Methods and agents for maintaining muscle mass and for preventing muscle atrophy and biomarkers for monitoring same

摘要

The present invention relates to methods for stimulating muscle growth and/or for inhibiting muscle atrophy in a subject suffering from or predisposed to having a muscle wasting disease by administering an agent that increases the expression of the runx1 gene or gene product in an individual. The invention further provides a biomarker for a muscle wasting disease or condition and methods for screening or diagnosing a subject having, or predisposed to having, a muscle wasting disease by measuring the level of expression of the runx1 gene, or its target genes or gene products in an individual. The invention further relates to the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions using agents that may aid in muscle growth and that may prevent or inhibit muscle atrophy by increasing the expression and/or activity of the runx1 gene and/or gene product.