Recovery from 6-month spaceflight at the International Space Station: muscle-related stress into a proinflammatory setting.

The Sarcolab pilot study of 2 crewmembers, investigated before and after a 6-mo International Space Station mission, has demonstrated the substantial muscle wasting and weakness, along with disruption of muscle's oxidative metabolism. The present work aimed at evaluating the pro/anti-inflammatory status in the same 2 crewmembers (A, B). Blood circulating (c-)microRNAs (miRs), c-proteasome, c-mitochondrial DNA, and cytokines were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR or ELISA tests. Time series analysis was performed ( i.e., before flight and after landing) at 1 and 15 d of recovery (R+1 and R+15, respectively). C-biomarkers were compared with an age-matched control population and with 2-dimensional proteomic analysis of the 2 crewmembers' muscle biopsies. Striking differences were observed between the 2 crewmembers at R+1, in terms of inflamma-miRs (c-miRs-21-5p, -126-3p, and -146a-5p), muscle specific (myo)-miR-206, c-proteasome, and IL-6/leptin, thus making the 2 astronauts dissimilar to each other. Final recovery levels of c-proteasome, c-inflamma-miRs, and c-myo-miR-206 were not reverted to the baseline values in crewmember A. In both crewmembers, myo-miR-206 changed significantly after recovery. Muscle biopsy of astronaut A showed an impressive 80% increase of α-1-antitrypsin, a target of miR-126-3p. These results point to a strong stress response induced by spaceflight involving muscle tissue and the proinflammatory setting, where inflamma-miRs and myo-miR-206 mediate the systemic recovery phase after landing.-Capri, M., Morsiani, C., Santoro, A., Moriggi, M., Conte, M., Martucci, M., Bellavista, E., Fabbri, C., Giampieri, E., Albracht, K., Flück, M., Ruoss, S., Brocca, L., Canepari, M., Longa, E., Di Giulio, I., Bottinelli, R., Cerretelli, P., Salvioli, S., Gelfi, C., Franceschi, C., Narici, M., Rittweger, J. Recovery from 6-month spaceflight at the International Space Station: muscle-related stress into a proinflammatory setting.

Erratum: Author Correction: Sarcolab pilot study into skeletal muscle's adaptation to longterm spaceflight.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/s41526-018-0052-1.].

Sarcolab pilot study into skeletal muscle's adaptation to long-term spaceflight.

Spaceflight causes muscle wasting. The Sarcolab pilot study investigated two astronauts with regards to plantar flexor muscle size, architecture, and function, and to the underlying molecular adaptations in order to further the understanding of muscular responses to spaceflight and exercise countermeasures. Two crew members (A and B) spent 6 months in space. Crew member A trained less vigorously than B. Postflight, A showed substantial decrements in plantar flexor volume, muscle architecture, in strength and in fiber contractility, which was strongly mitigated in B. The difference between these crew members closely reflected FAK-Y397 abundance, a molecular marker of muscle's loading history. Moreover, crew member A showed downregulation of contractile proteins and enzymes of anaerobic metabolism, as well as of systemic markers of energy and protein metabolism. However, both crew members exhibited decrements in muscular aerobic metabolism and phosphate high energy transfer. We conclude that countermeasures can be effective, particularly when resistive forces are of sufficient magnitude. However, to fully prevent space-related muscular deterioration, intersubject variability must be understood, and intensive exercise countermeasures programs seem mandatory. Finally, proteomic and metabolomic analyses suggest that exercise benefits in space may go beyond mere maintenance of muscle mass, but rather extend to the level of organismic metabolism.

Structure and function of human muscle fibres and muscle proteome in physically active older men.

