Serum Myostatin Levels Research Articles

Serum level of myostatin and type I interferon-inducible gene expression in dermatomyositis patients and its relation to insulin resistance

Abstract Background Data regarding the relation between serum myostatin level, type I interferon-inducible gene expression and insulin resistance in dermatomyositis patients are limited. This study aimed to assess serum myostatin level, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and type I interferon-inducible gene expression in dermatomyositis patients. We evaluated the role of serum myostatin level, and type I interferon-inducible gene expression in the pathogenesis of dermatomyositis as well as the relation of serum myostatin level and type I interferon-inducible gene expression to the occurrence of insulin resistance. We evaluated serum levels of myostatin and HOMA-IR utilizing ELISA as well as IFIT1 and Mx1(MxA) gene expression with RT-PCR in 25 dermatomyositis patients (group A) and 25 obviously sound subjects as controls (group B). Results Among group A, body mass index, serum levels of myostatin, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, IFN-inducible genes Mx1 and IFIT1 were more significantly increased as well as; serum level of myostatin was positively correlated with age, gender, fasting insulin level, body mass index, and HOMA-IR. Conclusions Serum level of myostatin, Mx1 and IFIT1 gene expression act as hazard factors of insulin resistance in group A.

Impact of maternal muscle strength on cesarean delivery outcomes: a comparative study of nulliparous women.

This study explored the correlation between maternal muscle mass and strength and the mode of delivery in childbirth. Specifically, it focused on full-term nulliparous pregnant women, analyzing ultrasonographic measurements of the quadriceps femoris muscle together with serum myostatin levels and muscle strength as determined by a handgrip test. The aim was to discern whether these factors could influence the likelihood of delivering vaginally or via cesarean section. This study included 86 healthy nulliparous women at term, categorizing them into two groups based on their mode of delivery: vaginal delivery (58 women, Group 1) and cesarean section (28 women, Group 2). Comparative analyses of demographic information, delivery characteristics, ultrasonographic measurements of the quadriceps femoris, limb circumferences, handgrip strength, and serum myostatin concentrations were conducted. The findings revealed that women in Group 1 had less gestational weight gain but greater handgrip strength compared to Group 2. Additionally, women who underwent cesarean section due to nonprogressive labor had greater arm and calf circumferences relative to those who had vaginal deliveries. The data of this study suggest a trend whereby lower maternal muscle strength and mass are associated with a decreased likelihood of vaginal delivery in pregnant women.

Serum myostatin and follistatin levels in children following different dietary patterns

Serum myostatin and follistatin levels in children following different dietary patterns

Higher serum myostatin levels are associated with lower insulin sensitivity in adults with overweight/obesity.

Myostatin inhibition improves insulin sensitivity in preclinical and clinical models; however, studies investigating the relationship between serum myostatin levels and insulin sensitivity are discrepant. Sensitive and specific myostatin LC-MS/MS assays are now available to accurately assess serum myostatin level invivo. We sought to determine whether higher serum myostatin levels are independently associated with lower insulin sensitivity in adults with overweight/obesity. Participants included 74 adults, 20-65 years old, BMI ≥25 kg/m2 without type 2 diabetes. Appendicular lean mass (ALM) was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was measured by computed tomography. Main outcome measures were serum myostatin levels (LC-MS/MS) and insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index). Mean age was 48 ± 12 years, and BMI was 33.1 ± 5.6 kg/m2 (mean ± SD). Men had higher mean serum myostatin levels versus women (8.3 ± 1.9 vs. 7.2 ± 1.9 ng/mL, p = 0.01) and higher serum myostatin levels were associated with higher ALM (R = 0.34, p = 0.003). Higher serum myostatin levels were associated with lower Matsuda index (R = -0.44, p = 0.0004), which remained significant after controlling for BMI, VAT, ALM, and sex. In conclusion, higher serum myostatin levels are independently associated with lower insulin sensitivity in adults with overweight/obesity and may be a marker of or play a mechanistic role in the development of insulin resistance.

