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Updated: Jun 11, 2025
Identification of Circular RNAs using RNA Sequencing
Published on: November 14, 2019
Circulating small non-coding RNA profiling for identification of older adults with low muscle strength and physical
Hyung Eun Shin1, Chang Won Won2, Miji Kim3
1Department of Orthopaedics, Emory Musculoskeletal Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Health Sciences and Technology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
Background:
Small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have recently emerged as potential biomarkers of sarcopenia. However, previous studies have rarely explored the association of small ncRNAs with sarcopenic components, especially muscle strength and physical performance. We aimed to examine circulating small ncRNA profiles to detect low muscle strength and physical performance in older adults.
Methods:
Ninety-eight older adults were randomly selected from Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study and classified into the "Normal," "Low muscle strength (MS) only," "Low physical performance (PP) only," and "Low MS and PP" groups by Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. We used high-throughput sequencing to delineate small ncRNA profiles in plasma. Differentially expressed small ncRNAs were analyzed to reveal distinct patterns based on muscle strength and physical performance status.
Results:
In "Low MS and PP" group, 119 miRNAs, 86 piRNAs, 92 snoRNAs, 106 snRNAs, and 15 tRNAs were differentially expressed compared to "Normal" group (p < 0.05). After Benjamini-Hochberg adjustment, 39 miRNAs, 2 piRNAs, 75 snoRNAs, 48 snRNAs, and 15 tRNAs showed differential expression in "Low MS and PP" group compared to than "Normal" group (adjusted p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in comparisons between the other groups (adjusted p > 0.05).
Conclusion:
The expression of circulating small ncRNAs were comprehensively characterized, revealing distinct signatures in older adults with both low muscle strength and physical performance compared to normal individuals. Although preliminary, this characterization can advance small ncRNA research on age-related declines in muscle strength and physical performance by providing foundational data for further investigation.
