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Cited by 343Muscle Physiology and DisordersChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ResearchNutrition and Health in Aging

Skeletal Muscle Apoptosis and Weight Loss in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Agustí, Alvar G. N., Sauleda, Jaume, Miralles, Cristina, Gomez, Cristina, Togores, Bernat, Sala, Ernest, Batle, Santiago, Busquets, Xavier·2002·American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
DOI 10.1164/rccm.2108013
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Abstract

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often lose weight during the course of their disease. We hypothesized that this may be due to skeletal muscle apoptosis. To investigate this possibility, we obtained quadriceps femoris biopsies in 15 patients with COPD (8 with normal body mass index [BMI] and 7 with low [< 20 kg/m(2)] BMI), 8 healthy volunteers, and 6 sedentary subjects undergoing orthopedic surgery (both groups with normal BMI). Skeletal muscle apoptosis was assessed by the transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique and the immunodetection of poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase proteolytic fragments. Exercise tolerance on a cycloergometer was also determined in patients with COPD. We found that skeletal muscle apoptosis (by both techniques) was increased in patients with COPD and low BMI as compared with the other three groups (p < 0.005). In patients with COPD, BMI was inversely related to skeletal muscle apoptosis (TUNEL, p = 0.009), and it was better correlated with exercise capacity (p = 0.006) than with the degree of airflow obstruction present (p = 0.02). Markers of skeletal muscle apoptosis were not related to any of the measured lung function variables. This study shows that skeletal muscle apoptosis (1) is increased in patients with COPD having low BMI; and (2) is associated with a lower exercise tolerance despite a similar degree of lung function impairment.

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  • Agusti and colleagues observed increased myonuclear fragmentation in muscle cells of COPD patients, whereas Gosker and colleagues observed unchanged myonuclear fragmentation.

    “Since the early reports of Agusti and colleagues and Gosker and colleagues, who observed, respectively, an increased and unchanged myonuclear fragmentation in muscle cells [111,112]”

    From Main Pathogenic Mechanisms and Recent Advances in COPD Peripheral Skeletal Muscle Wasting (2023) · cites this paper as [111]

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Authors
Agustí, A. G. N., Sauleda, J., Miralles, C., Gomez, C., Togores, B., Sala, E., Batle, S., & Busquets, X.
Affiliations
Hospital Universitario Son Dureta (ES)
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2002-08
Volume
166
Issue
4
Pages
485-489
ISSN
  • 1073-449X (ISSN-L)
  • 1535-4970
DOI
10.1164/rccm.2108013
OpenAlex
W2140886594
Cited by
343
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 21
FWCI
6.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights (vor)
Locations
  • American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
Keywords
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, skeletal muscle apoptosis, weight loss, body mass index, quadriceps, exercise tolerance, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, TUNEL, muscle atrophy, lung function
MeSH terms
Aged, Biopsy, Blood Gas Analysis, Forced Expiratory Volume, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Middle Aged, Muscular Atrophy, Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases, Severity of Illness Index, Blotting, Western, Weight Loss, Exercise, Body Mass Index, Case-Control Studies, Exercise Tolerance, Apoptosis, Muscle, Skeletal, In Situ Nick-End Labeling, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

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