Magnolol attenuates the cisplatin-induced muscle wasting via M2c macrophage activation

Abstract

Abstract Cancer chemotherapy induces malnutrition and rapid loss of muscle mass which directly restricts the daily activities leading to poor quality of life and increased mortality. Although the hormone-related therapies have been used to improve appetite and nutritional status, but current treatments are considered palliative. Thus, the maintenance of skeletal muscle mass without side effects is essential in sarcopenia. Magnolol from Magnolia officianlis has been reported to have several pharmacological effects including anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects, but the correlations of immune cell infiltrations and muscle protection in muscle atrophy are not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of magnolol on muscle wasting and macrophage subtypes in cisplatin-induced sarcopenia mice model. We showed that magnolol significantly attenuated the body weight loss and muscle loss induced by cisplatin injection. The diameter of tiabialis anterior (TA) muscle was markedly increased by magnolol treatement compared with cisplatin group. Importantly, magnolol increased the percentages of total macrophages without affecting the percentages of T cells. Furthermore, magnolol reduced the CD206−CD163− M1 inflammatory macrophages whereas the CD206+CD163+ M2c tissue reparative macrophages were increased in CD45+CD11b+F4/80+ macrophages. We also showed that cisplatin increased the M1/M2 ratio and magnolol significantly lowered the M1/M2 ratio in TA muscle. Taken together, magnolol may be a promising chemoprotective agent for preventing muscle atrophy by upregulating M2c macrophages.