Mechanisms and Novel Treatments of Muscle Wasting Volume II

Muscle wasting (muscle atrophy) remains a major clinical challenge associated with aging, chronic diseases, cancer cachexia, metabolic disorders, prolonged immobilization, and neuromuscular injury. It is characterized by a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and functional capacity, ultimately reducing quality of life, increasing morbidity, and imposing substantial healthcare burdens. While Volume I highlighted therapeutic interventions, diagnostic biomarkers, and classical molecular mechanisms underlying muscle wasting, accumulating evidence indicates that its pathogenesis is more complex and involves multilayered regulatory networks. Recent studies have revealed additional regulatory dimensions, including circular RNA (circRNA) functions, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications, RNA-based signaling, and immunometabolic interactions that dynamically shape muscle homeostasis. Together, these findings broaden current understanding of post-transcriptional and epigenetic regulation in muscle biology and identify molecular vulnerabilities that may be therapeutically exploited. In parallel, advances in gene editing, RNA therapeutics, nanomedicine, and multi-omics technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to translate mechanistic insights into precision-oriented clinical strategies. Building on these developments, Volume II focuses on novel molecular targets and innovative RNA-mediated therapies for muscle atrophy, integrating mechanistic insight with translational potential.This Research Topic aims to advance understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving muscle wasting, with particular emphasis on circRNA-centered regulatory networks and RNA-dependent signaling pathways. By integrating emerging evidence from transcriptomics, epigenetics, and molecular biology, we seek to clarify how post-transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms contribute to muscle degeneration and impaired regeneration. We welcome submissions that identify novel molecular targets, elucidate RNA-mediated or m6A-associated regulatory mechanisms, and evaluate innovative translational interventions. Special consideration will be given to studies that bridge mechanistic discovery and therapeutic development, including circRNA-based therapeutics, RNA-modulation strategies, nanomedicine platforms, and multimodal treatment approaches. By consolidating cutting-edge research, Volume II aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, accelerate bench-to-bedside translation, and provide a strategic framework for developing precision therapies for muscle wasting disorders.To gather further insights into the mechanisms and novel treatments of muscle wasting, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• circRNA biogenesis, function, and regulatory networks in muscle homeostasis/atrophy• m6A and other epitranscriptomic/epigenetic mechanisms in muscle wasting• RNA-mediated signaling pathways (coding and non-coding RNA crosstalk)• Immune–metabolic interactions and inflammatory drivers of atrophy• Mitochondrial dysfunction, bioenergetics, and metabolic remodeling• RNA-targeting/modulating strategies (e.g., ASO, siRNA, miRNA/lncRNA/circRNA-based approaches)• Gene editing and gene-based therapies relevant to muscle wasting disorders• Nanomedicine platforms and targeted delivery systems for RNA therapeutics• Preclinical models, human cohorts, and clinically relevant biomarkers linked to RNA regulation• Integrative, multi-modal interventions (combination therapies; systems-level approaches) Topic editors: Junjie Xiao, Sapana Kushwaha, Young Hoon Son, Jin Li Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78717/mechanisms-and-novel-treatments-of-muscle-wasting-volume-ii