Murphy Roths Large (MRL) mice are an inbred mouse strain that has enhanced healing. This remarkable ability was first noted by researchers who observed that MRL mice could heal ear hole punch wounds seamlessly  – they regenerated cartilage, hair follicles, skin and blood vessels without scarring. Decreased fibrosis, altered inflammatory response, reduced apoptosis, increased proliferation, improved remodeling and enhanced stem cell function have all been suggested to explain the rapid healing of the MRL mice. To further complicate the identification of a mechanism for enhanced healing in these mice, over 40 different genetic loci have been associated with aspects of this unusual phenotype.

In the present study, Heydemann and colleagues bred MRL mice with mice lacking gamma-sarcoglycan, …

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Cachexia severely limits therapeutic options in cancer patients, and is thought to cause about 20% of cancer deaths. Skeletal muscle mitochondria are emerging as critical mediators of muscle protein turnover during cancer cachexia. Using the severely cachectic ApcMin/+ mice, White and colleagues examined the role of IL-6 on the regulation of mitochondrial remodeling/dysfunction that precedes muscle proteolysis during cachexia. The authors had previously shown that inhibition of IL-6 signaling can attenuate the progression of cachexia. In the current study, they treated ApcMin/+ mice with an antibody against the IL-6 receptor and reduced the loss of mitochondrial biogenesis and content, compared to vehicle-treated mice. IL-6 inhibition also restored the altered mitochondrial fusion and reduced apoptosis observed in cachectic …

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