Insciences J. 2011, 1(1), 1-17;doi:10.5640/insc.01011

Full Research Paper, Section: Stem Cells

Formoterol May Activate Rat Muscle Regeneration During Cancer Cachexia

Elisabet Ametller¹, Sílvia Busquets^1,2, Gemma Fuster¹, Maria T. Figueras¹, Mireia Olivan¹, Cibely Cristine Fontes de Oliveira¹, Josep M. Argilés^1,2, Francisco J. López-Soriano^{1,2 *}

¹ Cancer Research Group, Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, Barcelona 08028, Spain
² Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain

^* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Published: January 02, 2011

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Abstract

PURPOSE: The development of cancer cachexia is the most
common manifestation of advanced malignant disease. METHOD: The
effects on muscle regeneration of 2-adrenoceptor agonist formoterol (0.3 mg/
kg) were tested in cachectic tumour-bearing rats (Yoshida AH-130 ascites
hepatoma). RESULTS: Administration of formoterol results in a significant
increase in the mass and protein content of tibialis muscle in tumour-bearing-rats.
This increase is associated with a decreased myogenin mRNA content together
with an increased Pax-7 gene expression. Bupivacaine treatment by local injection
results in an important reduction in tibialis weight together with significant
increases in Pax-7, myogenin and MyoD gene expression. Formoterol treatment
in bupivacaine-treated rats results in significant increases in Pax-7 together with
significant decreases in myogenin mRNA content, suggesting that this 2-agonist
is favouring muscle regeneration by stimulating the proliferation of satellite cells.
Altogether, the data reinforce the potential role of formoterol in the treatment of
muscle wasting diseases.

bupivacaine, cachexia, formoterol, proliferation cells, regeneration, skeletal muscle, wasting