Nanocurcumin potential to increase mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle via AMPK-PGC-1alpha

Abstract

Curcumin, which comes from the rhizome Curcuma longa L, is known as the polyphenol with a high level content of natural antioxidants and has benefits on pharmacological activities and human health. The purpose of current study was to investigate the effect of nanocurcumin itself and the combination with exercise on 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), PGC-1α, and mitochondrial protein expression of cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV (COX-IV), in rat gastrocnemius muscle. Animals separated to be non-endurance exercise and endurance exercise group. Curcumin and nanocurcumin with doses 100 mg per kg-body weight per day were given peroral in both groups for 28 days in order to determine the effect of nanocurcumin on mitochondrial markers including AMPK-PGC-1α and COX-IV. Western blotting (WB) method was applied to investigate the protein expression on skeletal muscle. The result showed that nanocurcumin increased mitochondrial marker protein COX-IV on non exercise and exercise groups. Furthermore, our result demonstrated that nanocurcumin treatment combined with exercise increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and PGC-1α. Addition, nanocurcumin treatment alone, without exercise, also increased PGC-1α protein expression. This current result suggests that nanocurcumin could increase mitochondrial biogenesis markers. When it is used together with exercise, it potentially has the additive effect of exercise to increase mitochondrial markers through AMPK-PGC-1α signaling pathway. In conclusion, nanocurcumin treatment combined with exercise potentially increases mitochondrial biogenesis.