Background Muscle recovery following peripheral nerve repair is sup-optimal. Follistatin (FST), a potent muscle stimulant, enhances muscle size and satellite cell counts following reinnervation when administered as recombinant FST DNA via viral vectors. Local administration of recombinant FST protein, if effective, would be more clinically translatable but has yet to be investigated following muscle reinnervation.

Objective The aim of this study is to assess the effect of direct delivery of recombinant FST protein on muscle recovery following muscle reinnervation.

Materials and Methods In total, 72 Sprague-Dawley rats underwent temporary (3 or 6 months) denervation or sham denervation. After reinnervation, rats received FST protein (isoform FS-288) or sham treatment via a subcutaneous osmotic pump delivery system. Outcome measures included muscle force, muscle histomorphology, and FST protein quantification.

Results Follistatin treatment resulted in smaller muscles after 3 months denervation (p = 0.019) and reduced force after 3 months sham denervation (p < 0.001). Conversely, after 6 months of denervation, FST treatment trended toward increased force output (p = 0.066). Follistatin increased satellite cell counts after denervation (p < 0.001) but reduced satellite cell counts after sham denervation (p = 0.037).

Conclusion Follistatin had mixed effects on muscle weight and force. Direct FST protein delivery enhanced satellite cell counts following reinnervation. The positive effect on the satellite cell population is intriguing and warrants further investigation.

Received: 27 July 2020

Accepted: 18 February 2021

Article published online:
21 June 2022

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