Natural flavonoid tectochrysin promotes muscle regeneration

Skeletal muscle regeneration is critical for maintaining muscle function in cases of injury and muscular diseases. Currently, only a limited number of drugs are available for functional repair of muscles. Here, we identify that tectochrysin (TEC), a natural flavonoid derived from propolis, promotes myogenesis during muscle regeneration. In mice and pigs, TEC accelerated muscle repair after cardiotoxin (CTX) induced injury. In C2C12 cells, TEC promotes myogenic differentiation. Mechanistically, TEC physically binds to IGF1R, activating the PI3K/AKT pathway. Pharmacology inhibition of IGF1R abolished the effect of TEC on muscle regeneration and myoblast differentiation. We further showed that in animal models of obesity, diabetes, and muscular dystrophy, TEC treatment effectively improved muscle regeneration and muscle function. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that TECs promotes myogenesis during muscle regeneration by targeting IGF1R and subsequently activating the PI3K/AKT pathway, thus providing a natural food-derived compound as a therapeutic option for muscle regeneration disorders.