If the results of the mice tests are confirmed, in the future one injection will help restore the muscles damaged by cancer, reports New Scientist.
As with humans, mice with tumors experience severe muscle wasting. HQ Han and his colleagues from the Californian company Amgen Research conducted studies in mice with colorectal cancer. The animals stopped eating and lost 20% of their food in three weeks. body weight.
Many tumors produce a compound called activin that contributes to muscle wasting. Therefore Han and his team injected the mice with a protein to remove excess activin 5 or 14 days after implanting intestinal tumors in the mice. In both cases, the mice began to eat and their body weight returned to normal within two weeks. Mice with tumors of the reproductive organs reacted similarly.
Thanks to the treatment, the mice not only regained their muscles but also lived longer lives. When all the rodents in the control group died, about 90 percent were still alive. treated subjects.
As noted by Dr. Kate Murphy of the University of Melbourne, this proves the importance of maintaining muscle mass for survival (PAP).