Published on: Jun 24, 2025
New research from Stanford Medicine reveals that a single, short-term exposure to a signaling molecule, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) — combined with exercise — can rejuvenate muscle stem cells and restore muscle strength in aged mice.
PGE2, naturally released during healing, reverses age-related epigenetic changes in muscle stem cells, allowing them to divide more robustly and retain their regenerative function. Just one injection of PGE2 after muscle injury led to significant muscle growth and strength in mice two weeks later, with effects passed down to subsequent generations of cells.
The team, led by Dr. Helen Blau, found that aging-related muscle weakness is partly driven by an increase in 15-PGDH, an enzyme that breaks down PGE2. Blocking 15-PGDH or administering a more stable PGE2 version during exercise helped overcome "anabolic resistance" — the age-related failure to build strength despite exercise.
The study suggests potential future therapies for sarcopenia, muscle-wasting diseases, and healthy aging, and raises the possibility of long-lasting muscle rejuvenation through epigenetic reprogramming.
This landmark research, published in Cell Stem Cell on June 12, may lay the groundwork for novel treatments to preserve muscle health in the elderly.
Source: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2025/06/muscle-aging.html
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