Myostatin Changes in Females with UI after Magnetic Stimulation: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background and Objectives: Urinary incontinence (UI) is the involuntary loss of urine caused by a weakness in the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) that affects urethral closure. Myostatin, which prevents the growth of muscles, is a protein expressed by human skeletal muscle cells. Indeed, it has been observed that myostatin concentration rises during skeletal muscle inactivity and that suppressing serum myostatin promotes muscle growth and strength. Furthermore, therapeutic interventions that reduce myostatin signalling may lessen the effects of aging on skeletal muscle mass and function. For this reason, the aim of the study was to assess if flat magnetic stimulation technology affects serum myostatin levels, as myostatin can block cell proliferation at the urethral sphincter level. Materials and Methods: A total of 19 women, 75% presenting stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and 25% urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), were enrolled. A non-invasive electromagnetic therapeutic system designed for deep pelvic floor area stimulation was used for eight sessions. Results: The ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) test indicated that the myostatin levels in blood sera had significantly decreased. Patients' ultrasound measurements showed a significant genital hiatus length reduction at rest and in a stress condition. The Pelvic Floor Bother Questionnaire consistently revealed a decrease in mean scores when comparing the pre- and post-treatment data. Conclusions: Effective flat magnetic stimulation reduces myostatin concentration and genital hiatus length, minimizing the severity of urinary incontinence. The results of the study show that without causing any discomfort or unfavourable side effects, the treatment plan significantly improved the PFM tone and strength in patients with UI.

Myostatin serum levels depends on age and diet in athletic and no athletic dogs

Myostatin is a growth factor related to muscular mass atrophy via mTOR pathway inhibition. Mutations in this gene have been correlated with high muscular mass development in different species of mammals, including human and dogs. Different studies have shown that sport practice increases myostatin gene expression. Some of them were conducted in canine breeds selected for different sport practices, including mushing sports. In this study, body weight, muscular mass, and serum levels of myostatin were analysed in different canine breeds, selected, and not selected for sprint and middle-distance racing, and the effect on epidemiological factors was evaluated. Sex, reproductive status, and canine breed affects body weight and muscular mass, being higher in males, and in sled canine breed. Age has an effect in body weight and myostatin serum levels, being lower in elder dogs. Sport practice and type of diet had an effect in muscular mass development but not in myostatin serum levels. Results showed a high positive correlation between muscular mass and body weight but not with myostatin levels. These results suggest that independent-myostatin mechanisms of mTOR pathway regulation could be related to muscular mass development in dogs.

Prevalence of main risk factors and cytokine profile in patients with acute coronary syndrome and different serum myostatin levels

Objective. To study the prevalence of the main risk factors and the value of proinflammatory cytokines in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) depending on the determined level of serum myostatin. Materials and methods. 120 patients with ST elevation ACS (STE-ACS) and non-ST-segment elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS), hospitalized in the cardiology department of the regional vascular center were examined. In 86 patients, the level of serum myostatin and proinflammatory cytokines was determined on the 5th day of the development of acute coronary syndrome. Results. Patients were divided into two subgroups depending on the level of serum myostatin which was determined: group 1 – with a lower level of myostatin, group 2 – with a higher level of myostatin. Group 1 (serum myostatin level from 0.038 to 0.084 ng/ml) consisted of 23 patients (16 males). Group 2 (serum myostatin level from 0.137 to 0.630 ng/ml) contained 21 patients (14 males). The main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as family history of early development of cardiovascular diseases, smoking, dyslipidemia, obesity, arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus were assessed. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were determined. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 18 (IL-18) levels were significantly higher in patients with higher myostatin levels. Correlation analysis revealed a relationship between serum myostatin concentration and TNF-alpha level (r = 0.34; p = 0.0016). Conclusions. No differences in the prevalence of risk factors in patients with ACS and different myostatin levels, except for smoking were revealed in the study, the frequency of smoking was higher in the group with higher myostatin levels. Greater activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-18 was revealed in patients with higher levels of myostatin, as well as a significant correlation between the level of myostatin and TNF-alpha.

