Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eduardo Antuna, Cristina Cachan-Vega, Juan Carlos Bermejo-Millo, Yaiza Potes, Beatriz Caballero, Ignacio Vega-Naredo, Ana Coto-Montes, Claudia Garcia-Gonzalez
Summary: In a world where life expectancy is increasing, understanding and promoting healthy aging has become a contemporary demand. Inflammaging, a chronic and low-grade systemic inflammation in the elderly, is linked with many age-associated diseases. There are correlations between sarcopenia, the loss of strength and mass in skeletal muscle related to aging, and inflammaging. Inflammatory signals from chronic diseases negatively affect skeletal muscle, and autophagic mechanisms play a role in inflammation. Strategies such as using melatonin or senotherapeutic compounds could counteract inflammation in the muscle. This review aims to present the factors regulating skeletal muscle inflammaging and their implications in sarcopenia.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Ja Young Kim-Muller, LouJin Song, Brianna LaCarubba Paulhus, Evanthia Pashos, Xiangping Li, Anthony Rinaldi, Stephanie Joaquim, John C. Stansfield, Jiangwei Zhang, Andrew Robertson, Jincheng Pang, Alan Opsahl, Magalie Boucher, Danna Breen, Katherine Hales, Abdul Sheikh, Zhidan Wu, Bei B. Zhang
Summary: Cancer cachexia is a debilitating condition characterized by weight loss and physical decline. In a mouse model of cancer-induced cachexia, blocking the GDF15 protein resulted in significant improvements in muscle mass, physical function, and body weight. The improvements were primarily attributed to increased caloric intake and restoration of gene expression in cachectic muscles. These findings suggest that GDF15 neutralization could be a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance physical performance in patients with cachexia.
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Hawley E. Kunz, Ian R. Lanza
Summary: Aging is associated with various changes in skeletal muscle, including muscle mass loss, local inflammation, and reduced response to exercise. The chronic inflammation associated with aging, known as inflammaging, may contribute to these age-related muscle impairments. Inflammation and exercise have a complex relationship, as exercise can induce acute inflammation necessary for muscle repair, while chronic inflammation in aging may hinder this response. However, exercise training has anti-inflammatory effects and can target the underlying causes of inflammaging. This review explores the interplay between inflammation and exercise in aging and discusses potential therapeutic targets for enhancing exercise responsiveness in older adults.
EXPERIMENTAL GERONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Physiology
Alfredo Mijares, Paul D. Allen, Jose R. Lopez
Summary: The study demonstrates that normal aging is associated with increased intracellular Ca2+ and Na+ concentrations, as well as elevated ROS production in skeletal muscle fibers. Treatment with flufenamic acid can reduce these changes, lower levels of plasma interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and decrease muscle damage.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Sport Sciences
Brad S. Currier, Jonathan C. Mcleod, Laura Banfield, Joseph Beyene, Nicky J. Welton, Alysha C. D'Souza, Joshua A. J. Keogh, Lydia Lin, Giulia Coletta, Antony Yang, Lauren Colenso-Semple, Kyle J. Lau, Alexandria Verboom, Stuart M. Phillips
Summary: This study aimed to determine the effects of distinct combinations of resistance training prescription variables (load, sets, and frequency) on muscle strength and hypertrophy. A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis were conducted, and it was found that higher-load, multiset, thrice-weekly training was the most effective for strength gains, while higher-load, multiset, twice-weekly training was the best for hypertrophy.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Ziad S. Mahmassani, Alec I. McKenzie, Jonathan J. Petrocelli, Naomi M. de Hart, Paul T. Reidy, Dennis K. Fix, Patrick J. Ferrara, Katsuhiko Funai, Micah J. Drummond
Summary: The study found that 2 weeks of metformin ingestion had persistent effects on aged muscle progenitor cells (MPCs), improving their function in vitro and altering their transcriptional signature, including histone and chromatin remodeling. However, metformin ingestion exacerbated pathways related to inflammation signaling.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariam El Assar, Alejandro Alvarez-Bustos, Patricia Sosa, Javier Angulo, Leocadio Rodriguez-Manas
Summary: Functional status is crucial for healthy aging, and impairment in skeletal muscle and the cardiovascular system can compromise this status. Increased oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to functional decline in aging individuals. Physical activity and exercise training have positive effects on skeletal muscle and cardiovascular health in older adults.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marine Gueugneau, Cecile Coudy-Gandilhon, Christophe Chambon, Julien Verney, Daniel Taillandier, Lydie Combaret, Cecile Polge, Stephane Walrand, Frederic Roche, Jean-Claude Barthelemy, Leonard Feasson, Daniel Bechet
