The Protective Effects of Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate on Skeletal Muscle in Glucocorticoid Treated Mice

Denomme, Malcolm

The Protective Effects of Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate on Skeletal Muscle in Glucocorticoid Treated Mice

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10456/59220

Author(s)

Denomme, Malcolm

Date Issued

March 31, 2025

Abstract

Glucocorticoids are widely used in clinical settings but are associated with significant muscle wasting due to increased proteolysis and suppressed protein synthesis. Dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic glucocorticoid, is commonly used to model glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy. Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB), a leucine-derived metabolite, has been proposed as a potential countermeasure to muscle loss; however, its efficacy in attenuating Dex-induced muscle atrophy remains unclear. In this study, male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to one of four groups: Control, Dex, HMB, or Dex + HMB. Body weight, food intake, and water consumption were recorded daily for 21 days, and skeletal muscle masses (soleus and gastrocnemius) were assessed postmortem. Dex administration resulted in significant reductions in body weight (p = 0.0434), tail mass (p = 0.0001), and muscle mass (p = 0.0029), confirming its catabolic effects. HMB supplementation alone had no significant effect on body weight but increased water consumption (p = 0.0438). Notably, HMB failed to mitigate muscle atrophy in Dex-treated mice, as muscle masses in the Dex and Dex + HMB groups were comparable (p = 0.0029 for soleus). Further studies are warranted to explore alternative strategies for preserving skeletal muscle during glucocorticoid therapy.

Major

Biology

First Reader(s)

Kadmiel, Mahita