Expression of perilipins in human skeletal muscle in vitro and in vivo in relation to diet, exercise and energy balance

Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial and Perilipin Content in a Cohort of Obese Subjects Undergoing Moderate and High Intensity Training

Obesity is a complex condition characterized by abnormal and excessive fat accumulation, resulting in an increased risk for severe health problems. Skeletal muscles play a major role in movement and fat catabolism, but the insulin resistance that comes with obesity makes it difficult to fulfill these tasks. In this study, we analyse two types of training protocols, moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) versus high intensity interval training (HIIT), in a cohort of obese subjects to establish which muscle adaptations favour fat consumption in response to exercise. Mitochondria play a role in fat oxidation. We found protein upregulation of mitochondrial biomarkers, TOMM20 and Cox-4, in HIIT but not in MICT, without detecting any shifts in fibre composition phenotype of the vastus lateralis in both training groups. Interestingly, both MICT and HIIT protocols showed increased protein levels of perilipin PLIN2, which is involved in the delivery and consumption of fats. HIIT also augmented perilipin PLIN5. Perilipins are involved in fat storage in skeletal muscles and their upregulation, along with the analysis of circulatory lipid profiles reported in the present study, suggest important adaptations induced by the two types of training protocols that favour fat consumption and weight loss in obese subjects.

Plin5 Bidirectionally Regulates Lipid Metabolism in Oxidative Tissues

Cytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs) can store neutral lipids as an energy source when needed and also regulate the key metabolic processes of intracellular lipid accumulation, which is associated with several metabolic diseases. The perilipins (Plins) are a family of proteins that associate with the surface of LDs. As a member of Plins superfamily, perilipin 5 (Plin5) coats LDs in cardiomyocytes, which is significantly related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production originated from mitochondria in the heart, consequently determining the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Plin5 may play a bidirectional function in lipid metabolism which is in a state of dynamic balance. In the basic state, Plin5 inhibited the binding of comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) to adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) by binding CGI-58, thus inhibiting lipolysis. However, when the body is under stress (such as cold, fasting, exercise, and other stimuli), protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylates and activates Plin5, which then causes Plin5 to release the binding site of CGI-58 and ATGL, prompting CGI-58 to bind to ATGL and activate ATGL activity, thus accelerating the lipolysis process, revealing the indispensable role of Plin5 in lipid turnover. Here, the purpose of this review is to summarize the present understanding of the bidirectional regulation role of Plin5 in oxidative tissues and to reveal its potential role in diabetic cardiomyopathy protection.

Differences in protein expression, at the basal state and at 2 h of insulin infusion, in muscle biopsies from healthy Arab men with high or low insulin sensitivity measured by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp

BACKGROUND

Skeletal muscle is the main site for insulin-dependent glucose disposal. The hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (HIEC) is the gold standard for the assessment of insulin sensitivity (IS). We have previously shown that insulin sensitivity, measured by HIEC, varied widely among a group of 60 young healthy men with normoglycemia. The aim of this study was to correlate the proteomic profile of skeletal muscles to insulin sensitivity.

METHODS

Muscle biopsies from 16 subjects having the highest (M ≥ 13; n = 8, HIS) and lowest (M ¾ 6, n = 8, LIS) IS were obtained at baseline and during insulin infusion after stabilization of the blood glucose level and glucose infusion rate at the end of the HIEC. The samples were processed using a quantitative proteomic analysis approach.

RESULTS

At baseline, 924 proteins were identified in the HIS and LIS groups. Among the 924 proteins detected in both groups, three were suppressed and three were increased significantly in the LIS subjects compared with the HIS subjects. Following insulin infusion, 835 proteins were detected in both groups. Among the 835 proteins, two showed differential responsiveness to insulin; ATP5F1 protein was decreased, and MYLK2 was higher in the LIS group compared with that in the HIS group. Our data suggest that alteration in mitochondrial proteins and an increased number of proteins involved in fast-twitch fiber correlate to insulin sensitivity in healthy young Arab men.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest a change in a small number of differentially expressed proteins. A possible reason for this small change could be our study cohorts representing a homogeneous and healthy population. Additionally, we show differences in protein levels from skeletal muscle in low and high insulin sensitivity groups. Therefore, these differences may represent early events for the development of insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, and type 2 diabetes.

