Cited by 156Muscle Physiology and DisordersNutrition and Health in AgingMuscle metabolism and nutrition

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 75 of the 76 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The impact of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on skeletal muscle phenotype, mitochondrial content, and intramyocellular lipids in men

Open access

Abstract

Background: The exact impact of ageing on skeletal muscle phenotype and mitochondrial and lipid content remains controversial, probably because physical activity, which greatly influences muscle physiology, is rarely accounted for. The present study was therefore designed to investigate the effects of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on skeletal muscle phenotype, and mitochondrial and intramyocellular lipid content in men. Methods: Recreationally active young adult (20–30 yo; YA); active (ACT) and sedentary (SED) middle‐age (50–65 yo; MA‐ACT and MA‐SED); and older (65 + yo; 65 + ACT and 65 + SED) and pre‐frail older (65 + PF) men were recruited. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis were collected to assess, on muscle cross sections, muscle phenotype (using myosin heavy chain isoforms immunolabelling), the fibre type‐specific content of mitochondria (by quantifying the succinate dehydrogenase stain intensity), and the fibre type‐specific lipid content (by quantifying the Oil Red O stain intensity). Results: Only 65 + SED and 65 + PF displayed significantly lower overall and type IIa fibre sizes vs. YA. 65 + SED displayed a lower type IIa fibre proportion vs. YA. MA‐SED and 65 + SED displayed a higher hybrid type IIa/IIx fibre proportion vs. YA. Sedentary and pre‐frail, but not active, men displayed lower mitochondrial content irrespective of fibre type vs. YA. 65 + SED, but not 65 + ACT, displayed a higher lipid content in type I fibres vs. YA. Finally, mitochondrial content, but not lipid content, was positively correlated with indices of muscle function, functional capacity, and insulin sensitivity across all subjects. Conclusions: Taken altogether, our results indicate that ageing in sedentary men is associated with (i) complex changes in muscle phenotype preferentially affecting type IIa fibres; (ii) a decline in mitochondrial content affecting all fibre types; and (iii) an increase in lipid content in type I fibres. They also indicate that physical activity partially protects from the effects of ageing on muscle phenotype, mitochondrial content, and lipid accumulation. No skeletal specific muscle phenotype of pre‐frailty was observed.