Serum Myostatin is Associated With Central-to-Peripheral Arterial Stiffness Gradient in Healthy Adolescents: The MACISTE Study.

Myostatin is a protein compound, structurally related to the transforming growth factor-beta protein, which plays a pivotal role in regulating muscle growth and extracellular matrix production. It exerts both profibrotic and antihypertrophic effects on vascular smooth muscle cells. Aim of the study was to explore the potential association between serum myostatin levels (sMSTN) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (cr-PWV), and their ratio (PWVr), in a cohort of healthy adolescents. A cohort of 128 healthy subjects (mean age 17 ± 2 years, 59% male) was randomly selected from participants to the MACISTE (Metabolic And Cardiovascular Investigation at School, TErni) study. sMSTN was assessed utilizing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PWVs were measured in the supine position using high-fidelity applanation tonometry. The mean cf-PWV was 5.1 ± 0.9 m/s, cr-PWV was 6.9 ± 0.9 m/s, and PWVr was 0.75 ± 0.12. PWVr exhibited a linear increase across increasing quartiles of sMSTN (0.71 ± 0.1, 0.74 ± 0.1, 0.7 ± 0.1, 0.77 ± 0.1, P for trend = 0.03), whereas the association between sMSTN and each single component of PWVr (cf-PWV, cr-PWV) did not attain statistical significance. Quartiles of sMSTN displayed a positive trend with serum HDL-cholesterol (P = 0.01) and a negative one with LDL-cholesterol (P = 0.01). In a multivariate linear model, the association between PWVr and sMSTN was independent of SBP values, age, sex, heart rate, BMI, HDL-cholesterol, and HOMA Index. In healthy adolescents, sMSTN showed independent associations with PWVr, a measure of central-to-peripheral arterial stiffness gradient. sMSTN may exert differential effects on the structural and functional properties of the arterial wall.

Role of Myostatin in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Review of the Clinical Impact.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects synovial joints and that frequently involves extra-articular organs. A multiplicity of interleukins (IL) participates in the pathogenesis of RA, including IL-6, IL-1β, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α; immune cells such as monocytes, T and B lymphocytes, and macrophages; and auto-antibodies, mainly rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs). Skeletal muscle is also involved in RA, with many patients developing muscle wasting and sarcopenia. Several mechanisms are involved in the myopenia observed in RA, and one of them includes the effects of some interleukins and myokines on myocytes. Myostatin is a myokine member of the TGF-β superfamily; the overproduction of myostatin acts as a negative regulator of growth and differentiates the muscle fibers, limiting their number and size. Recent studies have identified abnormalities in the serum myostatin levels of RA patients, and these have been found to be associated with muscle wasting and other manifestations of severe RA. This review analyzes recent information regarding the relationship between myostatin levels and clinical manifestations of RA and the relevance of myostatin as a therapeutic target for future research.

Circulating myostatin levels as a prognostic biomarker in patients with acute liver failure and late-onset hepatic failure.

Myostatin is a myokine involved in muscle mass regulation. The associations between circulating myostatin levels and clinical characteristics in patients with acute liver failure (ALF) and late-onset hepatic failure (LOHF) are unclear. In this retrospective study, 51 patients with ALF or LOHF were included. Serum myostatin was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Myostatin levels were significantly lower in patients with ALF and LOHF than in controls (ALF/LOHF: 2522pg/mL, controls: 3853pg/mL, p=0.003). The prevalence of low myostatin in deceased patients was significantly higher than that in spontaneous survivors and patients who underwent liver transplantation. Patients with low myostatin levels had a high incidence of complications. There was a positive correlation between the psoas muscle index and serum myostatin levels. Patients with low myostatin levels had shorter 1-year transplant-free survival and shorter 1-year overall survival than patients with high myostatin levels. Low serum myostatin levels were associated with poor prognosis independent of the Japanese scoring system for ALF ≥3, King's College criteria, or model for end-stage liver disease score >30.5. The combination of serum myostatin levels and prognostic models for ALF significantly stratified patients according to 1-year prognosis. Low serum myostatin levels were associated with a low psoas muscle index, complication rate, and poor prognosis in patients with ALF and LOHF. Assessment of circulating myostatin levels may improve the prediction of outcomes in patients with ALF and LOHF.

Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17 Ameliorates Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Loss in BALB/c Mice and C2C12 Myotubes.

This study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanism of Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17, a probiotic strain isolated from human breast milk, on dexamethasone-induced muscle loss in mice and cultured myotubes. BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally injected with dexamethasone, and orally administered L. gasseri BNR17 for 21 days. L. gasseri BNR17 treatment ameliorated dexamethasone-induced decline in muscle function, as evidenced by an increase in forelimb grip strength, treadmill running time, and rotarod retention time in both female and male mice. In addition, L. gasseri BNR17 treatment significantly increased the mass of the gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscles. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry showed a significant increase in lean body mass and a decrease in fat mass in both whole body and hind limb after treatment with L. gasseri BNR17. It was found that L. gasseri BNR17 treatment downregulated serum myostatin level and the protein degradation pathway composed of muscle-specific ubiquitin E3 ligases, MuRF1 and MAFbx, and their transcription factor FoxO3. In contrast, L. gasseri BNR17 treatment upregulated serum insulin-like growth factor-1 level and Akt-mTOR-p70S6K signaling pathway involved in protein synthesis in muscle. As a result, L. gasseri BNR17 treatment significantly increased the levels of major muscular proteins such as myosin heavy chain and myoblast determination protein 1. Consistent with in vivo results, L. gasseri BNR17 culture supernatant significantly ameliorated dexamethasone-induced C2C12 myotube atrophy in vitro. In conclusion, L. gasseri BNR17 ameliorates muscle loss by downregulating the protein degradation pathway and upregulating the protein synthesis pathway.

Evaluation of Serum Myostatin Concentration in Chronic Heart Failure with Preserved and Impaired Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.

Background: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a complex clinical syndrome associated with muscle wasting, which can progress to cardiac cachexia. Myostatin, a negative regulator of muscle growth, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of muscle wasting in CHF patients and suggested as a potential biomarker. The objective of this study was to investigate serum myostatin concentration in patients with CHF with preserved and reduced ejection fraction. Methods: The authors conducted a single-centre study comparing serum myostatin levels, functional and echocardiographic parameters, muscle mass, strength and function in patients with CHF to a control group without CHF. The study group was further divided into sub-groups with preserved and reduced or mildly reduced ejection fraction. Results: Results showed no significant differences in myostatin concentration between CHF patients and controls, and no correlation with sarcopenia or dynapenia. However, a higher myostatin concentration was found in patients with impaired systolic function (Me = 1675 pg/mL vs. Me-884.5 pg/mL; p = 0.007). A positive correlation between myostatin concentration and muscle mass (r = 0.27; p = 0.04), and functional parameters such as Norton (r = 0.35; p < 0.01), I-ADL (r = 0.28; p = 0.02) and Barthel scale (r = 0.27; p = 0.03) scores, was also observed. Conclusions: Myostatin appears to play a role in muscle wasting and its progression to cardiac cachexia in patients with impaired ejection fraction. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore myostatin's potential as a biomarker for muscle loss and a target for pharmacotherapeutic agents in this population of patients.