Distinct Roles of Perilipins in the Intramuscular Deposition of Lipids in Glutamine-Supplemented, Low-, and Normal-Birth-Weight Piglets

Piglets with low birth weight (LBW) usually have reduced muscle mass and increased lipid deposition compared with their normal-birth-weight (NBW) littermates. Supplementation of piglets with amino acids during the first days of life may improve muscle growth and simultaneously alter the intramuscular lipid deposition. The aim of the current study was to investigate the influence of glutamine (Gln) supplementation during the early suckling period on lipid deposition in the longissimus muscle (MLD) and the role of different perilipin (PLIN) family members in this process. Four groups were generated consisting of 72 male LBW piglets and 72 NBW littermates. Piglets were supplemented with either 1 g Gln/kg body weight or an isonitrogenous amount of alanine (Ala) between days post natum (dpn) 1 and 12. Twelve piglets per group were slaughtered at 5, 12, and 26 dpn, and muscle tissue was collected. Perilipins were localized by immunohistochemistry in muscle sections. The mRNA and protein abundances of PLIN family members and related lipases were quantified by quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR) and western blots, respectively. While PLIN1 was localized around lipid droplets in mature and developing adipocytes, PLIN2 was localized at intramyocellular lipid droplets, PLIN3 and 4 at cell membranes of muscle fibers and adipocytes, and PLIN5 in the cytoplasm of undefined cells. The western blot results indicated higher protein abundances of PLIN2, 3, 4, and 5 in LBW piglets (p < 0.05) at 5 dpn compared with their NBW littermates independent of supplementation, while not directly reflecting the mRNA expression levels. The mRNA abundance of PLIN2 was lower while PLIN4 was higher in piglets at 26 dpn in comparison with piglets at 5 dpn (p < 0.01). Relative mRNA expression of LPL and CGI-58 was lowest in piglets at 5 dpn (p < 0.001). However, ATGL mRNA was not influenced by birth weight or supplementation, but the Spearman correlation coefficient analysis revealed close correlations with PLIN2, 4, and 5 mRNA at 5 and 26 dpn (r > 0.5, p < 0.001). The results indicated the importance of birth weight and age for intramuscular lipid deposition and different roles of PLIN family members in this process, but no clear modulating effect of Gln supplementation.

Inter-organelle Communication in the Pathogenesis of Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Insulin Resistance

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Impairments in mitochondrial function in patients with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes have been disputed for decades. This review aims to briefly summarize the current knowledge on mitochondrial dysfunction in metabolic tissues and to particularly focus on addressing a new perspective of mitochondrial dysfunction, the altered capacity of mitochondria to communicate with other organelles within insulin-resistant tissues.

RECENT FINDINGS

Organelle interactions are temporally and spatially formed connections essential for normal cell function. Recent studies have shown that mitochondria interact with various cellular organelles, such as the endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes and lipid droplets, forming inter-organelle junctions. We will discuss the current knowledge on alterations in these mitochondria-organelle interactions in insulin resistance and diabetes, with a focus on changes in mitochondria-lipid droplet communication as a major player in ectopic lipid accumulation, lipotoxicity and insulin resistance.

Higher lipid turnover and oxidation in cultured human myotubes from athletic versus sedentary young male subjects

In this study we compared fatty acid (FA) metabolism in myotubes established from athletic and sedentary young subjects. Six healthy sedentary (maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max) ≤ 46 ml/kg/min) and six healthy athletic (VO_2max > 60 ml/kg/min) young men were included. Myoblasts were cultured and differentiated to myotubes from satellite cells isolated from biopsy of musculus vastus lateralis. FA metabolism was studied in myotubes using [¹⁴C]oleic acid. Lipid distribution was assessed by thin layer chromatography, and FA accumulation, lipolysis and re-esterification were measured by scintillation proximity assay. Gene and protein expressions were studied. Myotubes from athletic subjects showed lower FA accumulation, lower incorporation of FA into total lipids, triacylglycerol (TAG), diacylglycerol and cholesteryl ester, higher TAG-related lipolysis and re-esterification, and higher complete oxidation and incomplete β-oxidation of FA compared to myotubes from sedentary subjects. mRNA expression of the mitochondrial electron transport chain complex III gene UQCRB was higher in cells from athletic compared to sedentary. Myotubes established from athletic subjects have higher lipid turnover and oxidation compared to myotubes from sedentary subjects. Our findings suggest that cultured myotubes retain some of the phenotypic traits of their donors.

