Most muscle pathologies are characterized by the progressive
loss of muscle tissue due to chronic degeneration combined with
the inability of regeneration machinery to replace the damaged
muscle. These pathological changes, known as muscle wasting,
can be attributed to the activation of several proteolytic
systems, such as calpain, ubiquitin-proteasome and caspases,
and to the alteration in muscle growth factors. Among them,
insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been implicated in
the control of skeletal muscle growth, differentiation,
survival, and regeneration and has been considered a promising
therapeutic agent in staving off the advance of muscle weakness.
Here we review the molecular basis of muscle wasting associated
with diseases, such as sarcopenia, muscular dystrophy and
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and discuss the potential
therapeutic role of local IGF-1 isoforms in muscle aging
and diseases