The Effects of Resistance Training on Denervated Myofibers, Senescent Cells, and Associated Protein Markers in Middle-aged Adults

Overview

Journal FASEB J

Specialties Biology
Physiology

Date 2024 Apr 23

PMID 38651653

Authors

Bradley A Ruple

Madison L Mattingly

Joshua S Godwin

Mason C McIntosh

Nicholas J Kontos

Anthony Agyin-Birikorang

J Max Michel

Daniel L Plotkin

Shao-Yung Chen

Tim N Ziegenfuss

Andrew D Fruge

L Bruce Gladden

Austin T Robinson

C Brooks Mobley

Abigail L Mackey

Michael D Roberts

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Denervated myofibers and senescent cells are hallmarks of skeletal muscle aging. However, sparse research has examined how resistance training affects these outcomes. We investigated the effects of unilateral leg extensor resistance training (2 days/week for 8 weeks) on denervated myofibers, senescent cells, and associated protein markers in apparently healthy middle-aged participants (MA, 55 ± 8 years old, 17 females, 9 males). We obtained dual-leg vastus lateralis (VL) muscle cross-sectional area (mCSA), VL biopsies, and strength assessments before and after training. Fiber cross-sectional area (fCSA), satellite cells (Pax7), denervated myofibers (NCAM), senescent cells (p16 or p21), proteins associated with denervation and senescence, and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) proteins were analyzed from biopsy specimens. Leg extensor peak torque increased after training (p < .001), while VL mCSA trended upward (interaction p = .082). No significant changes were observed for Type I/II fCSAs, NCAM myofibers, or senescent (p16 or p21) cells, albeit satellite cells increased after training (p = .037). While >90% satellite cells were not p16 or p21, most p16 and p21 cells were Pax7 (>90% on average). Training altered 13 out of 46 proteins related to muscle-nerve communication (all upregulated, p < .05) and 10 out of 19 proteins related to cellular senescence (9 upregulated, p < .05). Only 1 out of 17 SASP protein increased with training (IGFBP-3, p = .031). In conclusion, resistance training upregulates proteins associated with muscle-nerve communication in MA participants but does not alter NCAM myofibers. Moreover, while training increased senescence-related proteins, this coincided with an increase in satellite cells but not alterations in senescent cell content or SASP proteins. These latter findings suggest shorter term resistance training is an unlikely inducer of cellular senescence in apparently healthy middle-aged participants. However, similar study designs are needed in older and diseased populations before definitive conclusions can be drawn.

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