Branched‐Chain Amino Acids and Mitochondrial Biogenesis: An Overview and Mechanistic Summary

Branched‐chain amino acids (BCAA) are essential in the diet and promote several vital cell responses which may have benefits for health and athletic performance, as well as disease prevention. While BCAA are well‐known for their ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, their effects on cell en...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular nutrition & food research 2022-10, Vol.66 (20), p.e2200109-n/a
Main Authors: Hinkle, Jason S., Rivera, Caroline N., Vaughan, Roger A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino acids
Amino Acids - metabolism
Amino Acids, Branched-Chain - metabolism
Biosynthesis
Chain branching
Chains
Diet
Human populations
Humans
In vivo methods and tests
isoleucine
leucine
Mathematical analysis
Mitochondria
mitochondrial biogenesis
Mixtures
Muscle Proteins - metabolism
Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism
Muscles
Organelle Biogenesis
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha - metabolism
Protein biosynthesis
Protein synthesis
Review
Signaling
skeletal muscle
valine
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Summary:Branched‐chain amino acids (BCAA) are essential in the diet and promote several vital cell responses which may have benefits for health and athletic performance, as well as disease prevention. While BCAA are well‐known for their ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, their effects on cell energetics are also becoming well‐documented, but these receive less attention. In this review, much of the current evidence demonstrating BCAA ability (as individual amino acids or as part of dietary mixtures) to alter regulators of cellular energetics with an emphasis on mitochondrial biogenesis and related signaling is highlighted. Several studies have shown, both in vitro and in vivo, that BCAA (either individual or as a mixture) may promote signaling associated with increased mitochondrial biogenesis including the upregulation of master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma coactivator 1‐alpha (PGC‐1α), as well as numerous downstream targets and related function. However, sparse data in humans and the difficulty of controlling variables associated with feeding studies leave the physiological relevance of these findings unclear. Future well‐controlled diet studies will be needed to assess if BCAA consumption is associated with increased mitochondrial biogenesis and improved metabolic outcomes in healthy and/or diseased human populations. Branched‐chain amino acids (BCAA) may stimulate mitochondrial biogenesisvia activating mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), yin‐yang1 (YY1), peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma coactivator 1‐alpha(PGC‐1α), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), and AMP‐activatedprotein kinase (AMPK), as well as other targets. Such signaling may result from altered energetics and/or a need to increase mitochondrial enzymes thereby promoting BCAA catabolism.
ISSN:1613-4125
1613-4133
DOI:10.1002/mnfr.202200109