Whey Peptide Alleviates Muscle Atrophy by Strongly Regulating Myocyte Differentiation in Mice.

Background and Objectives: Muscle atrophy occurs when protein degradation exceeds protein synthesis, resulting in imbalanced protein homeostasis, compromised muscle contraction, and a reduction in muscle mass. The incidence of muscle atrophy is increasingly recognized as a significant worldwide public health problem. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of whey peptide (WP) on muscle atrophy induced by dexamethasone (DEX) in mice. Materials and Methods: C57BL/6 mice were divided into six groups, each consisting of nine individuals. WPs were orally administered to C57BL/6 mice for 6 weeks. DEX was administered for 5-6 weeks to induce muscle atrophy (intraperitoneal injection, i.p.). Results: Microcomputer tomography (CT) analysis confirmed that WP significantly increased calf muscle volume and surface area in mice with DEX-induced muscle atrophy, as evidenced by tissue staining. Furthermore, it increased the area of muscle fibers and facilitated greater collagen deposition. Moreover, WP significantly decreased the levels of serum biomarkers associated with muscle damage, kidney function, and inflammatory cytokines. WP increased p-mTOR and p-p70S6K levels through the IGF-1/PI3K/Akt pathway, while concurrently decreasing protein catabolism via the FOXO pathway. Furthermore, the expression of proteins associated with myocyte differentiation increased noticeably. Conclusions: These results confirm that WP reduces muscle atrophy by regulating muscle protein homeostasis. Additionally, it is believed that it helps to relieve muscle atrophy by regulating the expression of myocyte differentiation factors. Therefore, we propose that WP plays a significant role in preventing and treating muscle wasting by functioning as a supplement to counteract muscle atrophy.

Effect of Egg White Combined with Chalcanthite on Lipopolysaccharide induced Inflammatory Cytokine Expression in RAW 264.7 cells.

AIM: Historically, mineral compound herbal medicines have long been used in treatments of immune-related diseases in Korea, China and other Asian countries. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of egg white combined with chalcanthite (IS4) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. METHODS: RAW 264.7 cells cultured with LPS and various concentrations of IS4 were analyzed to determine the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators by using enzyme-linked immune sorbent assays (ELISAs). RESULTS: IS4 concentration inhibited the production of interleukin-1beta (IL-1 ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and granulocyte -macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) induced by LPS. IS4 at high concentrations (25 and 50㎍/ml) inhibited, in concentration-dependent manner, the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α) stimulated by LPS. CONCLUSION: IS4 has shown an anti-inflammatory effect in RAW 264.7 cells.