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Preparation and Culture of Myogenic Precursor Cells/Primary Myoblasts from Skeletal Muscle of Adult and Aged Humans
Published on: February 16, 2017
Aging and microRNA expression in human skeletal muscle: a microarray and bioinformatics analysis
Micah J Drummond1, John J McCarthy, Mala Sinha
1Department of Physical Therapy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1144, USA. mjdrummo@utmb.edu
Physiological Genomics
|September 30, 2010
Summary
Aging increases microRNAs (miRNAs) like Let-7b and Let-7e in skeletal muscle, potentially impairing cell regeneration by downregulating cell cycle genes. This finding offers insights into sarcopenia.
Area of Science:
- Molecular biology
- Gerontology
- Skeletal muscle physiology
Background:
- Sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass with aging, increases fall and fracture risks.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key posttranscriptional regulators with potential roles in skeletal muscle regulation.
- Understanding miRNA changes in aging muscle is crucial for addressing age-related functional decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To profile miRNA expression in aging human skeletal muscle.
- To identify functional and network associations of differentially expressed miRNAs.
- To investigate the impact of aging on skeletal muscle cell cycle regulation via miRNAs.
Main Methods:
- Muscle biopsies from young and older men were analyzed using miRNA arrays.
- Quantitative real-time PCR (TaqMan) was used for miRNA and mRNA validation.
- Bioinformatics (Ingenuity Pathways Analysis) identified miRNA gene targets and networks.
Main Results:
- Eighteen miRNAs were differentially expressed in older versus younger men.
- Let-7b and Let-7e (let-7 family) were significantly elevated in older subjects.
- Upregulated Let-7s correlated with downregulated cell cycle genes (CDK6, CDC25A, CDC34, PAX7) in older muscle.
Conclusions:
- Aging human skeletal muscle exhibits increased expression of specific Let-7 miRNAs.
- Elevated Let-7 miRNAs may downregulate genes critical for cellular proliferation and regeneration.
- This miRNA dysregulation could contribute to impaired muscle cell renewal in aging.
