Year: 2018
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Severe burn results in a prolonged hypermetabolic response that leads to significant muscle wasting. This rapid loss in muscle mass occurs due to increased protein degradation and alterations in protein synthesis. The objective of our study was to examine the mechanisms of burn-induced muscle wasting. Using a mouse full-thickness scald burn model we show that muscle wasting after burn injury is associated with increased inflammation and a significant reduction in muscle progenitors. A reduction in this inflammatory cascade and a restoration of muscle progenitors leads to recovery of muscle size. We next examined whether we could attenuate burn-induced muscle wasting pharmacologically. Metformin treatment attenuated muscle wasting in part due to increasing the number of muscle progenitors and increasing their proliferation. Metformin treatment also reduced fat infiltration, a significant source of muscle damage after burn injury. Treating severe burn injury with metformin may mitigate muscle wasting in addition to managing hyperglycemia.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Yusef Yousuf
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2897833827