(1) Background: Sepsis-induced muscle atrophy is characterized by a loss of muscle mass and function which leads to decreased quality of life and worsens the long-term prognosis of patients. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and it relieves muscle wasting caused by several diseases, whereas its effect on sepsis-induced muscle atrophy has not been reported. The present study investigated the effect of NAC on sepsis-induced muscle atrophy and its possible mechanisms. (2) Methods: The effect of NAC on sepsis-induced muscle atrophy was assessed in vivo and in vitro using cecal ligation and puncture-operated (CLP) C57BL/6 mice and LPS-treated C2C12 myotubes. We used immunofluorescence staining to analyze changes in the cross-sectional area (CSA) of myofibers in mice and the myotube diameter of C2C12. Protein expressions were analyzed by Western blotting. (3) Results: In the septic mice, the atrophic response manifested as a reduction in skeletal muscle weight and myofiber cross-sectional area, which is mediated by muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases-muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx)/Atrogin-1 and muscle ring finger 1 (MuRF1). NAC alleviated sepsis-induced skeletal muscle wasting and LPS-induced C2C12 myotube atrophy. Meanwhile, NAC inhibited the sepsis-induced activation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling pathway. Furthermore, using 4-Phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) to inhibit ER stress in LPS-treated C2C12 myotubes could partly abrogate the anti-muscle-atrophy effect of NAC. Finally, NAC alleviated myotube atrophy induced by the ER stress agonist Thapsigargin (Thap). (4) Conclusions: NAC can attenuate sepsis-induced muscle atrophy, which may be related to downregulating ER stress.
Keywords: N-acetylcysteine; endoplasmic reticulum stress; muscle atrophy; sepsis.