Viagra's cousin could help muscle cells stay primed for regeneration
Tadalafil is a prescription drug closely related to Viagra. It is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) and the urinary symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Both competitive and recreational athletes sometimes use it too, to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a condition that can limit how well the body tolerates exercise.
A drug related to Viagra, tadalafil, may aid muscle cells in staying prepared for regeneration, according to a recent study. Tadalafil belongs to a medication class called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, which work by blocking an enzyme that breaks down a chemical messenger inside cells called cGMP. This action enhances blood flow. cGMP also plays a role in activating muscle stem cells necessary for repairing damaged tissue.
Researchers in a study published in Molecular Biology Reports aimed to determine if prolonged exposure to tadalafil could help muscle cells multiply more rapidly, withstand stress, and remain in an optimal state for repairing muscle damage. They grew muscle cells in petri dishes and experimented with varying levels of tadalafil exposure over a period of up to seven days.
The findings indicate that tadalafil-treated cultures exhibited higher numbers of living muscle precursor cells and fewer dead cells compared to untreated cultures. Importantly, while the drug did not trigger immediate muscle-fiber growth, it promoted the expansion of precursor cells while suppressing their maturation. This suggests an increase in the pool of immature muscle cells capable of repairing damaged tissue.
Moreover, tadalafil boosted the release of IL-6, a signaling myokine that activates muscle stem cells. In cases where muscle tissue is damaged or needs to grow, satellite cells activate and produce immature muscle cells that expand, multiply, and mature before fusing to form new muscle fibers or repair existing ones. The study used C2C12 mouse myoblasts as a laboratory model for studying muscle development and exposed the cells to 1 µM tadalafil for seven days.
The results showed that treated cultures contained significantly more cells than untreated ones by days three, five, and seven. Additionally, treated cells migrated faster to close simulated wounds within 24 hours and retained higher levels of Pax7 and Myf6, markers of early muscle development and stem cells. The drug also reduced myostatin and TGF-β, proteins that typically limit muscle growth.
While these laboratory findings provide insights into how tadalafil affects muscle cell development, further studies in living organisms are necessary to determine if these effects can be translated into therapeutic benefits.
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