The effect of diet and exercise on lipid droplet dynamics in human muscle tissue

The majority of fat in the human body is stored as triacylglycerols in white adipose tissue. In the obese state, adipose tissue mass expands and excess lipids are stored in non-adipose tissues, such as skeletal muscle. Lipids are stored in skeletal muscle in the form of small lipid droplets. Although originally viewed as dull organelles that simply store lipids as a consequence of lipid overflow from adipose tissue, lipid droplets are now recognized as key components in the cell that exert a variety of relevant functions in multiple tissues (including muscle). Here, we review the effect of diet and exercise interventions on myocellular lipid droplets and their putative role in insulin sensitivity from a human perspective. We also provide an overview of lipid droplet biology and identify gaps for future research.

Achieving Optimal Post-Exercise Muscle Protein Remodeling in Physically Active Adults through Whole Food Consumption

Dietary protein ingestion is critical to maintaining the quality and quantity of skeletal muscle mass throughout adult life. The performance of acute exercise enhances muscle protein remodeling by stimulating protein synthesis rates for several hours after each bout, which can be optimized by consuming protein during the post-exercise recovery period. To date, the majority of the evidence regarding protein intake to optimize post-exercise muscle protein synthesis rates is limited to isolated protein sources. However, it is more common to ingest whole food sources of protein within a normal eating pattern. Emerging evidence demonstrates a promising role for the ingestion of whole foods as an effective nutritional strategy to support muscle protein remodeling and recovery after exercise. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of the ingestion of nutrient-rich and protein-dense whole foods to support post-exercise muscle protein remodeling and recovery with pertinence towards physically active people.

Intramyocellular fat storage in metabolic diseases

Over the past decades, obesity and its metabolic co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) developed to reach an endemic scale. However, the mechanisms leading to the development of T2D are still poorly understood. One main predictor for T2D seems to be lipid accumulation in "non-adipose" tissues, best known as ectopic lipid storage. A growing body of data suggests that these lipids may play a role in impairing insulin action in metabolic tissues, such as liver and skeletal muscle. This review aims to discuss recent literature linking ectopic lipid storage and insulin resistance, with emphasis on lipid deposition in skeletal muscle. The link between skeletal muscle lipid content and insulin sensitivity, as well as the mechanisms of lipid-induced insulin resistance and potential therapeutic strategies to alleviate lipotoxic lipid pressure in skeletal muscle will be discussed.

Docosahexaenoic acid-supplementation prior to fasting prevents muscle atrophy in mice

BACKGROUND

Muscle wasting prevails in numerous diseases (e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular and kidney diseases, COPD,…) and increases healthcare costs. A major clinical issue is to devise new strategies preventing muscle wasting. We hypothesized that 8-week docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation prior to fasting may preserve muscle mass in vivo.

METHODS

Six-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed a DHA-enriched or a control diet for 8 weeks and then fasted for 48 h.

RESULTS

Feeding mice a DHA-enriched diet prior to fasting elevated muscle glycogen contents, reduced muscle wasting, blocked the 55% decrease in Akt phosphorylation, and reduced by 30-40% the activation of AMPK, ubiquitination, or autophagy. The DHA-enriched diet fully abolished the fasting induced-messenger RNA (mRNA) over-expression of the endocannabinoid receptor-1. Finally, DHA prevented or modulated the fasting-dependent increase in muscle mRNA levels for Rab18, PLD1, and perilipins, which determine the formation and fate of lipid droplets, in parallel with muscle sparing.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that 8-week DHA supplementation increased energy stores that can be efficiently mobilized, and thus preserved muscle mass in response to fasting through the regulation of Akt- and AMPK-dependent signalling pathways for reducing proteolysis activation. Whether a nutritional strategy aiming at increasing energy status may shorten recovery periods in clinical settings remains to be tested.

Effect of serial cell passaging in the retention of fiber type and mitochondrial content in primary human myotubes

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of passaging on retention of donor phenotypic characteristics in primary human myotubes.

