It has been demonstrated that filbertone, the principal flavor compound of hazelnuts, exhibits preventive effects against hypothalamic inflammation, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, and muscle lipid accumulation. However, its influence on muscle aging has yet to be elucidated. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of filbertone on muscle aging in C2C12 myotubes subjected to senescence induction by either doxorubicin or hydrogen peroxide. To ascertain the mechanisms by which filbertone exerts its effects, we conducted a series of experiments, including Western blot analysis, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining. Filbertone was markedly observed to decrease not only the protein levels of p53 (p < 0.01) in senescence-induced skeletal muscle cells, but also the gene expression levels of p21 (p < 0.05), a direct target of p53. The expression of muscle-related genes, including myogenin and muscle RING-finger protein-1 (MuRF1), was found to be significantly enhanced in senescent muscle cells following treatment with filbertone (p < 0.05). In addition, the number of senescent skeletal muscle cells exhibiting β-galactosidase activity was found to be markedly reduced in the presence of filbertone (p < 0.01). Collectively, these findings suggest that filbertone plays a pivotal role in the regulation of muscle aging.
Myostatin is associated with inflammatory processes; however, its renal expression and impact on mitochondrial homeostasis during chronic kidney disease (CKD) remain poorly defined. This study investigated whether omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) modulate renal myostatin and mitochondrial integrity under uremic conditions using both in vivo and in vitro models. In rats with adenine-induced CKD, omega-3 FA supplementation attenuated the increase in renal myostatin expression. Uremia was associated with impaired mitochondrial homeostasis, evidenced by decreased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha levels and increased dynamin-related protein 1 levels, alongside the upregulation of mitophagy and inflammatory markers. Furthermore, mitochondrial structural damage and reduced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content were observed in uremic kidneys. Omega-3 FA treatment partially reversed these alterations, restored mtDNA levels, and preserved mitochondrial cristae integrity. In vitro, HK-2 cells treated with indoxyl sulfate exhibited increases in myostatin expression and mitochondrial impairment, which were mitigated by eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, or their combination. These findings suggest that omega-3 FAs exert protective effects against uremia-induced renal injury by suppressing myostatin and preserving mitochondrial homeostasis, specifically by modulating biogenesis, dynamics, and structural integrity. Consequently, omega-3 FAs may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy with which to preserve mitochondrial homeostasis in patients with CKD.