Eicosapentaenoic Acid‐Enriched Phospholipids Alleviate Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Lewis Lung Carcinoma Mouse Model

Abstract

ScopeSkeletal muscle atrophy is a critical feature of cancer‐associated cachexia (CAC) and it is responsible for poor quality of life and high mortality in cancer patients. The previous study demonstrates that eicosapentaenoic acid‐enriched phospholipids (EPA‐PL) prevent body weight loss in a mouse model of CAC. However, the role of EPA‐PL on cancer‐induced skeletal muscle atrophy remains unclear.Methods and resultsIn the present study, a Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) mouse model is established, then the effect and underlying mechanism of EPA‐PL on skeletal muscle atrophy in LLC‐bearing mice are investigated. The results reveal that EPA‐PL treatment significantly attenuates skeletal muscle atrophy in LLC‐bearing mice, as evidenced by suppressing the reductions of skeletal muscle mass, myofiber cross‐sectional area, and grip strength. Besides, the study finds that EPA‐PL alleviated cancer‐induced skeletal muscle atrophy via balancing muscle protein degradation and synthesis, inhibiting type I oxidative muscle fibers atrophy, and promoting mitochondrial function. Furthermore, the results also indicate that EPA‐PL may counteract skeletal muscle atrophy in LLC mouse model via a sirtuin 1‐dependent mechanism.ConclusionThese findings provide evidence that EPA‐PL may be beneficial as a nutritional supplement for prevention and treatment of cancer‐induced skeletal muscle atrophy.