Sarcopenia: potential new tools to face a giant

Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle mass and functionality associated with poor physical performance, physical disability, and increased mortality, significantly impacts the quality of life in the elderly. While physical exercise is the only effective intervention, it is not always feasible for advanced-stage patients. Thus, the discovery and development of novel approaches to tackle age-related muscle loss are becoming increasingly urgent. Although Vitamin D (VD) deficiency is associated with aging and decreased muscle mass and functionality, its supplementation has yielded mixed results in patients with muscle wasting. Since it has already been demonstrated that calcitriol (1,25VD) induces atrophy in C2C12 myotubes, and that its upstream metabolite, calcidiol (25VD), exhibits anti-atrophic properties, we explored the effects of cholecalciferol (VD3), the non-hydroxylated upstream metabolite, demonstrating that it possesses anti-atrophic effects. Considering the coexistence of sarcopenia and osteoporosis in many elderly individuals and the fact that they share several pathophysiological mechanisms, the concept of osteosarcopenia as a unique geriatric syndrome is increasingly accepted. In collaboration with Profs. Sorci and Riuzzi (University of Perugia), we demonstrated that Equisetum Arvense, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, simultaneously improves age-related muscle and bone loss, paving the way for its use as a therapeutic in osteosarcopenia. Finally, I characterized a potential in vitro sarcopenia model by treating C2C12 myotubes with conditioned medium from senescent 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, which might mimic the early phases of age-related muscle wasting.