Fig. 8: Effects of VA on muscle atrophy in Dexa-induced cachectic mice and Dexa-treated C2C12 cells.

A Experimental scheme of the in vivo study is shown. The mice were injected Dexa (20 mg/kg of body weight) intraperitoneally for 5 days, except for the NC group. VA administration (100 mg/kg of body weight) via oral gavage started 2 days after Dexa injection. The control groups (NC group and Dexa group) were administered distilled water. The vehicle or VA was fed 3 days and sacrificed two days later. The artwork was created on biorender.com. B Body weight was measured. C Representative images of GAS, TA, Soleus, and EDL in three groups are shown. D Tissue weights of GAS, TA, soleus, and EDL were measured. E C2C12 myoblasts were differentiated in the absence or presence of Dexa 100 μM. VA was treated at the indicated concentrations (10 μM and 100 μM). mRNA expressions of Trim63, Fbxo32, Sirt3, Dnm1l, and Mfn1 was analyzed by Real-Time RT-PCR assays. Results were expressed relative to Gapdh. All values are the means ± S.E.M. of three independent experiments or more independent experiments. Statistical differences were evaluated using one-way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey’s test or an unpaired t-test and a subsequent post hoc one-tailed Mann–Whitney U test. ^#p < 0.05 vs. NC mice or non-treated; ^*p < 0.05 vs. Dexa mice or Dexa 100 μM. VA vanillic acid, NC normal control, Dexa dexamethasone, GAS gastrocnemius, TA tibialis anterior, EDL extensor digitorum longus.