Trace Thome, Kayla Miguez, Alexander Willms, Sarah K Burke, Vijayendran Chandran, Angela R de Souza, Liam F Fitzgerald, Carolyn Baglole, Maria-Eleni Anagnostou, Jean Bourbeau, R Thomas Jagoe, Jose A Morais, Yana Goddard, Tanja Taivassalo, Terence E Ryan, Russell T Hepple
BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients exhibit skeletal muscle atrophy, denervation, and reduced mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Whilst chronic tobacco smoke exposure is implicated in COPD muscle impairment, the mechanisms involved are ambiguous. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that activates detoxifying pathways with numerous exogenous ligands, including tobacco smoke. Whereas transient AHR activation is adaptive, chronic activation can be toxic...
November 1, 2021: Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle