A new study from Baylor College of Medicine and an international team of researchers may one day lead to an effective treatment for muscle loss associated with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. Until now, scientists have been unable to pinpoint the cause of muscle wasting, which can increase the risk of death in these patients. By studying mouse models and muscle biopsies from CKD patients, Baylor researchers have linked activation of the transcription factor Stat3 to muscle loss. They found that Stat3 activation leads to stimulation of the protein myostatin, which inhibits muscle growth. The researchers believe blocking myostatin could be a viable target for this dangerous condition, which currently has no treatment.
Source:
Researchers Target Muscle Wasting in Chronic Kidney Disease, Baylor College of Medicine, September 5, 2013