MHH researchers identify mechanism for cancer-induced muscle wasting

Researchers at the Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH), led by PD Dr. Arnab Nayak, have identified a molecular mechanism behind cancer-induced cachexia (CIC), a condition causing severe muscle wasting in up to 80 percent of advanced cancer patients.

According to findings published in the journal Cell Death Discovery, cancer-related inflammation triggers the release of cytokines that disrupt muscle cell metabolism. Specifically, the protein L3MBTL2, which normally activates muscle-specific genes, loses its ability to bind to DNA due to increased SUMOylation. This disruption leads to a loss of muscle function and structural tissue decay.

In laboratory settings, researchers successfully managed to partially restore the impaired gene activity through targeted protein modification. While a definitive clinical therapy for cachexia does not yet exist, this discovery provides a potential pathway for addressing a condition responsible for 30 to 50 percent of cancer-related deaths.