The animal protein hydrolysate attenuates sarcopenia via the muscle-gut axis in aged mice

• Published in: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy Vol. 167; p. 115604
• Main Authors: Lee, Ji-Yoon, Shin, Su-Kyung, Bae, Heekyong R., Ji, Yosep, Park, Hae-Jin, Kwon, Eun-Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Masson SAS 01.11.2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aging; Animal protein hydrolysate (APH); Gut microbiota; Muscle-gut axis; Sarcopenia; Short-chain fatty acids; Gut microbiota; TNFα; SPARC; PGC1α; GPT; Sarcopenia; PI3K; MuRF; Aging; BUN; qPCR; FGF21; FoxO; Short-chain fatty acids; IL; MyHC; PDCAAS; H&E; MT; LIF; Akt; IGF1; Muscle-gut axis; GOT; PPARγ; TCA; TG; Animal protein hydrolysate (APH); APH; SCFAs
• ISSN: 0753-3322; 1950-6007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115604

Age-related muscle loss and dysfunction, sarcopenia, is a common condition that results in poor quality of life in the elderly. Protein supplementation is a potential strategy for preventing sarcopenia and increasing muscle synthesis, but the effectiveness of protein type and level in improving sarcopenia is not well understood. In this study, we compared animal protein hydrolysate (APH), which has a high protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) and low molecular weight, with casein as a control group to investigate the effects and mechanisms of sarcopenia improvement, with a particular focus on the gut-muscle axis. APH supplementation improved age-related declines in muscle mass, grip strength, hind leg thickness, muscle protein level, muscle fiber size, and myokine levels, compared to the control group. In particular, levels of plasma cortisol, muscle lipids, and muscle collagen were markedly reduced by APH supplements in the aged mice. Furthermore, APH efficiently recovered the concentration of total SCFAs including acetic, propionic, and isovaleric acids decreased in aged mice. Finally, APH induced changes in gut microbiota and increased production of SCFAs, which were positively correlated with muscle protein level and negatively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, APH can help to inhibit age-related sarcopenia by increasing muscle synthesis, inhibiting muscle breakdown, and potentially modulating the gut-muscle axis. [Display omitted] •APH is more effective than casein in inhibiting age-induced sarcopenia.•APH specifically strengthened the expression of IGF1/PI3K/Akt axis in the muscle.•APH affects gut microbiota and changes in short-chain fatty acids.•APH-induced sarcopenia improvements correlate with gut microbiota and SCFA changes.•APH can prevent sarcopenia without consuming large amounts of protein.