METHODS

Primary muscle cultures and serial passaged myotubes from physically active, sedentary lean, and individuals with type 2 diabetes were established. Maximal ATP synthesis capacity (ATPmax) and resting ATP flux (ATPase) in vivo were measured by (31) P magnetic resonance spectroscopy, type-I fibers and intramyocelluar lipid (IMCL) in vastus lateralis tissue were determined using immunohistochemistry techniques, and oxidative phosphorylation complexes (OXPHOS) were measured by Western immunoblotting. Similar in vitro measures for lipid and type-I fibers were made in myotubes, along with mitochondrial content measured by MitoTracker.

RESULTS

Passage 4 and 5 measures for myotubes correlated positively with in vivo measurements for percent type-I fibers (P4: R(2)  = 0.39, p = 0.02; P5: R(2)  = 0.48, p = 0.01), ATPmax (P4: R(2)  = 0.30, p = 0.03; P5: R(2)  = 0.22, p = 0.05), and OXPHOS (P4: R(2)  = 0.44, p = 0.04; P5: R(2)  = 0.59, p = 0.006). No correlations were observed for IMCL. However, passage 4 measures for myotubes correlated with passage 5 measures for percent type-I fibers (R(2)  = 0.49, p = 0.01), IMCL (R(2)  = 0.80, p < 0.001), and mitochondrial content (R(2)  = 0.26, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Myotubes through the first two passages following immunopurification (referred to as passage 4 and 5) reflect the mitochondrial and type-I fiber content in vivo phenotype of the donor.

Targeting fatty acid metabolism to improve glucose metabolism

Disturbances in fatty acid metabolism in adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle, gut and pancreas play an important role in the development of insulin resistance, impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Alterations in diet composition may contribute to prevent and/or reverse these disturbances through modulation of fatty acid metabolism. Besides an increased fat mass, adipose tissue dysfunction, characterized by an altered capacity to store lipids and an altered secretion of adipokines, may result in lipid overflow, systemic inflammation and excessive lipid accumulation in non-adipose tissues like liver, skeletal muscle and the pancreas. These impairments together promote the development of impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, intrinsic functional impairments in either of these organs may contribute to lipotoxicity and insulin resistance. The present review provides an overview of fatty acid metabolism-related pathways in adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle, pancreas and gut, which can be targeted by diet or food components, thereby improving glucose metabolism.

Perilipin 4 in human skeletal muscle: localization and effect of physical activity

Perilipins (PLINs) coat the surface of lipid droplets and are important for the regulation of lipid turnover. Knowledge about the physiological role of the individual PLINs in skeletal muscle is limited although lipid metabolism is very important for muscle contraction. To determine the effect of long-term exercise on PLINs expression, 26 middle-aged, sedentary men underwent 12 weeks combined endurance and strength training intervention. Muscle biopsies from m. vastus lateralis and subcutaneous adipose tissue were taken before and after the intervention and total gene expression was measured with deep mRNA sequencing. PLIN4 mRNA exhibited the highest expression of all five PLINs in both tissues, and the expression was significantly reduced after long-term exercise in skeletal muscle. Moreover, PLIN4 mRNA expression levels in muscle correlated with the expression of genes involved in de novo phospholipid biosynthesis, with muscular content of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine, and with the content of subsarcolemmal lipid droplets. The PLIN4 protein was mainly located at the periphery of skeletal muscle fibers, with higher levels in slow-twitch as compared to fast-twitch skeletal muscle fibers. In summary, we report reduced expression of PLIN4 after long-term physical activity, and preferential slow-twitch skeletal muscle fibers and plasma membrane-associated PLIN4 location.

