Research Note: Creatine monohydrate alleviates protein breakdown induced by corticosterone via inhibiting ubiquitin proteasome pathway in chicken myotubes.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
In vitro bench study in cultured chicken myotubes (CEBM Level 5: bench research)
PubMed 36194918 · doi:10.1016/j.psj.2022.102177
What was done
Researchers evaluated the effect of creatine monohydrate on protein breakdown in chicken myotubes challenged by corticosterone in vitro. They measured myotube diameter, 3-methyl-histidine content in the culture medium, myosin heavy chain expression, and ubiquitin-proteasome pathway markers including MuRF1 and Atrogin1 mRNA expression and Atrogin1 protein levels.
What was found
Corticosterone reduced myotube diameter (P < 0.05), increased media 3-methyl-histidine, increased MuRF1 and Atrogin1 mRNA (P < 0.001), and increased Atrogin1 protein (P < 0.05) compared to controls. Creatine monohydrate alone increased myotube diameter (P < 0.05) and myosin heavy chain expression (P < 0.001), while reducing 3-methyl-histidine and Atrogin1 mRNA and protein (P < 0.05). Co-treatment with creatine monohydrate partially alleviated corticosterone-induced diameter reduction and the increases in 3-methyl-histidine, MuRF1 mRNA, and Atrogin1 mRNA and protein levels (P < 0.05). Exact numerical measurements were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
These findings suggest that creatine monohydrate can directly counteract glucocorticoid-induced muscle catabolism in avian skeletal muscle cells by downregulating the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.
Limits
The investigation was restricted to an in vitro cell culture model in chicken myotubes without in vivo validation. The abstract omits sample sizes (replicates), tested dosages, treatment durations, and absolute numerical effect sizes.
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