肌肉萎縮常好發於年長者，會造成肌肉質量下降與力量流失，使身體機能下降。隨著現代社會人類壽命延長，肌肉萎縮與肌少症已成為重要的健康與社會負擔。肌肉也是體內主要消耗能量的部位，約有 80% 的能量在肌肉被消耗，因此維持骨骼肌質量與功能，對肌肉系統正常運作以及營養吸收與儲存非常重要。

造成肌肉萎縮的原因包含長期高脂飲食、癌症、化療及類固醇使用等。長期攝取過多脂肪可能使脂質異位堆積於骨骼肌中，產生脂肪毒性，導致骨骼肌代謝功能失調、肌肉萎縮與分化能力下降，進而引發肌少型肥胖。癌症化療藥物如 cisplatin 亦可能造成肌肉萎縮，導致體重下降及死亡率上升。

本實驗室以細胞與動物模式，並利用西方墨點法、螢光染色等技術，期望找出改善肌肉萎縮的關鍵因子。歡迎對肌肉生理、代謝疾病及實驗研究有興趣的同學加入本實驗室。

1. Chuang-Yen Huang, I-Shan Han, Po-Shiuan Hsieh, Min-Chien Tsai, Hung-Che Chien (2025, Jan). Dichloroacetate, a pyruvate dehydrogenase activator, alleviates high-fat-induced impairment of myogenic differentiation in skeletal muscles. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 136(1):e14102.
2. Jung-Mou Yang, I-Shan Han, Tsung-Hua Chen, Po-Shiuan Hsieh, Min-Chien Tsai, and Hung-Che Chien (2024, Sep). Pharmacological activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase by dichloroacetate protects against obesity-induced muscle atrophy in vitro and in vivo. European Journal of Pharmacology, 979:176854.
3. Sy-Jou Chen, Hung-Che Chien, Shih-Hung Tsai, Yu-Sin Jheng, Yi Chen, Po-Shiuan Hsieh, Pi-Fen Tsui, Shu Chien, Min-Chien Tsai (2024, Aug). Melatonin Ameliorates Atherosclerotic Plaque Vulnerability by Regulating PPARδ-Associated Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Switching. Journal of Pineal Research, 76(5):e12988.
4. Yuan-Ming Tsai, Yu-Chieh Lin, Chih-Yuan Chen, Hung-Che Chien, Hung Chang, and Ming-Hsien Chiang (2024, Jul). Leveraging Hypotension Prediction Index to Forecast LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury and Inflammation in a Porcine Model. Biomedicines, 12(8), 1665.
5. Hung-Che Chien, Yu-Lin Wang, Yun-Chin Tu, Pi-Fen Tsui, Min-Chien Tsai (2024, Apr). Activation of heme oxygenase-1 by laminar shear stress ameliorates high glucose-induced endothelial cell and smooth muscle cell dysfunction. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. doi:10.1002/jcb.30563.
6. Pei-Chi Chan, Chieh-Hua Lu, Hung-Che Chien, Yu-Feng Tian, Po-Shiuan Hsieh (2022, Nov). Adipose Tissue-Derived CCL5 Enhances Local Pro-Inflammatory Monocytic MDSCs Accumulation and Inflammation via CCR5 Receptor in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice. International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
7. Hung-Che Chien, Despina Constantin, Paul L. Greenhaff, and Dumitru Constantin-Teodosiu (2021, Oct). PPARα, δ and FOXO1 Gene Silencing Overturns Palmitate-Induced Inhibition of Pyruvate Oxidation Differentially in C2C12 Myotubes. Biology, 10(11), 1098.
8. Hung-Che Chien, Paul L. Greenhaff, and Dumitru Constantin-Teodosiu (2020, Aug). PPARδ and FOXO1 Mediate Palmitate-Induced Inhibition of Muscle Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex and CHO Oxidation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(16):E5942.
9. Hung-Che Chien, Pei-Chi Chan, Chuan-Chou Tu, Yuan-Ji Day, Li-Man Hung, Chi-Chang Juan, Yu-Feng Tian, Po-Shiuan Hsieh (2018, Oct). Importance of PLC-Dependent PI3K/AKT and AMPK Signaling in RANTES/CCR5 Mediated Macrophage Chemotaxis. Chinese Journal of Physiology, 61(5):266–279.