2. Academic Validation
  3. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide mitigates high-fat-diet-induced skeletal muscle atrophy by promoting AMPK/PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide mitigates high-fat-diet-induced skeletal muscle atrophy by promoting AMPK/PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy

  • Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Apr:301:140488. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140488.
Yanru Ren 1,  Kun Wang 2,  Yuanyuan Wu 3,  Jiarui Li 2,  Jie Ma 2,  Lijuan Wang 4,  Chenglei Zhang 5,  Jianning Li 2,  Yanhong Wei 6,  Yi Yang 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Ningxia Regional Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Regional High Incidence Disease, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education (Ningxia Medical University), Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China.
  • 2 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China.
  • 3 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; Department of Oncology, Cancer Hospital, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China.
  • 4 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China.
  • 5 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; Medical Laboratory, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China.
  • 6 Ningxia Regional Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Regional High Incidence Disease, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education (Ningxia Medical University), Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China. Electronic address: lovely_yhwei@126.com.
  • 7 Ningxia Regional Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Regional High Incidence Disease, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education (Ningxia Medical University), Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China. Electronic address: yangyi73422@163.com.
PMID: 39889999 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140488
Abstract

Sarcopenic obesity (SO) defined as the coexistence of obesity and sarcopenia. While the anti-obesity effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP), the main component of L. barbarum extract, are known, its efficacy against SO remains unexplored. Consequently, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of LBP on SO and the elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Our results revealed that LBP administration decreased obesity-related factors, and increased muscle-related factors in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). LBP administration ameliorated PA- and HFD-induced hyperglycaemia by modulating IRS-1 and GLUT-4 levels while also mitigating the ectopic fat deposition. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that LBP can mitigate mitochondrial structural abnormalities and dysfunction-characterized by increased mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels, reduced Reactive Oxygen Species levels-through the activation of Mitophagy. However, these beneficial effects of LBP on skeletal muscle were negated by AMPK Inhibitor and siRNA knockdown of Parkin expression. Taken together, our findings indicate that LBP may effectively modulate glucose and lipid metabolism while ameliorating skeletal muscle atrophy via the activation of the AMPK/PINK1/Parkin-mediated Mitophagy pathway, thereby repairing the mitochondrial structure and function. Consequently, LBP emerges as a promising therapeutic candidate for addressing obesity-related impacts on skeletal muscle.

Keywords

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide; Mitophagy; Sarcopenic obesity.

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