KEY POINTS: Loss of muscle mass and strength in the growing population of elderly people is a major health concern for modern societies. This condition, termed sarcopenia, is a major cause of falls and of the subsequent increase in morbidity and mortality. Despite numerous studies on the impact of ageing on individual muscle fibres, the contribution of single muscle fibre adaptations to ageing-induced atrophy and functional impairment is still unsettled. The level of physical function and disuse is often associated with ageing. We studied relatively healthy older adults in order to understand the effects of ageing per se without the confounding impact of impaired physical function. We found that in healthy ageing, structural and functional alterations of muscle fibres occur. Protein post-translational modifications, oxidation and phosphorylation contribute to such alterations more than loss of myosin and other muscle protein content. ABSTRACT: Contradictory results have been reported on the impact of ageing on structure and functions of skeletal muscle fibres, likely to be due to a complex interplay between ageing and other phenomena such as disuse and diseases. Here we recruited healthy, physically and socially active young (YO) and elderly (EL) men in order to study ageing per se without the confounding effects of impaired physical function. In vivo analyses of quadriceps and in vitro analyses of vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were performed. In EL subjects, our results show that (i) quadriceps volume, maximum voluntary contraction isometric torque and patellar tendon force were significantly lower; (ii) muscle fibres went through significant atrophy and impairment of specific force (isometric force/cross-sectional area) and unloaded shortening velocity; (iii) myosin/actin ratio and myosin content in individual muscle fibres were not altered; (iv) the muscle proteome went through quantitative adaptations, namely an up-regulation of the content of several groups of proteins among which were myofibrillar proteins and antioxidant defence systems; (v) the muscle proteome went through qualitative adaptations, namely phosphorylation of several proteins, including myosin light chain-2 slow and troponin T and carbonylation of myosin heavy chains. The present results indicate that impairment of individual muscle fibre structure and function is a major feature of ageing per se and that qualitative adaptations of muscle proteome are likely to be more involved than quantitative adaptations in determining such a phenomenon.

Actomyosin interaction at low ATP concentrations.

In vitro motility assay (IVMA) experiments were performed to analyze the movement of actin filaments sliding on a pavement of myosin molecules at different [ATP] and [ADP]. In standard experimental conditions at [ATP] = 2 mM, about 80% of the actin filaments move in unloaded conditions with a constant velocity. However, a fraction of at least 20% static actin filaments is always present. The accepted explanation is the occurrence of damaged "rigor"-like myosin heads that do not undergo the normal ATP-dependent cycling motion. However, in a series of IVMA experiments performed at different [ATP] we observed that the mobility of actin filaments increased with lowering [ATP]. We investigated the influence of [ATP] on the number of mobile actin filaments. IVMA experiments were performed at controlled nucleotide concentrations and the percentage of mobile filaments accurately determined by specific operator-guided software. The value of ΔG ATP involved was determined. Results showed that the number of mobile actin filaments sliding on type 2B heavy meromyosin isoform (2B HMM) increased at very low [ATP] accompanied by less negative ΔG ATP values. Similar results were obtained by increasing [ADP]. Performing experiments at the same [ATP] with different myosin types, we found a higher number of mobile actin filaments on slow type 1 HMM with respect to type 2B HMM while the highest number of mobile actin filaments was found on single-head myosin (S1 fraction). We also found that [ATP] did not influence the percentage of mobile actin filaments sliding on S1. Our results reveal novel aspects of actomyosin interaction.

Human skeletal muscle fibre contractile properties and proteomic profile: adaptations to 3 weeks of unilateral lower limb suspension and active recovery.

