David Mallinson

• BSc (Hons) Pharmacology
• Low doses of prednisolone acetate are beneficial in mouse slow twitch muscle fibre bundles

This study investigated the effects of prednisolone acetate (PA) in mouse fast and slow-twitch muscle cells. PA is a glucocorticoid that is widely used for the management of many chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis etc. However, its prolonged use is limited by side effects including muscle wasting. We investigated whether these side effects can be reduced or eliminated by using low doses of the drug for short periods of time. Our results show that they can and that, used at low doses (250nM), PA may even have beneficial effects in slow-twitch muscle cells.

Funding Source: Wellcome Trust, undertaken at the University of East Anglia