Myotubes from severely obese type 2 diabetic subjects accumulate less lipids and show higher lipolytic rate than myotubes from severely obese non-diabetic subjects

About 80% of patients with type 2 diabetes are classified as overweight. However, only about 1/3 of severely obese subjects have type 2 diabetes. This indicates that several severely obese individuals may possess certain characteristics that protect them against type 2 diabetes. We therefore hypothesized that this apparent paradox could be related to fundamental differences in skeletal muscle lipid handling. Energy metabolism and metabolic flexibility were examined in human myotubes derived from severely obese subjects without (BMI 44±7 kg/m²) and with type 2 diabetes (BMI 43±6 kg/m²). Lower insulin sensitivity was observed in myotubes from severely obese subjects with type 2 diabetes. Lipolysis rate was higher, and oleic acid accumulation, triacylglycerol content, and fatty acid adaptability were lower in myotubes from severely obese subjects with type 2 diabetes compared to severely obese non-diabetic subjects. There were no differences in lipid distribution and mRNA and protein expression of the lipases HSL and ATGL, the lipase cofactor CGI-58, or the lipid droplet proteins PLIN2 and PLIN3. Glucose and oleic acid oxidation were also similar in cells from the two groups. In conclusion, myotubes established from severely obese donors with established type 2 diabetes had lower ability for lipid accumulation and higher lipolysis rate than myotubes from severely obese donors without diabetes. This indicates that a difference in intramyocellular lipid turnover might be fundamental in evolving type 2 diabetes.

Unraveling the roles of PLIN5: linking cell biology to physiology

The discovery of perilipin (PLIN) 1 provided a major conceptual shift in the understanding of adipose tissue lipolysis and generated intense interest in lipid droplet biology research. The subsequent discovery of other PLIN proteins revealed unique tissue distribution profiles, subcellular locations, and lipid-binding properties and divergent cellular functions. PLIN5 is highly expressed in oxidative tissues such as skeletal muscle, liver, and heart and is central to lipid homeostasis in these tissues. Studies in cell systems have ascribed several metabolic roles to PLIN5 and demonstrated interactions with other proteins that are requisite for these functions. We examine recent in vivo studies and ask whether the evidence from the cell biology approaches is consistent with the physiological roles of PLIN5.

Lipid droplet-associated proteins in high-fat fed mice with the effects of voluntary running and diet change

OBJECTIVE

The relation between lipid accumulation and influence of exercise on insulin sensitivity is not straightforward. A proper balance between lipid droplet synthesis, lipolysis, and oxidative metabolism would ensure low local intramyocellular fatty acid levels, thereby possibly protecting against lipotoxicity-associated insulin resistance. This study investigated whether the accumulation of triglycerides and lipid droplets in response to high availability of fatty acids after high-fat feeding would parallel the abundance of intramyocellular perilipin proteins, especially PLIN5. The effects on these variables after diet change or voluntary running exercise intervention in skeletal muscle were also investigated.

METHODS

During a 19-week experiment, C57BL/6J mice were studied in six different groups: low-fat diet sedentary, low-fat diet active, high-fat diet sedentary, high-fat diet active and two groups which were high-fat sedentary for nine weeks, after which divided into low-fat sedentary or low-fat active groups. Myocellular triglyceride concentration and perilipin protein expression levels were assessed.

RESULTS

We show that, concurrently with impaired insulin sensitivity, the expression level of PLIN5 and muscular triglyceride concentration increased dramatically after high-fat diet. These adaptations were reversible after the diet change intervention with no additional effect of exercise.

CONCLUSIONS

After high-fat diet, lipid droplets become larger providing more surface area for PLIN5. We suggest that PLIN5 is an important regulator of lipid droplet turnover in altered conditions of fatty acid supply and consumption. Imbalances in lipid droplet metabolism and turnover might lead to lipotoxicity-related insulin resistance.

Post-mortem stability of RNA in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue and the tissue-specific expression of myostatin, perilipin and associated factors in the horse

