Targeted ablation of IKK2 improves skeletal muscle strength, maintains mass, and promotes regeneration
J. Clin. Invest. Foteini Mourkioti, et al. 116:2945 doi:10.1172/JCI28721 [Go to this article.]

Figure 7
Combined IGF-1 supplementation and IKK2 inhibition enhances protection against muscle atrophy. (A) Comparison of gastrocnemius weights from control (black line), Ikk2^mko (dashed line), mIgf-1 (light blue line), and mIgf-1/Ikk2^f/f (dark blue line) mice at 7, 14, and 28 days after denervation. Values represent denervated muscle weights after normalization to sham-operated muscle weight (n = 5 mice per time point). (B–I) Enhanced maintenance of muscle-fiber size in gastrocnemius muscle from mIgf-1 and mIgf-1/Ikk2^f/f denervated muscle. Magnification, ×100 (B–E); ×200 (F–I). (J) Sustenance in the gastrocnemius fiber CSA in Ikk2^mko, mIgf-1, and mIgf-1/Ikk2^f/f atrophied muscle. (K) MuRF1 and (L) atrogin-1/MAFbx mRNA levels in gastrocnemius muscles of control (n = 4), Ikk2^mko (n = 4), mIgf-1 (n = 3), and mIgf-1/Ikk2^f/f (n = 4) muscles as determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Denervated values were normalized to nondenervated values. **Mean values differ significantly from those of control (P < 0.002).