KEY POINTS: It is generally assumed that muscle fibres go through atrophy following disuse with a loss of specific force and an increase in unloaded shortening velocity. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be clarified. Most studies have focused on events taking place during the development of disuse, whereas the subsequent recovery phase, which is equally important, has received little attention. Our findings support the hypotheses that the specific force of muscle fibres decreased following unilateral lower limb suspension (ULLS) and returned to normal after 3 weeks of active recovery as a result of a loss and recovery of myosin and actin content. Furthermore, muscle fibres went through extensive qualitative changes in muscle protein pattern following ULLS, and these were reversed by active recovery. Resistance training was very effective in restoring both muscle mass and qualitative muscle changes, indicating that long-term ULLS did not prevent the positive effect of exercise on human muscle. ABSTRACT: Following disuse, muscle fibre function goes through adaptations such as a loss of specific force (PO /CSA) and an increase in unloaded shortening velocity, which could be a result of both quantitative changes (i.e. atrophy) and qualitative changes in protein pattern. The underlying mechanisms remain to be clarified. In addition, little is known about the recovery of muscle mass and strength following disuse. In the present study, we report an extensive dataset describing, in detail,the functional and protein content adaptations of skeletal muscle in response to both disuse and re-training. Eight young healthy subjects were subjected to 3 weeks of unilateral lower limb suspension (ULLS), a widely used human model of disuse skeletal muscle atrophy. Needle biopsies samples were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle Pre-ULLS, Post-ULLS and after 3 weeks of recovery during which heavy resistance training was performed. After disuse, cross-sectional area (CSA), PO /CSA and myosin concentration (MC) decreased in both type 1 and 2A skinned muscle fibres. After recovery, CSA and MC returned to levels comparable to those observed before disuse, whereas Po/CSA and unloaded shortening velocity reached a higher level. Myosin heavy chain isoform composition of muscle samples did not differ among the experimental groups. To study the mechanisms underlying such adaptations, a two-dimensional proteomic analysis was performed. ULLS induced a reduction of myofibrillar, metabolic (glycolytic and oxidative) and anti-oxidant defence system protein content. Resistance training was very effective in counteracting ULLS-induced alterations, indicating that long-term ULLS did not prevent the positive effect of exercise on human muscle.

In vivo generation of a mature and functional artificial skeletal muscle.

Extensive loss of skeletal muscle tissue results in mutilations and severe loss of function. In vitro-generated artificial muscles undergo necrosis when transplanted in vivo before host angiogenesis may provide oxygen for fibre survival. Here, we report a novel strategy based upon the use of mouse or human mesoangioblasts encapsulated inside PEG-fibrinogen hydrogel. Once engineered to express placental-derived growth factor, mesoangioblasts attract host vessels and nerves, contributing to in vivo survival and maturation of newly formed myofibres. When the graft was implanted underneath the skin on the surface of the tibialis anterior, mature and aligned myofibres formed within several weeks as a complete and functional extra muscle. Moreover, replacing the ablated tibialis anterior with PEG-fibrinogen-embedded mesoangioblasts also resulted in an artificial muscle very similar to a normal tibialis anterior. This strategy opens the possibility for patient-specific muscle creation for a large number of pathological conditions involving muscle tissue wasting.

Quantitative and qualitative adaptations of muscle fibers to glucocorticoids.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to understand the effects of short-term glucocorticoid administration in healthy subjects. METHODS: Five healthy men received dexamethasone (8 mg/day) for 7 days. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsy and knee extension torque measurement were performed before and after administration. A large number of individual muscle fibers were dissected from the biopsy samples (pre-administration: n = 165, post-administration: n = 177). RESULTS: Maximal knee extension torque increased after administration (∼ 13%), whereas both type 1 and type 2A fibers had decreased cross-sectional area (type 1: ∼ 11%, type 2A: ∼ 17%), myosin loss (type 1: ∼ 18%, type 2A: ∼ 32%), and loss of specific force (type 1: ∼ 24%, type 2A: ∼ 33%), which were preferential for fast fibers. CONCLUSION: Short-term dexamethasone administration in healthy subjects elicits quantitative and qualitative adaptations of muscle fibers that precede (and may predict) the clinical appearance of myopathy in glucocorticoid-treated subjects.

Autophagy impairment in muscle induces neuromuscular junction degeneration and precocious aging.

The cellular basis of age-related tissue deterioration remains largely obscure. The ability to activate compensatory mechanisms in response to environmental stress is an important factor for survival and maintenance of cellular functions. Autophagy is activated both under short and prolonged stress and is required to clear the cell of dysfunctional organelles and altered proteins. We report that specific autophagy inhibition in muscle has a major impact on neuromuscular synaptic function and, consequently, on muscle strength, ultimately affecting the lifespan of animals. Inhibition of autophagy also exacerbates aging phenotypes in muscle, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and profound weakness. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress directly affect acto-myosin interaction and force generation but show a limited effect on stability of neuromuscular synapses. These results demonstrate that age-related deterioration of synaptic structure and function is exacerbated by defective autophagy.

