk
+45 93 56 55 80

SOURCE: University of Copenhagen