The potential and the pitfalls of β-adrenoceptor agonists for the management of skeletal muscle wasting

JG Ryall; GS Lynch

Journal article

The potential and the pitfalls of β-adrenoceptor agonists for the management of skeletal muscle wasting

JG Ryall, GS Lynch

Pharmacology and Therapeutics | PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD | Published : 2008

DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2008.06.003

Abstract

The β-adrenergic signaling pathway represents a novel therapeutic target for skeletal muscle wasting and weakness due to its role in the mechanisms controlling protein synthesis and degradation and in modulating fiber type. Stimulation of the pathway with β-adrenoceptor agonists (β-agonists) has therapeutic potential for muscle wasting disorders including: sarcopenia, cancer cachexia, disuse and inactivity, unloading or microgravity, sepsis and other metabolic disorders, denervation, burns, HIV-AIDS, chronic kidney or heart failure, and neuromuscular diseases. However, there are also pitfalls associated with β-agonist administration and clinical applications have so far been limited, largely..

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Gordon Lynch Author

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Grants

Awarded by Pfizer

Funding Acknowledgements

The funding for this research has been provided by generous grants from the Australian Research Council Discovery-Project funding scheme (DP0665071, DP0772781), the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (350439, 454561, 509313), the Muscular Dystrophy Association (USA, 3595,4167), Pfizer Inc. (USA), and Merck & Co. Inc. (USA).