Biochemical and immunocytochemical analysis in chronic proximal spinal muscular atrophy

Functional impact of sarcopenia in respiratory muscles

The risk for respiratory complications and infections is substantially increased in old age, which may be due, in part, to sarcopenia (aging-related weakness and atrophy) of the diaphragm muscle (DIAm), reducing its force generating capacity and impairing the ability to perform expulsive non-ventilatory motor behaviors critical for airway clearance. The aging-related reduction in DIAm force generating capacity is due to selective atrophy of higher force generating type IIx and/or IIb muscle fibers, whereas lower force generating type I and IIa muscle fiber sizes are preserved. Fiber type specific DIAm atrophy is also seen following unilateral phrenic nerve denervation and in other neurodegenerative disorders. Accordingly, the effect of aging on DIAm function resembles that of neurodegeneration and suggests possible common mechanisms, such as the involvement of several neurotrophic factors in mediating DIAm sarcopenia. This review will focus on changes in two neurotrophic signaling pathways that represent potential mechanisms underlying the aging-related fiber type specific DIAm atrophy.

The ACTN3 R577X genotype is associated with muscle function in a Japanese population

Homozygosity for the common nonsense polymorphism R577X in the α-actinin-3 gene (ACTN3) causes complete α-actinin-3 deficiency in fast-twitch skeletal muscle fibers. This study investigated whether the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism affects fitness status using a battery of tests in a large Japanese cohort. In the present study, 1227 subjects (age: 25-85 years) were genotyped for the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism (rs1815739) using a TaqMan SNP genotyping assay (Applied Biosystems). All subjects were divided into 2 groups based on their age (<55 years and ≥55 years). All subjects completed a questionnaire about exercise habits and were subjected to a battery of tests to assess their fitness status (including grip strength test, chair stand test, and 8-foot walking test). A significant association between the ACTN3 R577X genotype and chair stand test performance was observed in the group of men ≥55 using ANCOVA adjusted for age and exercise habits (p = 0.036). The ACTN3 R577X genotype accounted for 2.5% of the variability in the results of the chair stand test among men in the ≥55 age group. Moreover, for the ≥55 age group, performance in the chair stand test was lower among those with the XX genotype than among those with the RR genotype (p = 0.024) or RX genotype (p = 0.005), unlike results for the <55 age group. No significant difference was noted for hand grip strength or 8-foot walking time. Thus, our results suggest that the ACTN3 R577X genotype is associated with lower-extremity muscle function in the Japanese population.

Systems biology of skeletal muscle: fiber type as an organizing principle

Skeletal muscle force generation and contraction are fundamental to countless aspects of human life. The complexity of skeletal muscle physiology is simplified by fiber type classification where differences are observed from neuromuscular transmission to release of intracellular Ca(2+) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the resulting recruitment and cycling of cross-bridges. This review uses fiber type classification as an organizing and simplifying principle to explore the complex interactions between the major proteins involved in muscle force generation and contraction.

Axonal regeneration and neuronal function are preserved in motor neurons lacking ß-actin in vivo

The proper localization of ß-actin mRNA and protein is essential for growth cone guidance and axon elongation in cultured neurons. In addition, decreased levels of ß-actin mRNA and protein have been identified in the growth cones of motor neurons cultured from a mouse model of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), suggesting that ß-actin loss-of-function at growth cones or pre-synaptic nerve terminals could contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease. However, the role of ß-actin in motor neurons in vivo and its potential relevance to disease has yet to be examined. We therefore generated motor neuron specific ß-actin knock-out mice (Actb-MNsKO) to investigate the function of ß-actin in motor neurons in vivo. Surprisingly, ß-actin was not required for motor neuron viability or neuromuscular junction maintenance. Skeletal muscle from Actb-MNsKO mice showed no histological indication of denervation and did not significantly differ from controls in several measurements of physiologic function. Finally, motor axon regeneration was unimpaired in Actb-MNsKO mice, suggesting that ß-actin is not required for motor neuron function or regeneration in vivo.