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de Jong JCBC, Attema BJ, van der Hoek MD, Verschuren L, Caspers MPM, Kleemann R, van der Leij FR, van den Hoek AM, Nieuwenhuizen AG, Keijer J. Sex differences in skeletal muscle-aging trajectory: same processes, but with a different ranking. GeroScience 2023; 45:2367-2386. [PMID: 36820956 PMCID: PMC10651666 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00750-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in muscle aging are poorly understood, but could be crucial for the optimization of sarcopenia-related interventions. To gain insight into potential sex differences in muscle aging, we recruited young (23 ± 2 years, 13 males and 13 females) and old (80 ± 3.5 years, 28 males and 26 females) participants. Males and females in both groups were highly matched, and vastus lateralis muscle parameters of old versus young participants were compared for each sex separately, focusing on gene expression. The overall gene expression profiles separated the sexes, but similar gene expression patterns separated old from young participants in males and females. Genes were indeed regulated in the same direction in both sexes during aging; however, the magnitude of differential expression was sex specific. In males, oxidative phosphorylation was the top-ranked differentially expressed process, and in females, this was cell growth mediated by AKT signaling. Findings from RNA-seq data were studied in greater detail using alternative approaches. In addition, we confirmed our data using publicly available data from three independent human studies. In conclusion, top-ranked pathways differ between males and females, but were present and altered in the same direction in both sexes. We conclude that the same processes are associated with skeletal muscle aging in males and females, but the differential expression of those processes in old vs. young participants is sex specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelle C B C de Jong
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, 6700AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Metabolic Health Research, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Brecht J Attema
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, 6700AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marjanne D van der Hoek
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, 6700AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Applied Research Centre Food and Dairy, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
- MCL Academy, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Lars Verschuren
- Department of Microbiology and Systems Biology, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Zeist, The Netherlands
| | - Martien P M Caspers
- Department of Microbiology and Systems Biology, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Zeist, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Kleemann
- Department of Metabolic Health Research, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Feike R van der Leij
- Applied Research Centre Food and Dairy, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
- Research and Innovation Centre Agri, Food & Life Sciences, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Delft and Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anita M van den Hoek
- Department of Metabolic Health Research, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Arie G Nieuwenhuizen
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, 6700AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Keijer
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, 6700AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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de Jong JCBC, Verschuren L, Caspers MPM, van der Hoek MD, van der Leij FR, Kleemann R, van den Hoek AM, Nieuwenhuizen AG, Keijer J. Evidence for sex-specific intramuscular changes associated to physical weakness in adults older than 75 years. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:45. [PMID: 37430322 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00531-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physical weakness is a key component of frailty, and is highly prevalent in older adults. While females have a higher prevalence and earlier onset, sex differences in the development of frailty-related physical weakness are hardly studied. Therefore, we investigated the intramuscular changes that differentiate between fit and weak older adults for each sex separately. METHODS Male (n = 28) and female (n = 26) older adults (75 + years) were grouped on the basis of their ranks according to three frailty-related physical performance criteria. Muscle biopsies taken from vastus lateralis muscle were used for transcriptome and histological examination. Pairwise comparisons were made between the fittest and weakest groups for each sex separately, and potential sex-specific effects were assessed. RESULTS Weak females were characterized by a higher expression of inflammatory pathways and infiltration of NOX2-expressing immune cells, concomitant with a higher VCAM1 expression. Weak males were characterized by a smaller diameter of type 2 (fast) myofibers and lower expression of PRKN. In addition, weakness-associated transcriptome changes in the muscle were distinct from aging, suggesting that the pathophysiology of frailty-associated physical weakness does not necessarily depend on aging. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that physical weakness-associated changes in muscle are sex-specific and recommend that sex differences are taken into account in research on frailty, as these differences may have a large impact on the development of (pharmaceutical) interventions against frailty. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER The FITAAL study was registered in the Dutch Trial Register, with registration code NTR6124 on 14-11-2016 ( https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NTR6124 ). HIGHLIGHTS • In female, but not male older adults, physical weakness was associated with a higher expression of intramuscular markers for inflammation. • In male, but not female older adults, physical weakness was associated with a smaller diameter of type 2 (fast) myofibers and lower PRKN expression. • Fit older adults (of both sexes) maintained expression levels comparable to young participants of weakness related genes, differing from frail participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelle C B C de Jong
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Metabolic Health Research, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lars Verschuren
- Department of Microbiology and Systems Biology, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Zeist, The Netherlands
| | - Martien P M Caspers
- Department of Microbiology and Systems Biology, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Zeist, The Netherlands
| | - Marjanne D van der Hoek
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Applied Research Centre Food and Dairy, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
- MCL Academy, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Feike R van der Leij
- Applied Research Centre Food and Dairy, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
- Research and Innovation Centre Agri, Food and Life Sciences, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Delft and Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Kleemann
- Department of Metabolic Health Research, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anita M van den Hoek
- Department of Metabolic Health Research, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Arie G Nieuwenhuizen
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Keijer
