Scientists discover a compound that could supercharge aging muscle repair - ScienceDaily

What the report says

ScienceDaily, citing materials from Kyushu University, reported that researchers have identified a sulfur-containing compound, lipoic acid trisulfide, or LASSS, that may strengthen a natural muscle-repair pathway that weakens with age. The study, led by Professor Ryuichi Tatsumi of Kyushu University’s Faculty of Agriculture, was published July 24, 2026, in Scientific Reports.

The work centers on hepatocyte growth factor, known as HGF, a protein involved in activating satellite cells, the stem cells that help maintain and rebuild skeletal muscle after injury or stimulation. The researchers focused on a problem seen in earlier work: HGF can be chemically altered through nitration at two sites, Y198 and Y250, which reduces its ability to bind to the c-met receptor and may contribute to poorer muscle regeneration in older adults.

In laboratory tests, the team examined two antioxidant trisulfide compounds, glutathione trisulfide and LASSS. Both reduced nitration at the key HGF sites, but at a higher HGF-to-trisulfide ratio, LASSS had a more striking effect: HGF’s binding to c-met rose to more than twice that of untreated HGF and showed greater resistance to nitration-related dysfunction. The researchers suggest LASSS may do more than act as an antioxidant, possibly changing HGF’s structure in a way that improves receptor binding.

ScienceDaily also reported mouse experiments using a tail-suspension model of muscle atrophy. Mice given LASSS before the procedure had lower nitration levels than untreated animals, while the other compound did not show measurable protection. The findings are early-stage and do not establish a therapy for humans, but they point to a possible route for preserving muscle repair during aging, prolonged inactivity or bed rest, pending further safety and efficacy studies in aging animals and beyond.