Evidence mapPaperPMID 42533389Full record

ArticleAging cell2026

Diosgenin Alleviates Age-Related Sarcopenia by Promoting Satellite Cell Proliferation and Myogenic Differentiation via Activation of the SIRT1/PGC-1α Signaling Pathway.

Xin Zeng, Han Ding, Ziye Li, Qian Wang, Peiyao Guan, Tingting Wang, Jiayun Wang, Yansong Fu, Lizhang Chen, Hong Qin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Aging cell, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Xin ZengDepartment of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8403-7342
Han DingDepartment of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Ziye LiDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Qian WangCollege of Life Science and Medicine, Zhejiang Science and Technology University, Hangzhou, China.
Peiyao GuanDepartment of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Tingting WangDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1689-7257
Jiayun WangDepartment of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Yansong FuDepartment of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Lizhang ChenDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Hong QinDepartment of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4578-5118

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82574088Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province 2025JJ50654
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Age-related sarcopenia is characterized by a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass and function, with satellite cell dysfunction representing a central pathogenic mechanism. Diosgenin, a steroidal saponin derived from plants of the Dioscorea genus, has demonstrated potential anti-aging properties; however, its role in sarcopenia remains unclear. In this study, naturally aged C57BL/6J mice and a D-galactose (D-gal)-induced senescent C2C12 cell model were employed to systematically investigate the effects of diosgenin on muscle function, satellite cell dynamics, and the sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) signaling pathway. Diosgenin treatment significantly improved forelimb grip strength and exercise endurance, increased the gastrocnemius muscle index, and enlarged muscle fiber cross-sectional area in aged mice. Mechanistically, diosgenin upregulated the expression of myokines meteorin-like protein (METRNL) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) at both mRNA and protein levels, increased the number of proliferative satellite cells positive for paired box 7 (Pax7) and Ki67, and enhanced the expression of myogenic markers, including myogenic factor 5 (Myf5), Pax7, and myosin heavy chain II (MyHC II). These effects were mediated by direct activation of SIRT1, leading to deacetylation of PGC-1α. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of SIRT1 with EX527 markedly abrogated the diosgenin-induced effects. Molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assays further confirmed the direct interaction between diosgenin and SIRT1. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that diosgenin alleviates age-related sarcopenia by activating the SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway to promote satellite cell proliferation and myogenic differentiation, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic candidate for sarcopenia.

Indexed as

Cell DifferentiationDiosgeninMuscle DevelopmentPeroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alphaSarcopeniaSatellite Cells, Skeletal MuscleSirtuin 1AgingAnimalsCell ProliferationMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLSignal TransductionDiosgeninPeroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alphaPpargc1a protein, mouseSirt1 protein, mouseSirtuin 1agingdiosgeninsarcopeniasatellite cellsSIRT1/PGC‐1α

Identifiers

PMID42533389
PMCPMC13425594

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.