ArticleJournal of translational medicine2026
C-peptide promotes myogenic differentiation in vitro and low serum levels are associated with sarcopenia in adults and the elderly.
Article in Journal of translational medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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1 citing paper in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function, is a growing public health problem. Its multifactorial causes including poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and underlying diseases. Research suggests a role for C-peptide in muscle regulation, but its link to sarcopenia is unclear. We hypothesized that low C-peptide associates with sarcopenia and fractures, and that it promotes myogenesis and protects muscle cells from atrophic damage in vitro.
methodsIn this cross-sectional study, we analysed data from 191 individuals aged 50 or older, including serum C-peptide and appendicular skeletal muscle mass measurements, along with falls and fractures assessed at follow-up. Skeletal muscle parameters were evaluated using bioelectrical impedance analysis. In parallel, in vitro experiments were performed in C2C12 cells to investigate the effects of C-peptide on myogenic differentiation and its protective role against muscle damage.
resultsIndividuals in the lowest C-peptide tertile had significantly less appendicular skeletal muscle/sarcopenia than those in the highest (p < 0.001). Lower C-peptide significantly increased sarcopenia odds (OR: 0.34; p < 0.001). These individuals also showed higher falls (32%) and fractures (17%) rates compared to the highest tertile (14% and 0%). Fractures were linked to falls and low C-peptide levels (OR: 0.29; p = 0.01). In vitro, C-peptide promotes myogenic differentiation and reduced muscle damage in C2C12 myotubes.
conclusionsOur findings suggest the protective role of C-peptide in musculoskeletal health, demonstrating that higher levels are associated with a reduced risk of having low appendicular skeletal muscle mass/sarcopenia and fractures in adults and the elderly. Moreover, C-peptide enhances myogenic differentiation and protects against in vitro nutrient-deprivation muscle damage. Further studies are warranted to explore the therapeutic utility of C-peptide for the prevention of sarcopenia and fractures in adulthood and aging.
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