Evaluating the bioactive capacity of Concord grape (Vitis labrusca) pomace extract on skeletal muscle in a healthy and intestinally inflamed in-vivo model (Gallus gallus): a preliminary study

Grape pomace (GP) is among the many food byproducts that are strong candidates for upcycling. GP, rich in polyphenols, is known to influence both intestinal and systemic tissue health and metabolism. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the bioactivity of GP in skeletal muscle (SM) under both intestinally inflamed, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) challenged, and healthy conditions in-ovo (Gallus gallus). DSS-challenge induced pro-atrophic phenotypic shifts, reducing myofiber diameter by approximately 35 %, concomitant to nearly 2-fold reductions in myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), Myogenin and MyoD, gene expression, and enriched fast-glycolytic myofiber type development. These effects were generally abolished by concurrent Concord grape pomace extract (GPE) application. Independently, GPE increased both MRF expression and promoted slow-oxidative fiber type distributions in diseased and healthy cohorts. These findings highlight the connection between intestinal and SM health and demonstrate GP's nutraceutical potential as a bioactive modifier of SM health.