Dairy Protein Supplementation Modulates the Human Skeletal Muscle microRNA Response to Lower Limb Immobilization.

Limb immobilization results in a rapid loss of muscle size and strength. The resultant alterations in signaling pathways governing myogenesis, catabolism, and mitochondrial biogenesis are likely to include posttranscriptional regulation mediated by altered microRNAs (miRNAs). Given that protein ingestion exerts an anabolic action and may act as a countermeasure to mitigate muscle loss with immobilization, it is important to examine miRNA in this context. The objective of the study is therefore to characterize the vastus lateralis miRNA response to 14 days of disuse in males (45-60 years) randomized to receive supplementation with 20 g d-1 of dairy protein (n = 12) or isocaloric carbohydrate placebo (n = 13). Biopsies are collected before and after a 2-week immobilization period. Of the 24 miRNAs previously identified in myogenic regulation, seven (miR-133a, -206, -15a, -451a, -126, -208b, and let-7e) are increased with immobilization irrespective of group; five (miR-16, -494, let-7a, -7c, and 7d) increased only in the carbohydrate group; and eight (miR-1, -486, -23a, -23b, -26a, -148b, let-7b, and -7g) are divergently expressed between groups (suppressed with protein). The ability of protein supplementation to differentially regulate miRNAs involved in key muscle regulatory pathways following short-term limb immobilization reflects potential protective function in mitigating muscle loss during limb immobilization.

Impact of dairy protein during limb immobilization and recovery on muscle size and protein synthesis; a randomized controlled trial.

Muscle disuse results in the loss of muscular strength and size, due to an imbalance between protein synthesis (MPS) and breakdown (MPB). Protein ingestion stimulates MPS, although it is not established if protein is able to attenuate muscle loss with immobilization (IM) or influence the recovery consisting of ambulatory movement followed by resistance training (RT). Thirty men (49.9 ± 0.6 yr) underwent 14 days of unilateral leg IM, 14 days of ambulatory recovery (AR), and a further six RT sessions over 14 days. Participants were randomized to consume an additional 20 g of dairy protein or placebo with a meal during the intervention. Isometric knee extension strength was reduced following IM (-24.7 ± 2.7%), partially recovered with AR (-8.6 ± 2.6%), and fully recovered after RT (-0.6 ± 3.4%), with no effect of supplementation. Thigh muscle cross-sectional area decreased with IM (-4.1 ± 0.5%), partially recovered with AR (-2.1 ± 0.5%), and increased above baseline with RT (+2.2 ± 0.5%), with no treatment effect. Myofibrillar MPS, measured using deuterated water, was unaltered by IM, with no effect of protein. During AR, MPS was increased only with protein supplementation. Protein supplementation did not attenuate the loss of muscle size and function with disuse or potentiate recovery but enhanced myofibrillar MPS during AR. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Twenty grams of daily protein supplementation does not attenuate the loss of muscle size and function induced by 2 wk of muscle disuse or potentiate recovery in middle-age men. Average mitochondrial but not myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis was attenuated during immobilization with no effect of supplementation. Protein supplementation increased myofibrillar protein synthesis during a 2-wk period of ambulatory recovery following disuse but without group differences in phenotype recovery.