C60 fullerene promotes recovering rat musculus gastrocnemius contracting activity after neurogenic atrophy

Abstract

Background: Recovery of functional activity of skeletal muscles after neurogenic atrophy is a complex and long-term process. Therefore, the search for effective therapeutic means for its acceleration is an extremely urgent task in modern biomedicine. Skeletal muscle atrophy is characterized by a reduction in muscle mass, increased fatigue, and decreased contractile strength, driven by oxidative stress, inflammation, and activation of catabolic reactions. Denervation triggers complex signaling cascades involving Ca²⁺ and transcription factors that promote protein degradation and impair myocyte function. Mitochondrial dysfunction, mitophagy, and disrupted oxidative phosphorylation exacerbate degenerative changes in muscle fibers. In addition to muscle loss, surrounding tissues undergo remodeling, including fibrosis and devascularization, which further hinder regeneration. Oxidative stress is a key initiator of muscle atrophy, and current therapeutic strategies focus on its mitigation through antioxidants, stem cells, and extracellular vesicles. Objective of the work was to study of the C60 fullerenes with antioxidant properties on the mechanokinetics of rat m. gastrocnemius contraction for 30 days after neurogenic atrophy caused by sciatic nerve damage. Methods: When analyzing the miotic response using tensometry, such mechanokinetic parameters as the level of maximum muscle contraction force, the time to reach its maximum contraction force and the time of holding the maximum force of m. gastrocnemius contraction were evaluated. Additionally, histological studies of m. gastrocnemius were performed. Results: It was shown that in injured animals that received daily oral administration of C60 fullerene aqueous solution (C60FAS) at a dose of 1 mg/kg throughout the experiment, there was the positive dynamics in the studied mechanokinetic parameters of m. gastrocnemius contraction at the level of 29-39±3% compared to the group of animals that did not use C60FAS, which was confirmed by histological analysis of these muscles on the 30th day after the initiation of sciatic nerve damage. Conclusions: The results obtained indicate the prospects of using C60FAS to recovering the functional activity of skeletal muscles after neurogenic atrophy.

Keywords

• c60 fullerene
• m. gastrocnemius
• mechanokinetic parameters of muscle contraction
• histological analysis
• neurogenic atrophy