Publications by Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila

Inhibition of CERS1 in skeletal muscle exacerbates age-related muscle dysfunction

Olivier Burri, Johan Auwerx, Giacomo Vincenzo Giorgio Von Alvensleben, Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila, Martin Rainer Wohlwend, Xiaoxu Li, Ludger Jan Elzuë Goeminne, Amélia Lalou, Tanes Imamura de Lima, Barbara Moreira Crisol, Renata Mangione

Age-related muscle wasting and dysfunction render the elderly population vulnerable and incapacitated, while underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we implicate the CERS1 enzyme of the de novo sphingolipid synthesis pathway in the pathogenesis ...

2023

Inhibiting de novo ceramide synthesis restores mitochondrial and protein homeostasis in muscle aging

Johan Auwerx, Hao Li, Mario Romani, Dohyun Park, Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila, Changmyung Oh, Martin Rainer Wohlwend, Jean-David Horacio Morel, Xiaoxu Li, Ludger Jan Elzuë Goeminne, Tanes Imamura de Lima, Sandra Rodriguez Lopez, Barbara Moreira Crisol

Disruption of mitochondrial function and protein homeostasis plays a central role in aging. However, how these processes interact and what governs their failure in aging remain poorly understood. Here, we showed that cer- amide biosynthesis controls the de ...

AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE2023

Sphingolipids accumulate in aged muscle, and their reduction counteracts sarcopenia

Johan Auwerx, Maroun Bou Sleiman, Peiling Luan, Davide D'Amico, Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila, Martin Rainer Wohlwend, Sébastien Robert Victor Herzig, Tanes Imamura de Lima, Qi Wang, Barbara Moreira Crisol

Age-related muscle dysfunction and sarcopenia are major causes of physical incapacitation in older adults and currently lack viable treatment strategies. Here we find that sphingolipids accumulate in mouse skeletal muscle upon aging and that both genetic a ...

2022

Inhibition of sphingolipid de novo synthesis counteracts muscular dystrophy

Johan Auwerx, Peiling Luan, Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila, Martin Rainer Wohlwend, Ludger Jan Elzuë Goeminne, Tanes Imamura de Lima

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most common muscular dystrophy, is a severe muscle disorder, causing muscle weakness, loss of independence, and premature death. Here, we establish the link between sphingolipids and muscular dystrophy. Transcripts of ...

2022

COX7A2L genetic variants determine cardiorespiratory fitness in mice and human

Johan Auwerx, Maroun Bou Sleiman, Pooja Jha, Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila, Martin Rainer Wohlwend, Ludger Jan Elzuë Goeminne, Sandra Rodriguez Lopez

Benegiamo et al. identify genetic variants of the mitochondrial supercomplex assembly factor COX7A2L in the skeletal muscle of mice and humans that promote cardiorespiratory fitness. ...

NATURE PORTFOLIO2022

The exercise-induced long noncoding RNA CYTOR promotes fast-twitch myogenesis in aging

Johan Auwerx, Mario Romani, Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila, Martin Rainer Wohlwend, Tanes Imamura de Lima

Skeletal muscle displays remarkable plasticity upon exercise and is also one of the organs most affected by aging. Despite robust evidence that aging is associated with loss of fast-twitch (type II) muscle fibers, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elu ...

2021

Treatment and prevention of aging related-disease and/or aging by the inhibition of sphingolipids

Johan Auwerx, Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila

The present invention relates to an inhibitor of sphingolipids for use in the treatment or prevention of an aging related-disease and/or aging. ...

2021

Urolithin A improves muscle function by inducing mitophagy in muscular dystrophy

Johan Auwerx, Pénélope Andreux, Peiling Luan, Hao Li, Davide D'Amico, Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila, Martin Rainer Wohlwend, Tanes Imamura de Lima

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common muscular dystrophy, and despite advances in genetic and pharmacological disease-modifying treatments, its management remains a major challenge. Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to DMD, yet the mecha ...

AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE2021

Transcription Factor USF1 Is Required for Maintenance of Germline Stem Cells in Male Mice

Pirkka-Pekka Untamo Laurila

A prerequisite for lifelong sperm production is that spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) balance self-renewal and differentiation, yet factors required for this balance remain largely undefined. Using mouse genetics, we now demonstrate that the ubiquitously e ...

ENDOCRINE SOC2019