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The skeletal muscle proteomic determinants of neuromuscular function in young and older women following 8 weeks of resistance training.

Experimental physiology
March 1, 2025
Mary O'Leary et al. (6 authors)
Journal ArticleHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to compare the effects of resistance training on the skeletal muscle proteome and neuromuscular function in older versus younger women.

Results Summary

Resistance training increased mitochondrial biogenesis proteins in older women but did not normalize age-related declines in skeletal muscle contraction proteins. Older women showed poorer leg strength and neuromuscular function despite training, but some proteins were associated with greater handgrip strength.

Population

Seven young (22 ± 6 years) and eight older (63 ± 5 years) women.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

8 weeks

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (7)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
Resistance training (RT)
decrease
sarcopenia
-
-
ameliorating
#1
Resistance training (RT)
no change
proteins related to skeletal muscle contraction
older women
-
not normalised
#2
Resistance training (RT)
increase
VL mitochondrial biogenesis proteins
older women
-
higher expression
#3
-
decrease
proteins related to skeletal muscle contraction
older skeletal muscle
-
lower
#4
-
neutral
seventy proteins
between age groups
70
differentially expressed
#5
-
decrease
leg strength/NMF
older women
-
significantly associated with poorer
#6
-
increase
handgrip strength
older women
-
associated with greater
#7
Abstract

Resistance training (RT) is the gold standard intervention for ameliorating sarcopenia. Outstanding mechanistic questions remain regarding the malleability of the molecular determinants of skeletal muscle function in older age. Discovery of proteomics can expand such knowledge. We aimed to compare the effect of RT on the skeletal muscle proteome and neuromuscular function (NMF) in older and younger women. Seven young (22 ± 6 years) and eight older (63 ± 5 years) women completed 8 weeks' leg RT. Pre- and post-training, measures of leg and handgrip strength, NMF and vastus lateralis (VL) biopsies were obtained. Tandem-mass-tagged skeletal muscle proteomic analyses were performed. Data were analysed using differential expression and weighted gene co-expression network approaches. Proteins related to skeletal muscle contraction were lower in older skeletal muscle; this was not normalised by RT. Following RT, older women had higher expression of VL mitochondrial biogenesis proteins compared to the young, a reversal of pre-training observations. Seventy proteins were differentially expressed between age groups. VL expression of these proteins in older women was consistently and significantly associated with poorer leg strength/NMF. Conversely, VL expression of these proteins in older women was often associated with greater handgrip strength. This study has identified important differences in the molecular responses of young and old skeletal muscle to RT. We have demonstrated their close relationship with skeletal muscle function. Proteins that are refractory to RT may represent targets to ameliorate sarcopenia. We have described a 'proteomic-function' relationship that appears to be muscle-specific. Future research should further unpick these complex relationships.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansFemaleResistance TrainingProteomicsMuscle, SkeletalMiddle AgedHand StrengthYoung AdultAdultProteomeAgingAgedMuscle ProteinsSarcopeniaMuscle StrengthMuscle Contraction
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality85/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations3
Citations/Year3.0
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.25
Weight Score3.07
Normalized Score0.67
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