Overview

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1002/jcsm.12139

Cites

75 of 75 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Figures

Figure 1 Effects of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on skeletal muscle fibre size. (A to F) Quantifications of the overall (A), type I (B), IIa (C), IIx (D), I/IIa (E), and IIa/IIx (F) fibre cross‐sectional area (CSA) of the vastus lateralis muscle of young adult (YA), active (Act), and sedentary (SED) middle‐aged (MA‐ACT and MA‐SED) and old (65 + yo; 65 + ACT and 65 + SED) and pre‐frail old (65 + PF) men. (G) Relationship between type I, IIa, and IIx fibre size area and the age of all of the participants. (A to F) present individual data as well as box and whisker plots. *p < 0.05 and q < 0.20.
Figure 1 Effects of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on skeletal muscle fibre size. (A to F) Quantifications of the overall (A), type I (B), IIa (C), IIx (D), I/IIa (E), and IIa/IIx (F) fibre cross‐sectional area (CSA) of the vastus lateralis muscle of young adult (YA), active (Act), and sedentary (SED) middle‐aged (MA‐ACT and MA‐SED) and old (65 + yo; 65 + ACT and 65 + SED) and pre‐frail old (65 + PF) men. (G) Relationship between type I, IIa, and IIx fibre size area and the age of all of the participants. (A to F) present individual data as well as box and whisker plots. *p < 0.05 and q < 0.20.CC BY-NC · PubMed Central
Figure 2 Effects of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on skeletal muscle fibre type proportion. (A to F) Quantifications of the proportion of type I (A), IIa (B), IIx (C), I/IIa (D), IIa/IIx (E), and I/IIa + IIa/IIx (all hybrid fibre types) fibre of the vastus lateralis muscle of young adult (YA), active (ACT), and sedentary (SED) middle‐aged (MA‐ACT and MA‐SED) and old (65 + yo; 65 + Act and 65 + SED) and pre‐frail old (65 + PF) men. (A to F) present individual data as well as box and whisker plots. *p < 0.05 and q < 0.20.
Figure 2 Effects of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on skeletal muscle fibre type proportion. (A to F) Quantifications of the proportion of type I (A), IIa (B), IIx (C), I/IIa (D), IIa/IIx (E), and I/IIa + IIa/IIx (all hybrid fibre types) fibre of the vastus lateralis muscle of young adult (YA), active (ACT), and sedentary (SED) middle‐aged (MA‐ACT and MA‐SED) and old (65 + yo; 65 + Act and 65 + SED) and pre‐frail old (65 + PF) men. (A to F) present individual data as well as box and whisker plots. *p < 0.05 and q < 0.20.CC BY-NC · PubMed Central
Figure 3 Effects of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on the overall and fibre type specific mitochondrial content. (A to E) Quantifications of the overall (A), type I (B), IIa (C), IIx (D), IIa/IIx (E), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) stain intensity of the vastus lateralis muscle of young adult (YA), active (ACT), and sedentary (SED) middle‐aged (MA‐Act and MA‐SED) and old (65 + yo; 65 + ACT and 65 + SED) and pre‐frail old (65 + PF) men. (F) Relationship between the mitochondrial content of type I, IIa, and IIx fibres and the age of all of our participants. (A to D) present individual data as well as box and whisker plots. *p < 0.05 and q < 0.20.
Figure 3 Effects of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on the overall and fibre type specific mitochondrial content. (A to E) Quantifications of the overall (A), type I (B), IIa (C), IIx (D), IIa/IIx (E), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) stain intensity of the vastus lateralis muscle of young adult (YA), active (ACT), and sedentary (SED) middle‐aged (MA‐Act and MA‐SED) and old (65 + yo; 65 + ACT and 65 + SED) and pre‐frail old (65 + PF) men. (F) Relationship between the mitochondrial content of type I, IIa, and IIx fibres and the age of all of our participants. (A to D) present individual data as well as box and whisker plots. *p < 0.05 and q < 0.20.CC BY-NC · PubMed Central
Figure 4 Effects of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on the overall and fibre type specific lipid content. (A to E) Quantifications of the overall (A), type I (B), IIa (C), IIx (D), IIa/IIx (E), Oil Red O stain intensity of the vastus lateralis muscle of young adult (YA), active (ACT), and sedentary (SED) middle‐aged (MA‐ACT and MA‐SED) and old (65 + yo; 65 + ACT and 65 + SED) and pre‐frail old (65 + PF) men. (F) Relationship between the lipid content of type I, IIa, and IIx fibres and the age of all of our participants. (A to D) present individual data as well as box and whisker plots. *p < 0.05 and q < 0.20.
Figure 4 Effects of ageing, physical activity, and pre‐frailty on the overall and fibre type specific lipid content. (A to E) Quantifications of the overall (A), type I (B), IIa (C), IIx (D), IIa/IIx (E), Oil Red O stain intensity of the vastus lateralis muscle of young adult (YA), active (ACT), and sedentary (SED) middle‐aged (MA‐ACT and MA‐SED) and old (65 + yo; 65 + ACT and 65 + SED) and pre‐frail old (65 + PF) men. (F) Relationship between the lipid content of type I, IIa, and IIx fibres and the age of all of our participants. (A to D) present individual data as well as box and whisker plots. *p < 0.05 and q < 0.20.CC BY-NC · PubMed Central
Figure 5 Relationships between the overall mitochondrial content (SDH stain intensity) and indices of muscle function, functional capacities, and insulin sensitivity.
Figure 5 Relationships between the overall mitochondrial content (SDH stain intensity) and indices of muscle function, functional capacities, and insulin sensitivity.CC BY-NC · PubMed Central

Verification

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Citations

Cites

Show all 76 references

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. 10.1111/j.1469-7793.2003.00499.x · DOI
  2. 10.1210/jcem.86.12.8075 · DOI · Paper page

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Metadata

Authors
St‐Jean‐Pelletier, F., Pion, C. H., Leduc‐Gaudet, J., Sgarioto, N., Zovilé, I., Barbat‐Artigas, S., Reynaud, O., Alkaterji, F., Lemieux, F. C., Grenon, A., Gaudreau, P., Hepple, R. T., Chevalier, S., Belanger, M., Morais, J. A., Aubertin‐Leheudre, M., & Gouspillou, G.
Affiliations
  • Département de Sciences de l'activité Physique, Faculté des Sciences UQAM Quebec Canada
  • Université du Québec à Montréal (CA)
  • Université de Montréal (CA)
  • McGill University Health Centre (CA)
Corresponding author
Gouspillou, Gilles
Venue
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2016-09-02
Volume
8
Issue
2
Pages
213-228
ISSN
  • 2190-5991 (ISSN-L)
  • 2190-6009
OpenAlex
W2511955506
Cited by
156
References
76
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 1
FWCI
7.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Le dépôt institutionnel (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP125986 and MOP119583)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN2014‐04668 to GG)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Nutrition and Health in Aging
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
Keywords
aging, physical activity, pre-frailty, skeletal muscle phenotype, mitochondrial content, intramyocellular lipid, myosin heavy chain isoforms, muscle fiber composition, type IIA fibers, type I muscle fibers, sedentary behavior, muscle function, insulin sensitivity, men
MeSH terms
Frailty, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Blood Glucose, Body Composition, Humans, Insulin, Lipids, Male, Middle Aged, Mitochondria, Muscle, Phenotype, Exercise, Muscle, Skeletal, Hand Strength, Lipid Metabolism, Young Adult

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review