Astaxanthin alleviates oxidative stress and skeletal muscle damage by promoting mitochondrial biogenesis

Tao Jiang¹Kai Wang²Chengmu Li^1*

• ¹Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
• ²Department of Spine Surgery Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China

The aim of this study was to investigate the damaging effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) on mitochondria and skeletal muscle and to evaluate the protective role of astaxanthin (Asta). Specifically, we focused on mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the skeletal muscles. We treated HFD-fed mice and palmitate acid (PA)-stimulated C2C12 cells with Asta and evaluated skeletal muscle function, pathology, mitochondrial damage, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress levels using behavior test, histological analysis, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, transmission electron microscopy, and biochemical assays. In our study, Asta treatment did not reduce body weight or serum lipid levels in HFD-fed mice but significantly alleviated skeletal muscle damage and improved skeletal muscle function. In both in vivo and in vitro models, Asta suppressed the expression of inflammatory genes, enhanced the expression of mitochondrial biogenesis-related proteins, reduced lipid accumulation and mitochondrial structural damage, increased antioxidant enzyme activity, and promoted ATP production. Additionally, Asta inhibited mitochondrial fission and lipid peroxidation in PAstimulated C2C12 cells. Collectively, Asta alleviates oxidative stress, lipid accumulation, and inflammation in skeletal muscle cells by promoting mitochondrial biogenesis, thus protecting skeletal muscle structure and function. These findings suggest that Asta holds promising therapeutic potential for skeletal muscle protection under metabolic stress.