Summary: The study found that healthy aging in old men is associated with upregulation of apoptosis and immune function, as well as downregulation of glycolysis and protein catabolism, while metabolic syndrome is mainly characterized by upregulation of proteolysis and downregulation of oxidative phosphorylation. This indicates potential muscle biomarkers for healthy aging and metabolic syndrome in old men.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kai Wang, Stephen H. H. Smith, Hirotaka Iijima, Zachary R. R. Hettinger, Adarsh Mallepally, Sanjeev G. G. Shroff, Fabrisia Ambrosio
Summary: Understanding the cell-autonomous changes in skeletal muscle during aging, regeneration, and intervention is crucial for improving functional recovery in the elderly. However, traditional biological aging models have limitations. To overcome these limitations, a 3D muscle aging system was created and it was found that old muscle constructs (OMC) exhibit a sarcopenic phenotype and impaired regenerative capacity. Enhanced expression of complement component 4b (C4b) in aging muscle was identified as a contributing factor to impaired muscle regeneration, but inhibition of C4b improved regeneration in vitro and in vivo, suggesting a novel approach to enhance aged muscle repair.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Cong Wu, Katsuhiko Suzuki
Summary: Flavonoids may have a great potential to treat sarcopenia by improving skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in older adults.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
James G. Tidball, Ivan Flores, Steven S. Welc, Michelle Wehling-Henricks, Eisuke Ochi
Summary: The regeneration of skeletal muscle following acute injury is influenced by interactions with immune cells, particularly myeloid cells and lymphoid cells. Aging leads to a decline in the regenerative capacity of muscle, with age-related changes in the immune system affecting the process. Aging immune cells alter their expression of factors that impact the function of muscle stem cells, contributing to defects in muscle regeneration.
EXPERIMENTAL GERONTOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Mingming Chen, Yiyi Wang, Shoulong Deng, Zhengxing Lian, Kun Yu
Summary: This article discusses the relationship between aging and skeletal muscle atrophy, focusing on the key role of oxidative stress and oxidative damage in muscle atrophy during aging. It also explores the excessive production of reactive oxygen species in aging skeletal muscle and its potential molecular mechanism of ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory strategies for the treatment of sarcopenia during aging are summarized.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Cassandra Smith, Joshua R. Lewis, Marc Sim, Wai H. Lim, Ee Mun Lim, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Tara C. Brennan-Speranza, Leon Adams, Elizabeth Byrnes, Gustavo Duque, Itamar Levinger, Richard L. Prince
Summary: Evidence suggests that high ucOC/tOC ratio in older women is associated with reduced physical function, including long-term decline and increased risk of falls-related hospitalizations. Early identification of those at higher risk can enable prevention strategies to reduce the risk of injurious falls.
JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Barbara Morawin, Anna Tylutka, Filip Bielewicz, Agnieszka Zembron-Lacny
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between inflammation and sarcopenia and evaluate the impact of lifestyle on inflammatory markers. The results showed significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein and inflammatory markers (IL-1β, cfDNA, and bilirubin) in the sarcopenia group compared to the no sarcopenia group. Gait speed was negatively correlated with cfDNA and IL-1β. Furthermore, the study revealed a link between inflammation and fitness level in older adults, suggesting that lifestyle exercise is a key therapeutic strategy for sarcopenia prevention.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Gibran Pedraza-Vazquez, Beatriz Mena-Montes, David Hernandez-Alvarez, Juan Carlos Gomez-Verjan, Rafael Toledo-Perez, Miriam T. Lopez-Teros, Mina Konigsberg, Luis E. Gomez-Quiroz, Armando Luna-Lopez
Summary: Osteosarcopenic obesity is associated with immobility, fractures, and other dysfunctions, but its cause is still unknown. Sedentarism, fat gain, and epigenetic regulators play critical roles in its development. Exercise is an effective intervention for preventing and treating OSO. miRNA expression and inflammatory profiles are implicated in this process, suggesting their involvement in immune regulation and preventing OSO.