Obesity, a major concern for equine welfare, is highly prevalent in the leisure horse population. Skeletal-muscle and adipose tissues are important determinants of maintenance energy requirements. The myostatin and perilipin pathways play key roles in the regulation of muscle mass and lipolysis respectively and have both been associated with obesity predisposition in other mammalian species. High quality samples, suitable for molecular biology, are an essential prerequisite for detailed investigations of gene and protein expression. Hence, this study has evaluated a) the post-mortem stability of RNA extracted from skeletal-muscle and adipose-tissues collected under commercial conditions and b) the tissue-specific presence of myostatin, the moystatin receptor (activin receptor IIB, ActRIIB), follistatin and perilipin, genes and proteins across a range of equine tissues. Objectives were addressed using tissues from 7 Thoroughbred horses presented for slaughter at a commercial abattoir; a) samples were collected at 7 time-points from Masseter muscle and perirenal adipose from 5 minutes to 6 hours post-mortem. Extracted RN was appraised by Optical Density analysis and agarose-gel electrophoresis. b) Quantitative real time PCR and Western Blotting were used to evaluate gene and protein expression in anatomically-defined samples collected from 17 tissues (6 organs, 4 skeletal muscles and 7 discrete adipose depots). The results indicate that, under the present collection conditions, intact, good quality RNA could be extracted from skeletal-muscle for up to 2 hours post-mortem. However, RNA from adipose tissue may be more susceptible to degradation/contamination and samples should be collected no later than 30 minutes post-mortem. The data also show that myostatin and ActRIIB genes and proteins were almost exclusively expressed in skeletal muscle. The follistatin gene showed a more diverse gene expression profile, with expression evident in several organs, adipose tissue depots and skeletal muscles. Perilipin gene and protein were almost exclusively expressed by adipose tissue.

The effect of variants in the promoter of BMPER on the intramuscular fat deposition in longissimus dorsi muscle of pigs

The aim of the study was to evaluate the contribution of BMPER promoter SNPs to the gene expression and intramuscular fat content in longissimus dorsi muscle. Firstly the promoter region of BMPER was comparatively scanned by direct sequencing with pool DNA of two groups (n=15 for each group) with high (H) or low (L) IMF content. Two SNPs, c.-1423A>G and c.-1344A>C, were found to have reverse allele distribution in the two groups. Genotyping by PCR-SSCP in a larger population revealed that the two SNPs interlock completely to form only A-A or G-C haplotype. The IMF content and BMPER expression level of A-A/A-A genotype were higher than G-C/G-C genotype, and luciferase assay revealed that A-A haplotype promoter activity was also higher than G-C haplotype. Putative transcription factor prediction suggested that c.-1344 A>C mutation might shift the promoter binding affinity with GATAs. We concluded that BMPER promoter polymorphisms have an effect on IMF content, and A-A haplotype could be used as a candidate genetic marker for preferable IMF deposition.

Lipid homeostasis in exercise

Fatty acids (FA) are essential energy substrates during endurance exercise. In addition to systemic supply, intramyocellular neutral lipids form an important source of FA for the working muscle. Endurance exercise training is associated with an increased reliance on lipids as a fuel source, has systemic lipid-lowering effects and results in a remodeling of skeletal muscle lipid metabolism toward increased oxidation, neutral lipid storage and turnover. Interestingly, recent studies have indicated common exercise-induced regulatory pathways for genes involved in skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative metabolism and lipid droplet (LD) dynamics. In this review, I discuss lipid homeostasis during acute exercise and adaptations in lipid metabolism upon exercise training in the light of recent advances in the field.

Evidence against a beneficial effect of irisin in humans

Brown adipose tissue has gained interest as a potential target to treat obesity and metabolic diseases. Irisin is a newly identified hormone secreted from skeletal muscle enhancing browning of white fat cells, which improves systemic metabolism by increasing energy expenditure in mice. The discovery of irisin raised expectations of its therapeutic potential to treat metabolic diseases. However, the effect of irisin in humans is unclear. Analyses of genomic DNA, mRNA and expressed sequence tags revealed that FNDC5, the gene encoding the precursor of irisin, is present in rodents and most primates, but shows in humans a mutation in the conserved start codon ATG to ATA. HEK293 cells transfected with a human FNDC5 construct with ATA as start codon resulted in only 1% full-length protein compared to human FNDC5 with ATG. Additionally, in vitro contraction of primary human myotubes by electrical pulse stimulation induced a significant increase in PGC1α mRNA expression. However, FNDC5 mRNA level was not altered. FNDC5 mRNA expression in muscle biopsies from two different human exercise studies was not changed by endurance or strength training. Preadipocytes isolated from human subcutaneous adipose tissue exhibited differentiation to brite human adipocytes when incubated with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 7, but neither recombinant FNDC5 nor irisin were effective. In conclusion, our findings suggest that it is rather unlikely that the beneficial effect of irisin observed in mice can be translated to humans.