Myostatin and Activin A as Biomarkers of Sarcopenia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

The prevalence of sarcopenia in inflammatory bowel disease patients has received increasing attention. The aim of this study is to assess the usefulness of determining levels of myostatin (MSTN) and activin A (Act A) as potential markers of disease activity and occurrence of sarcopenia in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients. The case-control study included 82 patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The control group consisted of 25 healthy volunteers. The serum levels of myostatin and activin A were determined by the quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the EWGSOP2 criteria. The study found lower levels of myostatin and activin A in the IBD patients. There were significantly lower levels of myostatin (80.6 pg/mL vs. 186.2 pg/mL; p = 0.0364) as well as activin A (32.1 pg/mL vs. 35.2 pg/mL; p = 0.0132) in the IBD patients with sarcopenia compared to those without sarcopenia. Positive correlations were found between MSTN levels and Muscle Mass Index (rho = 0.31; p < 0.005) and hand grip strength (rho = 0.34, p < 0.05) in the IBD patients. The determination of serum levels of MSTN and Act A may be useful in the early diagnosis of sarcopenia in IBD patients.

Serum myostatin as a candidate disease severity and progression biomarker of spinal muscular atrophy.

The identification of biomarkers for spinal muscular atrophy is crucial for predicting disease progression, severity, and response to new disease-modifying therapies. This study aimed to investigate the role of serum levels of myostatin and follistatin as biomarkers for spinal muscular atrophy, considering muscle atrophy secondary to denervation as the main clinical manifestation of the disease. The study evaluated the differential gene expression of myostatin and follistatin in a lesional model of gastrocnemius denervation in mice, as well as in a meta-analysis of three datasets in transgenic mice models of spinal muscular atrophy, and in two studies involving humans with spinal muscular atrophy. Subsequently, a case-control study involving 27 spinal muscular atrophy patients and 27 controls was conducted, followed by a 12-month cohort study with 25 spinal muscular atrophy cases. Serum levels of myostatin and follistatin were analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at a single centre in southern Brazil. Skeletal muscle gene expression of myostatin decreased and of follistatin increased following lesional muscle denervation in mice, consistent with findings in the spinal muscular atrophy transgenic mice meta-analysis and in the iliopsoas muscle of five patients with spinal muscular atrophy type 1. Median serum myostatin levels were significantly lower in spinal muscular atrophy patients (98 pg/mL; 5-157) compared to controls (412 pg/mL; 299-730) (P < 0.001). Lower myostatin levels were associated with greater disease severity based on clinician-rated outcomes (Rho = 0.493-0.812; P < 0.05). After 12 months, there was a further reduction in myostatin levels among spinal muscular atrophy cases (P = 0.021). Follistatin levels did not differ between cases and controls, and no significant changes were observed over time. The follistatin:myostatin ratio was significantly increased in spinal muscular atrophy subjects and inversely correlated with motor severity. Serum myostatin levels show promise as a novel biomarker for evaluating the severity and progression of spinal muscular atrophy. The decrease in myostatin levels and the subsequent favourable environment for muscle growth may be attributed to denervation caused by motor neuron dysfunction.

Impact of electrical muscle stimulation on serum myostatin level and maintenance of skeletal muscle mass in patients undergoing living-donor liver transplantation: Single-center controlled trial.

Sarcopenia is reportedly associated with a poor prognosis in patients who undergo living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT), most of whom are not able to tolerate muscle strengthening exercise training. Myostatin is one of the myokines and a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. The clinical feasibility of an electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) system, which exercises muscle automatically by direct electrical stimulation, has been reported. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of perioperative application of SIXPAD, which is a type of EMS system, with reference to the serum myostatin and sarcopenia in LDLT patients. Thirty patients scheduled for LDLT were divided into a SIXPAD group (n=16) and a control group (n=14). In the SIXPAD group, EMS was applied to the thighs twice daily. The serum myostatin was measured in samples obtained before use of SIXPAD and immediately before LDLT. The psoas muscle index (PMI) at the level of the third lumbar vertebra and the quadriceps muscle area were compared on computed tomography images before use of SIXPAD and 1month after LDLT. The preoperative serum myostatin was found to be higher in LDLT patients than in healthy volunteers and EMS significantly reduced the serum myostatin. Electrical muscle stimulation prevented a postoperative reduction not only in the area of the quadriceps muscles but also in the PMI despite direct stimulation of the thigh muscles. Stimulation of muscles by EMS decreases the serum myostatin and helps to maintain skeletal muscle in patients who have undergone LDLT.

The effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on serum myostatin, body composition, blood glucose, lipid profile and hs-CRP level in overweight men with coronary heart disease: A randomized double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases, including heart cachexia, are considered as one of the most critical issues in health care that could be affected by several factors, such as myostatin whose critical role has been confirmed in the progress of heart cachexia and cardiac muscle dysfunction. This study was conducted to clarify the precise role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-3PUFA) on lipid profile, blood glucose, body composition, and serum level of myostatin in individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD). Materials and methodsForty-two adult males (aged 45–65 years) with CAD had been confirmed by angiography were randomly divided into two groups, group 1 received omega-3 (1200mg daily) and group 2 received placebo (paraffin) for 8 weeks. The serum level of myostatin was measured using an ELISA kit in the beginning and at the end of the intervention. Moreover, body composition and anthropometric measurements of the patients were also evaluated. ResultA significant difference was observed in the myostatin level after 8weeks of intervention with omega3 supplement between omega3 and placebo group (p = 0.02).There was a significant difference in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP) concentration (p = 0.02) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.01) between intervention group and control group at the end of the intervention. However, no statistically significant changes were seen in the body composition, anthropometric parameters, fasting insulin level, and fasting blood sugar within and between the groups. ConclusionOmega-3 oral supplementation may improve the status of CAD patients by decreasing the level of myostatin, LDL-C and hs-CRP.

Serum myokines as potential biomarkers of myostatin inhibition in sport doping: a preliminary study on their baseline levels in elite athletes.

We considered in this study the possibility of developing an indirect procedure for detecting myostatin inhibition/suppression, a practice that is prohibited as doping in sport. We have specifically considered the potential diagnostic utility of human serum myokines as indirect markers of myostatin inhibition. Myostatin, its main antagonist follistatin, and other myokines (follistatin-like 1, musclin, oncostatin, osteonectin, irisin, brain derived neurotrophic factor, and insulin-like growth factor-1) were selected as a panel of potential biomarkers whose levels may be altered following myostatine suppression. The serum levels of myostatin and of the nine myokines were measured in elite athletes of different age, sex, and sport discipline, and their cross correlation assessed by multivariate analysis. All myokines resulted to be measurable in human serum, except for musclin and irisine, whose levels were below the limits of quantitation in a reduced number of samples. Serum concentrations varied of different orders in magnitude (musclin and osteonectin < 1 ng/mL; follistatin, myostatine and irisine 1-5 ng/mL; brainderived neurotrophic factor, follistatin-like 1 and iinsulin-like growth factor-1 > 10 ng/mL), while no significant differences were found between female and male subjects, with the exceptions of follistatin-like 1 and musclin, showing a higher concentrations in females (p < 0.05). Levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 and brain derived neurotrophic factor were significantly higher in power athletes than in endurance ones. Multivariate statistics showed that musclin, follistatin-like 1 and oncostatin are more clustered and correlated to myostatin than other myokines, suggesting they could be considered as potential biomarkers of doping by myostatin inhibitors.

Myostatin as a Prognostic Biomarker in Hepatic Cirrhosis Patients with Sarcopenia

Cirrhosis represents the advanced stage of numerous chronic liver conditions. Sarcopenia is a frequently overlooked complication in cirrhotic patients, resulting from factors such as insufficient protein intake, malabsorption, diminished muscle growth, and increased muscle breakdown. Sarcopenia is a multifaceted, chronic condition associated with elevated risks of morbidity and mortality. In the field of hepatology, sarcopenia is typically described as a phenotypic indication of muscle mass loss, affecting approximately 30-70% of liver cirrhosis patients. Sarcopenia has been scientifically linked to an increased risk of falls, reduced quality of life, the emergence of acute decompensated liver failure, and mortality in cirrhotic patients. Myostatin, classified as a cytokine within the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) family, is recognized for its role in disrupting protein synthesis. It functions as a negative regulator of muscle growth, inhibiting myogenesisand is linked to the onset of sarcopenia. Extensive literature supports the prognostic importance of sarcopenia in cirrhosis, and serum myostatin levels have the potential to serve as a valuable biomarker. Elevated myostatin concentrations have been linked to the presence of sarcopenia and decreased survival rates in individuals diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.

