Elevating Circulating L-Kynurenine Promotes Frailty in Aging Mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

L-Kynurenine (L-Kyn), a product of tryptophan catabolism, increases with age and has been associated with reduced physical function and increased frailty in humans. Robustly expressed in skeletal muscle, kynurenine aminotransferases (KATs) degrade L-Kyn into kynurenic acid and are regulated by the transcriptional co-regulator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α).

Methods

The study investigated (1) if elevating L-Kyn levels via a diet intervention exacerbates an age-related decline in physical, muscle and mitochondrial functions and (2) if transgenic expression of PGC1α in skeletal muscle (MCK-PGC1α) protects against age-dependent L-Kyn associated pathology in a cohort of aging MCK-PGC1α transgenic mice and their wildtype lit

SUBMITTER: Kawaida MY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12862278 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature