Brook, Matthew S, Wilkinson, Daniel J, Tarum, Janelle, Mitchell, Kyle W, Lund, Jonathan L, Phillips, Bethan E, Szewczyk, Nathaniel J, Kadi, Fawzi, Greenhaff, Paul L, Smith, Ken, Atherton, Philip J, Brook, Matthew S, Wilkinson, Daniel J, Tarum, Janelle, Mitchell, Kyle W, Lund, Jonathan L, Phillips, Bethan E, Szewczyk, Nathaniel J, Kadi, Fawzi, Greenhaff, Paul L, Smith, Ken, and Atherton, Philip J
Ageing limits growth capacity of skeletal muscle (e.g. in response to resistance exercise), but the role of satellite cell (SC) function in driving this phenomenon is poorly defined. Younger (Y) (~ 23 years) and older (O) men (~ 69 years) (normal-weight BMI) underwent 6 weeks of unilateral resistance exercise training (RET). Muscle biopsies were taken at baseline and after 3-/6-week training. We determined muscle size by fibre CSA (and type), SC number, myonuclei counts and DNA synthesis (via D2O ingestion). At baseline, there were no significant differences in fibre areas between Y and O. RET increased type I fibre area in Y from baseline at both 3 weeks and 6 weeks (baseline: 4509 ± 534 µm2, 3 weeks; 5497 ± 510 µm2 P < 0.05, 6 weeks; 5402 ± 352 µm2 P < 0.05), whilst O increased from baseline at 6 weeks only (baseline 5120 ± 403 µm2, 3 weeks; 5606 ± 620 µm2, 6 weeks; 6017 ± 482 µm2 P < 0.05). However, type II fibre area increased from baseline in Y at both 3 weeks and 6 weeks (baseline: 4949 ± 459 µm2, 3 weeks; 6145 ± 484 µm2 (P < 0.01), 6 weeks; 5992 ± 491 µm2 (P < 0.01), whilst O showed no change (baseline 5210 ± 410 µm2, 3 weeks; 5356 ± 535 µm2 (P = 0.9), 6 weeks; 5857 ± 478 µm2 (P = 0.1). At baseline, there were no differences in fibre myonuclei number between Y and O. RET increased type I fibre myonuclei number from baseline in both Y and O at 3 weeks and 6 weeks with RET (younger: baseline 2.47 ± 0.16, 3 weeks; 3.19 ± 0.16 (P < 0.001), 6 weeks; 3.70 ± 0.29 (P < 0.0001); older: baseline 2.29 ± 0.09, 3 weeks; 3.01 ± 0.09 (P < 0.001), 6 weeks; 3.65 ± 0.18 (P < 0.0001)). Similarly, type II fibre myonuclei number increased from baseline in both Y and O at 3 weeks and 6 weeks (younger: baseline 2.49 ± 0.14, 3 weeks; 3.31 ± 0.21 (P < 0.001), 6 weeks; 3.86 ± 0.29 (P < 0.0001); older: baseline 2.43 ± 0.12, 3 weeks; 3.37 ± 0.12 (P < 0.001), 6 weeks; 3.81 ± 0.15 (P < 0.0001)). DNA synthesis rates %.d-1 exhibited a main effect of tr, Funding agencies:The Physiological SocietyDunhill Medical Trust R264/1112UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) Medical Research Council UK (MRC) European Commission CIC12019 Medical Research Council as part of the MRC-ARUK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research MR/R502364/1 MR/P021220/1