Dissecting the role of heterochromatic conformation in age-related sarcopenia and frailty (DSB.AD006.212)

Thematic area

Biomedical sciences

Project area

Structure responsible for the research project

Istituto di Biochimica e Biologia Cellulare (IBBC)

Project manager

CLAUDIA BEARZI
Phone number: 0690091307
Email: fabio.mammano@cnr.it

Abstract

Frailty syndrome in the elderly is a condition in which the individual is in a vulnerable state with increased risk of adverse health outcomes and/or death when exposed to a stressor. Although they are 2 separate conditions, sarcopenia is believed to be an important component of frailty. There is now agreement that the definition of sarcopenia, originally referred solely to the loss of skeletal muscle mass with age, should incorporate also the loss of muscle function concept. Fat infiltration is one of the parameters to be considered when evaluating sarcopenia. Recently cutting-edge studies highlighted the role of epigenetic mechanisms in muscle senescence and sarcopenia. In particular Polycomb group (PcG) of proteins, key regulators of cell identity, are directly involved in muscular homeostasis and senescence. We have demonstrated that PcG function and PcG dependent heterochromatin conformation depend on the integrity of the nuclear lamin. We believe that the heterochromatin alterations observed during physiological and pathological senescence are dependent on the natural Lamin A/C destabilization and a subsequent Lamin/PcG axis dysfunction. In the muscle this could lead to impai

Start date of activity

01/04/2018

Keywords

frailty syndrome, sarcopenia, muscular aging

Last update: 23/09/2024