INHIBITION OF MURF1 ACTIVITY VIA A SMALL MOLECULE APPROACH MAY IMPROVE SKELETAL MUSCLE BY DECREASING LIPID DEPOSITS INDUCED BY CIGARETTE SMOKING

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third disease that kills the most in the world and its main condition, pulmonary emphysema, is closely related to pollution and the habit of smoking. During the course of this disease, a major aggravating factor for mortality, as well as for the increase in hospital costs, is skeletal muscle mass loss, including respiratory and peripheral muscles. The up-regulation of MuRF1 in atrophic conditions is considered a key aspect of muscle mass control and strategies aiming to restrain MuRF1 expression/activity might come promising as a future therapeutic tool.