Simultaneous augmentation of muscle and bone by locomomimetism through calcium-PGC-1α signaling

Obesity - Standards, trends and advances

Obesity continues to be a significant global health concern, giving rise to various complications. This review article explores the current standards and emerging innovations in diagnosing and treating obesity, including recent disease name change, staging system or therapeutic goals. This narrative review has been based on recent scientific articles from PubMed database, limiting the scope of topics to current standards and upcoming developments and breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of obesity. The educational and informative nature of the review has been maintained in order to make the information presented accessible to both researchers and clinical practitioners. The recognition of diverse obesity phenotypes has prompted a paradigm shift towards a complex and patient-centered approach to diagnosis and therapy. Pharmacotherapy for obesity is evolving rapidly, with ongoing research focusing on novel molecular targets and metabolic pathways. Promising developments include dual or triple incretin analogs, oral incretin drugs, neurotransmitter-based therapies, muscle mass-increasing treatments, and therapies targeting visceral adipose tissue browning. Despite current evidence-based international standards, the field of obesity diagnosis and treatment continues to expand, with new diagnostic tools and pharmacotherapies potentially replacing current practices. Therapeutic management should be tailored to individual patients, considering obesity phenotype, health status, lifestyle, and preferences. Looking ahead, the future holds promising opportunities for obesity management, but further research is required to assess the efficacy and safety of emerging therapies. A multifactorial and personalized approach will be pivotal in addressing the diverse challenges posed by obesity.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1) family in physiological and pathophysiological process and diseases

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1) family (PGC-1s), consisting of three members encompassing PGC-1α, PGC-1β, and PGC-1-related coactivator (PRC), was discovered more than a quarter-century ago. PGC-1s are essential coordinators of many vital cellular events, including mitochondrial functions, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis, and inflammation. Accumulating evidence has shown that PGC-1s are implicated in many diseases, such as cancers, cardiac diseases and cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, kidney diseases, motor system diseases, and metabolic disorders. Examining the upstream modulators and co-activated partners of PGC-1s and identifying critical biological events modulated by downstream effectors of PGC-1s contribute to the presentation of the elaborate network of PGC-1s. Furthermore, discussing the correlation between PGC-1s and diseases as well as summarizing the therapy targeting PGC-1s helps make individualized and precise intervention methods. In this review, we summarize basic knowledge regarding the PGC-1s family as well as the molecular regulatory network, discuss the physio-pathological roles of PGC-1s in human diseases, review the application of PGC-1s, including the diagnostic and prognostic value of PGC-1s and several therapies in pre-clinical studies, and suggest several directions for future investigations. This review presents the immense potential of targeting PGC-1s in the treatment of diseases and hopefully facilitates the promotion of PGC-1s as new therapeutic targets.

Exploring In Vivo Models of Musculoskeletal Frailty: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

Musculoskeletal frailty-a common and debilitating condition linked to aging and chronic diseases-presents a major public health issue. In vivo models have become a key tool for researchers as they investigate the condition's underlying mechanisms and develop effective interventions. This systematic review examines the current body of research on in vivo models of musculoskeletal frailty, without any time constraints. To achieve this aim, we utilized three electronic databases and incorporated a total of 11 studies. Our investigation delves into varied animal models that simulate specific features of musculoskeletal frailty, including muscle loss, bone density reduction, and functional decline. Furthermore, we examine the translational prospects of these models in augmenting our comprehension of musculoskeletal frailty and streamlining the production of groundbreaking therapeutic approaches. This review provides significant insights and guidance for healthcare researchers and practitioners who aim to combat musculoskeletal frailty, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for older adults and individuals affected by this condition.

Rheumatoid sarcopenia: loss of skeletal muscle strength and mass in rheumatoid arthritis

Sarcopenia, a disorder that involves the generalized loss of skeletal muscle strength and mass, was formally recognized as a disease by its inclusion in the International Classification of Diseases in 2016. Sarcopenia typically affects older people, but younger individuals with chronic disease are also at risk. The risk of sarcopenia is high (with a prevalence of ≥25%) in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and this rheumatoid sarcopenia is associated with increased likelihood of falls, fractures and physical disability, in addition to the burden of joint inflammation and damage. Chronic inflammation mediated by cytokines such as TNF, IL-6 and IFNγ contributes to aberrant muscle homeostasis (for instance, by exacerbating muscle protein breakdown), and results from transcriptomic studies have identified dysfunction of muscle stem cells and metabolism in RA. Progressive resistance exercise is an effective therapy for rheumatoid sarcopenia but it can be challenging or unsuitable for some individuals. The unmet need for anti-sarcopenia pharmacotherapies is great, both for people with RA and for otherwise healthy older adults.