RESUMEN
Musculoskeletal research should synergistically investigate bone and muscle to inform approaches for maintaining mobility and to avoid bone fractures. The relationship between sarcopenia and osteoporosis, integrated in the term 'osteosarcopenia', is underscored by the close association shown between these two conditions in many studies, whereby one entity emerges as a predictor of the other. In a recent workshop of Working Group (WG) 2 of the EU Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action 'Genomics of MusculoSkeletal traits Translational Network' (GEMSTONE) consortium (CA18139), muscle characterization was highlighted as being important, but currently under-recognized in the musculoskeletal field. Here, we summarize the opinions of the Consortium and research questions around translational and clinical musculoskeletal research, discussing muscle phenotyping in human experimental research and in two animal models: zebrafish and mouse.
Asunto(s)
Fenotipo , Animales , Humanos , Músculo Esquelético/metabolismo , Pez Cebra , Ratones , Sarcopenia/metabolismo , Sarcopenia/fisiopatología , Enfermedades Musculoesqueléticas/fisiopatología , Enfermedades Musculoesqueléticas/genética , Osteoporosis/metabolismo , Osteoporosis/patologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Telomeres are DNA-protein complexes at the ends of linear chromosomes that protect against DNA degradation. Telomeres shorten during normal cell divisions and therefore, telomere length is an indicator of mitotic-cell age. In humans, telomere shortening is a potential biomarker for disease risk, progression and premature death. Physical activity has been associated with longer leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in some studies. In the current study the relationship between LTL, thigh muscle mass and adipose tissue distribution was explored. METHODS: We performed anthropometric measurements and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of the thigh in 149 healthy subjects (77 male, 72 female). LTL was measured using qPCR. Additionally, the subjects answered a questionnaire concerning their training behaviour. RESULTS: In male subjects, LTL was significantly associated with thigh muscle mass, independent of age and body mass index (p=0.006). In addition, a slight association of LTL with weekly endurance units in the male group was found. These relations could not be observed in females. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we observed a sex-specific association of LTL and thigh muscle mass in healthy males. The reason of this sex-specific association is currently unclear, but could be related to different training effects and/or hormonal pathways in men and women.