Cancer ResearchStatins hold open a muscle calcium channel, explaining why some patients get muscle pain
Statins are among the most widely used drugs for preventing heart attacks and strokes, yet some people develop muscle pain or weakness, and a few suffer severe muscle breakdown. Researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Wisconsin-Madison used cryo-electron microscopy to see how atorvastatin interacts with RyR1, a protein that acts as a calcium gateway in muscle cells. They found that three statin molecules settle into one pocket on the channel. The first binds while the channel is closed and makes it more likely to open. Two more then enter and hold it open, so calcium leaks continuously and can injure muscle tissue. The findings, published in Nature Communications, give drug developers a structural roadmap for redesigning statins that keep their cholesterol-lowering power without touching muscle. Because muscle strength matters for healthy aging, this work speaks directly to keeping people on heart-protective therapy while preserving function.
