Table 2.

Knowledge gaps related to alcohol and muscle protein balance

Alcohol and Muscle Protein Balance
Confirmation of alcohol-induced changes in rodent models to humans; assess possible sex differences
Mechanism underlying the relatively mild effect of alcohol on slow-twitch muscles
Further dissection of mTORC1 signal transduction related to nutrient and hormone activation
Identification of novel pathways or signaling molecules through use of genomic/proteomic approaches
Assess whether ethanol can directly impair mTOR kinase activity
Resolution of alcohol-induced changes in global muscle protein breakdown
Identification of specific proteins which alcohol alters rates of synthesis or degradation
Quantifying mechanical contractile changes produced by alcohol