Unacylated ghrelin counteracts mitochondrial dysfunction and neuromuscular junction disruption in cancer cachexia
Unacylated ghrelin prevents muscle wasting and maintains neuromuscular junction integrity and contractile function in cancer cachexia. It enhances mitochondrial respiratory capacity through elevated mitochondrial DNA copy number while limiting DNA mutation. It reduces mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) generation, oxidative stress, and proteasome-mediated proteolysis-driven muscle degradation.
Authors
- Caroline Cleary
- Hannah C. Ainsworth (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1185-0695)
- Jonathan Wanagat (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8460-8616)
- Bumsoo Ahn
- Hyunyoung Kim
Institutions
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist (US)
- University of California System (US)
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (US)
- Wake Forest University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology
- Published
- 2026-04-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00917.2025
- Primary Topic
- Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
- National Institute on Aging