ARCHIVES OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Aurelia Santoro, Jiangchao Zhao, Lu Wu, Ciriaco Carru, Elena Biagi, Claudio Franceschi
SEMINARS IN IMMUNOPATHOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Pol Grootswagers, Marco Mensink, Agnes A. M. Berendsen, Carolien P. J. Deen, Ido P. Kema, Stephan J. L. Bakker, Aurelia Santoro, Claudio Franceschi, Nathalie Meunier, Corinne Malpuech-Brugere, Agata Bialecka-Debek, Katarzyna Rolf, Susan Fairweather-Tait, Amy Jennings, Edith J. M. Feskens, Lisette C. P. G. M. de Groot
Summary: The study found that vitamin B-6 intake is associated with better chair rise test time and greater handgrip strength in older healthy adults with low physical activity levels.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Giulia Foggi, Francesca Ciucci, Maria Conte, Laura Casarosa, Andrea Serra, Elisabetta Giannessi, Carla Lenzi, Stefano Salvioli, Giuseppe Conte, Marcello Mele
Summary: This study compared the histochemical and gene expression characteristics of muscles from Italian Maremmana and French Aubrac cattle breeds, finding Maremmana muscles to be more oxidative. Interestingly, voluntary grazing activity did not significantly impact muscle characteristics and gene expression levels.
Article
Cell Biology
Maria Conte, Aurelia Santoro, Salvatore Collura, Morena Martucci, Giuseppe Battista, Alberto Bazzocchi, Cristina Morsiani, Federica Sevini, Miriam Capri, Daniela Monti, Claudio Franceschi, Stefano Salvioli
Summary: Perilipin 2 (PLIN2) is a protein involved in lipid storage and metabolism in non-adipose tissues and circulating PLIN2 (cPLIN2) has been associated with certain types of cancer. The levels of cPLIN2 do not change with age, but are higher in women than in men; they strongly correlate with BMI, fat and lean mass, and the proinflammatory adipokine leptin. This suggests that cPLIN2, possibly regulated by leptin, could be used as a proxy for body adiposity.
Article
Cell Biology
Cristina Morsiani, Lucia Terlecki-Zaniewicz, Susanna Skalicky, Maria Giulia Bacalini, Salvatore Collura, Maria Conte, Federica Sevini, Paolo Garagnani, Stefano Salvioli, Matthias Hackl, Johannes Grillari, Claudio Franceschi, Miriam Capri
Summary: This study identified an age-related increase of plasma miR-19a/b-3p in old subjects but a decrease in centenarians. The decrease was more pronounced in healthy centenarians and confirmed by comparing healthy and unhealthy centenarians' isomiRs patterns. The findings suggest potential biomarkers for tracking aging and age-related diseases.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Maria Conte, Valentina Medici, Davide Malagoli, Antonio Chiariello, Alice Cirrincione, Annalisa Davin, Maia Chikhladze, Francesco Vasuri, Giuseppe Legname, Isidre Ferrer, Silvia Vanni, Gabriella Marcon, Tino Emanuele Poloni, Antonio Guaita, Claudio Franceschi, Stefano Salvioli
Summary: The study found that perilipins are expressed in the human brain, with only Plin2 being modulated with age and neurodegeneration and linked to an inflammatory state. The accumulation of lipid droplets decorated with Plin2 may be an early marker and initial step in inflammation and neurodegeneration during brain aging.
