The scientists of MarSU have discovered the potential of insect hormone for the treatment of muscle ischemia

Ischemia/reperfusion is a condition in which impaired blood supply to tissues, followed by restoration of blood flow, leads to damage to muscles and other organs. The researchers induced IRP in mice by applying a tourniquet to the hind limb for 2 hours, followed by reperfusion for 1 hour. 20E was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 5 mg/kg for 14 days, after which the physical activity of mice, the histological structure of muscles, the expression of genes encoding proteins induced by hypoxia and involved in tissue adaptation to ischemia, as well as the functional parameters of skeletal muscle mitochondria were evaluated. It was found that 20E reduces the level of malonic dialdehyde (MDA) in mitochondria, which indicates a decrease in oxidative stress. 20E also contributed to a decrease in degenerative processes in muscles, which resulted in a decrease in the number of centrally located nuclei in muscle fibers.
Alyona Semenova, the lecturer of the Department of Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Microbiology of Mari State University: "Our study demonstrates that 20-hydroxyecdysone has the potential to reduce damage caused by ischemia/reperfusion, especially in the context of reducing oxidative stress and degenerative processes in muscles. In our opinion, the antioxidant properties of 20E may be useful in combination therapy to improve tissue repair after ischemia."
The researchers plan to further explore the potential benefits of 20E for the treatment of skeletal muscle IRP. They are also interested in exploring whether 20E could be useful for treating other conditions related to muscle damage, such as muscular dystrophy or traumatic injury.
Note: The research was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (No. 23-75-01061).