Increased Plin2 expression in human skeletal muscle is associated with sarcopenia and muscle weakness

Human aging is associated with a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength and a concomitant fat accumulation in form of inter-muscular adipose tissue, causing skeletal muscle function decline and immobilization. Fat accumulation can also occur as intra-muscular triglycerides (IMTG) deposition in lipid droplets, which are associated with perilipin proteins, such as Perilipin2 (Plin2). It is not known whether Plin2 expression changes with age and if this has consequences on muscle mass and strength. We studied the expression of Plin2 in the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle of both healthy subjects and patients affected by lower limb mobility limitation of different age. We found that Plin2 expression increases with age, this phenomenon being particularly evident in patients. Moreover, Plin2 expression is inversely correlated with quadriceps strength and VL thickness. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underpinning this phenomenon, we focused on IGF-1/p53 network/signalling pathway, involved in muscle physiology. We found that Plin2 expression strongly correlates with increased p53 activation and reduced IGF-1 expression. To confirm these observations made on humans, we studied mice overexpressing muscle-specific IGF-1, which are protected from sarcopenia. These mice resulted almost negative for the expression of Plin2 and p53 at two years of age. We conclude that fat deposition within skeletal muscle in form of Plin2-coated lipid droplets increases with age and is associated with decreased muscle strength and thickness, likely through an IGF-1- and p53-dependent mechanism. The data also suggest that excessive intramuscular fat accumulation could be the initial trigger for p53 activation and consequent loss of muscle mass and strength.

Characterization of actions of octanoate on porcine preadipocytes and adipocytes differentiated in vitro

Octanoate is used to induce adipogenic differentiation and/or lipid accumulation in preadipocytes of domestic animals. However, information on detailed actions of octanoate and the characteristics of octanoate-induced adipocytes is limited. The aim of this study was to examine these issues by comparing the outcomes of the effects of octanoate with those of rosiglitazone, which is a well-defined activator of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ. The adipocytes that were differentiated with 5mM of octanoate had dispersed and diversely sized lipid droplets compared to those that were differentiated with 1 μM of rosiglitazone. The gene expression levels of adiponectin, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, perilipin 1, and perilipin 4 were much higher in the adipocytes that were differentiated with rosiglitazone than in those differentiated with octanoate, while the gene expression levels of lipoprotein lipase and perilipin 2 were decreased in rosiglitazone-differentiated adipocytes compared to octanoate-differentiated adipocytes. However, the expressions of aP2 and CD36 genes were comparably induced. Luciferase reporter assays revealed that PPAR and liver-X-receptor activities were upregulated by octanoate more effectively than by rosiglitazone. Overall, these results suggested that the action of octanoate was complicated and may be dependent on the targeted genes and cellular status.

Telomere length and long-term endurance exercise: does exercise training affect biological age? A pilot study

Background

Telomeres are potential markers of mitotic cellular age and are associated with physical ageing process. Long-term endurance training and higher aerobic exercise capacity (VO_2max) are associated with improved survival, and dynamic effects of exercise are evident with ageing. However, the association of telomere length with exercise training and VO_2max has so far been inconsistent. Our aim was to assess whether muscle telomere length is associated with endurance exercise training and VO_2max in younger and older people.

Methods

Twenty men; 10 young (22–27 years) and 10 old (66–77 years), were studied in this cross-sectional study. Five out of 10 young adults and 5 out of 10 older were endurance athletes, while other halves were exercising at a medium level of activity. Mean telomere length was measured as telomere/single copy gene-ratio (T/S-ratio) using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. VO_2max was measured directly running on a treadmill.

Results

Older endurance trained athletes had longer telomere length compared with older people with medium activity levels (T/S ratio 1.12±0.1 vs. 0.92±0.2, p = 0.04). Telomere length of young endurance trained athletes was not different than young non-athletes (1.47±0.2 vs. 1.33±0.1, p = 0.12). Overall, there was a positive association between T/S ratio and VO_2max (r = 0.70, p = 0.001). Among endurance trained athletes, we found a strong correlation between VO_2max and T/S ratio (r = 0.78, p = 0.02). However, corresponding association among non-athlete participants was relatively weak (r = 0.58, p = 0.09).

Conclusion

Our data suggest that VO_2max is positively associated with telomere length, and we found that long-term endurance exercise training may provide a protective effect on muscle telomere length in older people.