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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Lagerwaard B, van der Hoek MD, Hoeks J, Grevendonk L, Nieuwenhuizen AG, Keijer J, de Boer VCJ. Propionate hampers differentiation and modifies histone propionylation and acetylation in skeletal muscle cells. Mech Ageing Dev 2021; 196:111495. [PMID: 33932454 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Protein acylation via metabolic acyl-CoA intermediates provides a link between cellular metabolism and protein functionality. A process in which acetyl-CoA and acetylation are fine-tuned is during myogenic differentiation. However, the roles of other protein acylations remain unknown. Protein propionylation could be functionally relevant because propionyl-CoA can be derived from the catabolism of amino acids and fatty acids and was shown to decrease during muscle differentiation. We aimed to explore the potential role of protein propionylation in muscle differentiation, by mimicking a pathophysiological situation with high extracellular propionate which increases propionyl-CoA and protein propionylation, rendering it a model to study increased protein propionylation. Exposure to extracellular propionate, but not acetate, impaired myogenic differentiation in C2C12 cells and propionate exposure impaired myogenic differentiation in primary human muscle cells. Impaired differentiation was accompanied by an increase in histone propionylation as well as histone acetylation. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation showed increased histone propionylation at specific regulatory myogenic differentiation sites of the Myod gene. Intramuscular propionylcarnitine levels are higher in old compared to young males and females, possibly indicating increased propionyl-CoA levels with age. The findings suggest a role for propionylation and propionyl-CoA in regulation of muscle cell differentiation and ageing, possibly via alterations in histone acylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Lagerwaard
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands; TI Food and Nutrition, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AN, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marjanne D van der Hoek
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Applied Research Centre Food and Dairy, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands; MCL Academy, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
| | - Joris Hoeks
- Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, NUTRIM School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Lotte Grevendonk
- TI Food and Nutrition, P.O. Box 557, 6700 AN, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, NUTRIM School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Arie G Nieuwenhuizen
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jaap Keijer
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Vincent C J de Boer
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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van der Hoek MD, Nieuwenhuizen A, Keijer J, Ashford JW. The MemTrax Test Compared to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Estimation of Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 67:1045-1054. [PMID: 30776011 PMCID: PMC6398548 DOI: 10.3233/jad-181003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a leading cause of dysfunction in the elderly. When mild cognitive impairment (MCI) occurs in elderly, it is frequently a prodromal condition to dementia. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a commonly used tool to screen for MCI. However, this test requires a face-to-face administration and is composed of an assortment of questions whose responses are added together by the rater to provide a score whose precise meaning has been controversial. This study was designed to evaluate the performance of a computerized memory test (MemTrax), which is an adaptation of a continuous recognition task, with respect to the MoCA. Two outcome measures are generated from the MemTrax test: MemTraxspeed and MemTraxcorrect. Subjects were administered the MoCA and the MemTrax test. Based on the results of the MoCA, subjects were divided in two groups of cognitive status: normal cognition (n = 45) and MCI (n = 37). Mean MemTrax scores were significantly lower in the MCI than in the normal cognition group. All MemTrax outcome variables were positively associated with the MoCA. Two methods, computing the average MTX score and linear regression were used to estimate the cutoff values of the MemTrax test to detect MCI. These methods showed that for the outcome MemTraxspeed a score below the range of 0.87 – 91 s-1 is an indication of MCI, and for the outcome MemTraxcorrect a score below the range of 85 – 90% is an indication for MCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjanne D van der Hoek
- Applied Research Centre Food and Dairy, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands.,Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Arie Nieuwenhuizen
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jaap Keijer
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - J Wesson Ashford
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto HCS, Palo Alto, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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van der Hoek MD, Madsen O, Keijer J, van der Leij FR. Evolutionary analysis of the carnitine- and choline acyltransferases suggests distinct evolution of CPT2 versus CPT1 and related variants. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2018; 1863:909-918. [PMID: 29730527 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Carnitine/choline acyltransferases play diverse roles in energy metabolism and neuronal signalling. Our knowledge of their evolutionary relationships, important for functional understanding, is incomplete. Therefore, we aimed to determine the evolutionary relationships of these eukaryotic transferases. We performed extensive phylogenetic and intron position analyses. We found that mammalian intramitochondrial CPT2 is most closely related to cytosolic yeast carnitine transferases (Sc-YAT1 and 2), whereas the other members of the family are related to intraorganellar yeast Sc-CAT2. Therefore, the cytosolically active CPT1 more closely resembles intramitochondrial ancestors than CPT2. The choline acetyltransferase is closely related to carnitine acetyltransferase and shows lower evolutionary rates than long chain acyltransferases. In the CPT1 family several duplications occurred during animal radiation, leading to the isoforms CPT1A, CPT1B and CPT1C. In addition, we found five CPT1-like genes in Caenorhabditis elegans that strongly group to the CPT1 family. The long branch leading to mammalian brain isoform CPT1C suggests that either strong positive or relaxed evolution has taken place on this node. The presented evolutionary delineation of carnitine/choline acyltransferases adds to current knowledge on their functions and provides tangible leads for further experimental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjanne D van der Hoek
- Applied Research Centre Food and Dairy, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, P.O. box 1528, 8901BV Leeuwarden, The Netherlands; Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. box 338, 6700AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ole Madsen
- Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, P.O. box 338, 6700AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Keijer
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University, P.O. box 338, 6700AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Feike R van der Leij
- Applied Research Centre Food and Dairy, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, P.O. box 1528, 8901BV Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
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