An integrated approach in a case of facioscapulohumeral dystrophy.

BACKGROUND: Muscle fatigue, weakness and atrophy are basilar clinical features that accompany facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) the third most common muscular dystrophy.No therapy is available for FSHD. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the effects of 6mo exercise therapy and nutritional supplementation in a 43-year-old woman severely affected by FSHD. CONCLUSION: A mixed exercise program combined with nutritional supplementation can be safely used with beneficial effects in selected patients with FSHD.

Transplantation of genetically corrected human iPSC-derived progenitors in mice with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy.

Mesoangioblasts are stem/progenitor cells derived from a subset of pericytes found in muscle that express alkaline phosphatase. They have been shown to ameliorate the disease phenotypes of different animal models of muscular dystrophy and are now undergoing clinical testing in children affected by Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. Here, we show that patients with a related disease, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2D (LGMD2D), which is caused by mutations in the gene encoding α-sarcoglycan, have reduced numbers of this pericyte subset and thus produce too few mesoangioblasts for use in autologous cell therapy. Hence, we reprogrammed fibroblasts and myoblasts from LGMD2D patients to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and developed a protocol for the derivation of mesoangioblast-like cells from these iPSCs. The iPSC-derived mesoangioblasts were expanded and genetically corrected in vitro with a lentiviral vector carrying the gene encoding human α-sarcoglycan and a promoter that would ensure expression only in striated muscle. When these genetically corrected human iPSC-derived mesoangioblasts were transplanted into α-sarcoglycan-null immunodeficient mice, they generated muscle fibers that expressed α-sarcoglycan. Finally, transplantation of mouse iPSC-derived mesoangioblasts into α-sarcoglycan-null immunodeficient mice resulted in functional amelioration of the dystrophic phenotype and restoration of the depleted progenitors. These findings suggest that transplantation of genetically corrected mesoangioblast-like cells generated from iPSCs from LGMD2D patients may be useful for treating this type of muscular dystrophy and perhaps other forms of muscular dystrophy as well.

Actomyosin kinetics of pure fast and slow rat myosin isoforms studied by in vitro motility assay approach.

An in vitro motility assay approach was used to investigate the mechanisms of the functional differences between myosin isoforms, by studying the effect of MgATP and MgADP on actin sliding velocity (V(f)) of pure slow and fast rat skeletal myosin at different temperatures. The value of V(f) depended on [MgATP] according to Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with an apparent constant (K(m)) of 54.2, 64.4 and 200 µm for the fast isoform and 18.6, 36.5 and 45.5 µM for the slow isoform at 20, 25 and 35°C, respectively. The presence of 2 mM MgADP decreased V(f) and yielded an inhibition constant (K(i)) of 377, 463 and 533 µM for the fast isoform at 20, 25 and 35°C, respectively, and 120 and 355 µM for the slow isoform at 25 and 35°C, respectively. The analysis of K(m) and K(i) suggested that slow and fast isoforms differ in the kinetics limiting V(f). Moreover, the higher sensitivity of the fast myosin isoform to a drop in [MgATP] is consistent with the higher fatigability of fast fibres than slow fibres. From the Michaelis-Menten relation in the absence of MgADP, we calculated the rate of actomyosin dissociation by MgATP (k(+ATP)) and the rate of MgADP release (k(-ADP)). We found values of k(+ATP) of 4.8 × 10(6), 6.5 × 10(6) and 6.6 × 10(6) M(-1) s(-1) for the fast isoform and 3.3 × 10(6), 2.9 × 10(6) and 6.7 × 10(6) M(-1) s(-1) for the slow isoform and values of k(-ADP) of 263, 420 and 1320 s(-1) for the fast isoform and 62, 107 and 306 s(-1) for the slow isoform at 20, 25 and 35°C, respectively. The results suggest that k(-ADP) could be the major determinant of functional differences between the fast and slow myosin isoforms at physiological temperatures.