Ageing pathway discovery could prevent muscle degeneration

The key to fighting against muscle degeneration in ageing may have been discovered in a new animal study.

A set of genes that act in muscles to modulate aging and resistance to stress in fruit flies have been identified by researchers at Emory University School of Medicine.

Subhabrata Sanyal, senior author on the study, stated: "I think what is new here is finding a genetic pathway regulating aging that is specific to muscles and separate from insulin signalling."

The discovery could prove important for the future of healthcare for older adults, specifically those who are vulnerable to muscle damage.

Heat shock protein 10 (HSP10) has also been thought to prevent muscle ageing.

HSP10 monitors and organises protein interactions in the body and responds to environmental stresses, such as exercise and infection, by increasing its production in cells.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool discovered that excessive amounts of HSP10 inside mitochondria can halt the body's ageing process by preserving muscle strength.

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