Longevity & AgingProtein Arginine Methyltransferases May Hold the Key to Slowing Muscle Aging
As we age, muscles weaken not just from tissue loss but from a failure of cells to adapt to stress — particularly in mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles inside muscle and nerve cells. A new review from Sungkyunkwan University highlights a family of enzymes called protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) as key controllers of this process. PRMTs regulate major aging-related signaling pathways including AMPK, FOXO, and mTOR, influencing how cells handle energy stress, recycle damaged components, and maintain protein quality. The researchers propose that different PRMT family members act like molecular dials — tuning cellular responses toward recovery or degeneration across muscle fibers, stem cells, and motor neurons. This positions PRMTs as promising therapeutic targets for sarcopenia and broader age-related functional decline.