NEUROPATHOLOGY AND APPLIED NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Marco Narici, Jamie McPhee, Maria Conte, Martino V. Franchi, Kyle Mitchell, Sara Tagliaferri, Elena Monti, Giuseppe Marcolin, Philip J. Atherton, Kenneth Smith, Bethan Phillips, Jonathan Lund, Claudio Franceschi, Marcello Maggio, Gillian S. Butler-Browne
Summary: The study introduced an ultrasound imaging method for diagnosing sarcopenia based on changes in muscle geometric proportions. The ultrasound sarcopenic index (USI) was proposed as a novel marker for the loss of muscle mass associated with sarcopenia, providing a useful 'signature of sarcopenia' and allowing for stratification of individuals according to muscle sarcopenia presence and severity. The USI was found to be a useful clinical tool for confirming the diagnosis of sarcopenia, with DXA-derived skeletal muscle index (SMI) showing significant correlation with USI.
JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Monica Tognocchi, Maria Conte, Lara Testai, Morena Martucci, Andrea Serra, Stefano Salvioli, Vincenzo Calderone, Marcello Mele, Giuseppe Conte
Summary: Epidemiological studies have shown a positive relationship between dietary fat intake and the onset of metabolic diseases. In this study, the effect of supplementation with cheese enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and CLA on metabolism and lipid profiles of mice was evaluated. The results showed that the enriched cheese reduced saturated fat levels and increased CLA and ALA content in all tissues except the brain. Furthermore, the consumption of enriched cheese resulted in a reduction in the expression of inflammatory genes in all analyzed tissues. These findings indicate the feasibility of using nutritional interventions to modulate inflammation and prevent or delay chronic degenerative diseases.
Review
Cell Biology
Maria Conte, Cristina Giuliani, Antonio Chiariello, Vincenzo Iannuzzi, Claudio Franceschi, Stefano Salvioli
Summary: GDF15 is a stress-related cytokine that plays an important role in the aging process. Despite its association with age-related diseases, GDF15 has protective effects in various tissues and may act as a mediator of defense processes.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Miriam Capri, Maria Conte, Erika Ciurca, Chiara Pirazzini, Paolo Garagnani, Aurelia Santoro, Federica Longo, Stefano Salvioli, Patrick Lau, Ralf Moeller, Jens Jordan, Thomas Illig, Maria-Moreno Villanueva, Markus Gruber, Alexander Buerkle, Claudio Franceschi, Joern Rittweger
Summary: Spaceflight and its associated stressors, such as microgravity, radiation exposure, confinement, circadian derailment and disruptive workloads, present a novel exposome that affects various systems in the human body, resembling an accelerated aging process. The molecular events involved, including oxidative stress and DNA damage repair, contribute to the activation of an inflammatory response, which has been proposed as a driver of accelerated aging. The study discusses the shared modifications between spaceflight-induced changes and aging and explores potential countermeasures for astronauts and older adults.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Teresa Tavella, Simone Rampelli, Giulia Guidarelli, Alberto Bazzocchi, Chiara Gasperini, Estelle Pujos-Guillot, Blandine Comte, Monica Barone, Elena Biagi, Marco Candela, Claudio Nicoletti, Fawzi Kadi, Giuseppe Battista, Stefano Salvioli, Paul W. O'Toole, Claudio Franceschi, Patrizia Brigidi, Silvia Turroni, Aurelia Santoro
Summary: The study identified distinct compositional structures of the elderly gut microbiota associated with DXA parameters, diet, metabolic profiles, and cardio-metabolic risk factors.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Maria Conte, Jacopo Sabbatinelli, Antonio Chiariello, Morena Martucci, Aurelia Santoro, Daniela Monti, Marina Arcaro, Daniela Galimberti, Elio Scarpini, Anna Rita Bonfigli, Angelica Giuliani, Fabiola Olivieri, Claudio Franceschi, Stefano Salvioli
Summary: FGF21, GDF15, and HN are mitokines related to mitochondrial stress and positively correlated with age, showing different expressions in type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, suggesting FGF21 as a candidate marker of healthy aging.