FRI170 Ultrasound-Based Evaluation Of Muscles And Tendons In Patients With Cushing Syndrome

Abstract Disclosure: B. Bolayir: None. F. Gogus: None. B. Demir: None. M.M. Yalcin: None. J. Meray: None. A. Altinova: None. F.S. Toruner: None. M.Y. Akturk: None. Background: Myopathy, being induced by antianabolic and catabolic effects of excess corticosteroids is one of the characteristic features of Cushing Syndrome (CS). Muscle thickness which has been shown to be correlated with muscle cross sectional area can be used as an indicator of muscle mass. Although many studies have demonstrated effects of corticosteroids on collagen metabolism and case reports documented rupture of tendons in patients with chronic exposure to corticosteroids, tendon changes of patients with endogenous hypercortisolism have not been studied. Ultrasound, although not studied well in this group of patients, can be an alternative imaging method that provides information about muscle and tendon thickness. The aim of this study was to investigate muscle, tendon thicknesses and serum levels of myostatin in patients with CS. Methods: Twenty-two patients with CS and nineteen healthy control subjects similar for age, sex, height and weight were enrolled. Lower extremity tendon and muscle groups’ thickness were evaluated by ultrasound. Serum myostatin levels were measured by ELISA. Results: Age, height, weight and body mass index were similar between groups (p&amp;gt;0.05). The thicknesses of rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis and gastrocnemius lateralis were lower in the CS group than control group (p≤0.001). However, thickness of soleus muscle was not significantly different between the groups (p &amp;gt; 0.05). No significant difference was revealed between groups in terms of Achilles and patellar tendon thickness (p&amp;gt;0.05). Median serum myostatin levels were found to be lower in the CS group than the control group (p&amp;lt;0.001).Conclusions: Ultrasound based measurement of muscle thickness can be used to assess and monitor steroid-induced changes of muscle mass. The fact that the thickness of the proximal muscles of lower extremity was found to be lower by ultrasound in patients with CS in our study supports the proximal myopathy feature of CS. Besides that, it was shown that the gastrocnemius lateralis and medialis thicknesses, which are the distal muscles of the lower extremity, were also shown to be lower in the Cushing group. On the other hand, CS might not affect the thickness of the lower extremity tendons. Moreover, the mechanism of the decrease in the level of myostatin, the negative regulator of muscle growth, in patients with needs to be elucidated with CS further studies. Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

Myostatin Level in CRF Patients with and without HBV and Its Correlation with Sarcopenia

Abstract Introduction Myostatin (MSTN), a member of TGF-β superfamily, is produced in the skeletal muscle to inhibit myocyte differentiation. MSTN expression is increased in the skeletal muscle in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which may play a role in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia or in the protein energy wasting (PEW). Aim and objectives To assess myostatin level in CRF patients with HBV and its correlation with sarcopenia. Subjects and Methods This study is a cross - sectional study, was carried out at at outpatients' clinics and internal medicine and nephrology department Ain Shams university hospital and Sharq Elmadinah Hospital, Alexandria, on 70 patients on regular hemodialysis divided into 3 groups: (Group A); included 20 patients with HBV infection, (Group B); included 20 patients without HBV infection, (Group C); included 10 normal persons without CRF or HBV, during period from February 2021 till August 2021. Result Myostatin level showed a significant negative correlation with BMI and SMI. Conclusion The serum myostatin level was significantly higher in hemodialysis patients than controls, particularly in post-HCV cirrhotic than non-cirrhotic ones. Serum myostatin level was significantly related to sarcopenia pathogenesis as a predictor marker.