DEAF1 gene role in exercise reversing muscle aging

Researchers at Duke–NUS Medical School, in collaboration with Singapore General Hospital and Cardiff University, have identified a molecular switch that explains how exercise reverses muscle aging. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, found that a gene called DEAF1 rises in aging muscles, causing an imbalance in protein production and removal. Physical activity lowers DEAF1 levels, restoring the muscle's natural repair systems and maintaining strength. The findings could lead to new approaches for preventing age-related muscle loss and may have implications for people recovering from surgery or chronic diseases.