High levels of physical activity in later life are associated with enhanced markers of mitochondrial metabolism

Sophie Joanisse; Stephen Ashcroft; Daniel J Wilkinson; Ross D Pollock; Katie A O'Brien; Bethan E Phillips; Ken Smith; Norman R Lazarus; Stephen Harridge; Philip J Atherton; Andrew Philp

doi:10.1093/gerona/glaa005

High levels of physical activity in later life are associated with enhanced markers of mitochondrial metabolism

Sophie Joanisse, Stephen Ashcroft, Daniel J Wilkinson, Ross D Pollock, Katie A O'Brien, Bethan E Phillips, Ken Smith, Norman R Lazarus, Stephen Harridge, Philip J Atherton, Andrew Philp

Centre for Human & Applied Physiological Sciences

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14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The age-associated reduction in muscle mass is well characterized; however, less is known regarding the mechanisms responsible for the decline in oxidative capacity also observed with advancing age. The purpose of the current study was therefore to compare mitochondrial gene expression and protein content between young and old recreationally active, and older highly active individuals. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis of young males (YG: 22 ± 3 years) and older (OG: 67 ± 2 years) males not previously engaged in formal exercise and older male master cyclists (OT: 65 ± 5 years) who had undertaken cycling exercise for 32 ± 17 years. Comparison of gene expression between YG, OG, and OT groups revealed greater expression of mitochondrial-related genes, namely, electron transport chain (ETC) complexes II, III, and IV (p < .05) in OT compared with YG and OG. Gene expression of mitofusion (MFN)-1/2, mitochondrial fusion genes, was greater in OT compared with OG (p < .05). Similarly, protein content of ETC complexes I, II, and IV was significantly greater in OT compared with both YG and OG (p < .001). Protein content of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 α (PGC-1α), was greater in OT compared with YG and OG (p < .001). Our results suggest that the aging process per se is not associated with a decline in gene expression and protein content of ETC complexes. Mitochondrial-related gene expression and protein content are substantially greater in OT, suggesting that exercise-mediated increases in mitochondrial content can be maintained into later life.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1481-1487
Number of pages	7
Journal	The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
Volume	75
Issue number	8
Early online date	14 Jan 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glaa005
Publication status	Published - 13 Jul 2020

Keywords

Athlete
Human
Mitochondria
Muscle

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10.1093/gerona/glaa005

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Joanisse, S., Ashcroft, S., Wilkinson, D. J., Pollock, R. D., O'Brien, K. A., Phillips, B. E., Smith, K., Lazarus, N. R., Harridge, S., Atherton, P. J., & Philp, A. (2020). High levels of physical activity in later life are associated with enhanced markers of mitochondrial metabolism. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 75(8), 1481-1487. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glaa005

@article{4055ac133a3642a2adf38895ea2959fe,

title = "High levels of physical activity in later life are associated with enhanced markers of mitochondrial metabolism",

abstract = "The age-associated reduction in muscle mass is well characterized; however, less is known regarding the mechanisms responsible for the decline in oxidative capacity also observed with advancing age. The purpose of the current study was therefore to compare mitochondrial gene expression and protein content between young and old recreationally active, and older highly active individuals. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis of young males (YG: 22 ± 3 years) and older (OG: 67 ± 2 years) males not previously engaged in formal exercise and older male master cyclists (OT: 65 ± 5 years) who had undertaken cycling exercise for 32 ± 17 years. Comparison of gene expression between YG, OG, and OT groups revealed greater expression of mitochondrial-related genes, namely, electron transport chain (ETC) complexes II, III, and IV (p < .05) in OT compared with YG and OG. Gene expression of mitofusion (MFN)-1/2, mitochondrial fusion genes, was greater in OT compared with OG (p < .05). Similarly, protein content of ETC complexes I, II, and IV was significantly greater in OT compared with both YG and OG (p < .001). Protein content of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 α (PGC-1α), was greater in OT compared with YG and OG (p < .001). Our results suggest that the aging process per se is not associated with a decline in gene expression and protein content of ETC complexes. Mitochondrial-related gene expression and protein content are substantially greater in OT, suggesting that exercise-mediated increases in mitochondrial content can be maintained into later life.",

keywords = "Athlete, Human, Mitochondria, Muscle",

author = "Sophie Joanisse and Stephen Ashcroft and Wilkinson, {Daniel J} and Pollock, {Ross D} and O'Brien, {Katie A} and Phillips, {Bethan E} and Ken Smith and Lazarus, {Norman R} and Stephen Harridge and Atherton, {Philip J} and Andrew Philp",

note = "{\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].",

year = "2020",

month = jul,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1093/gerona/glaa005",

language = "English",

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Joanisse, S, Ashcroft, S, Wilkinson, DJ, Pollock, RD , O'Brien, KA, Phillips, BE, Smith, K, Lazarus, NR, Harridge, S, Atherton, PJ & Philp, A 2020, 'High levels of physical activity in later life are associated with enhanced markers of mitochondrial metabolism', The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, vol. 75, no. 8, pp. 1481-1487. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glaa005

High levels of physical activity in later life are associated with enhanced markers of mitochondrial metabolism. / Joanisse, Sophie; Ashcroft, Stephen; Wilkinson, Daniel J et al.
In: The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, Vol. 75, No. 8, 13.07.2020, p. 1481-1487.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - High levels of physical activity in later life are associated with enhanced markers of mitochondrial metabolism

AU - Joanisse, Sophie

AU - Ashcroft, Stephen

AU - Wilkinson, Daniel J

AU - Pollock, Ross D

AU - O'Brien, Katie A

AU - Phillips, Bethan E

AU - Smith, Ken

AU - Lazarus, Norman R

AU - Harridge, Stephen

AU - Atherton, Philip J

AU - Philp, Andrew

PY - 2020/7/13

Y1 - 2020/7/13

N2 - The age-associated reduction in muscle mass is well characterized; however, less is known regarding the mechanisms responsible for the decline in oxidative capacity also observed with advancing age. The purpose of the current study was therefore to compare mitochondrial gene expression and protein content between young and old recreationally active, and older highly active individuals. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis of young males (YG: 22 ± 3 years) and older (OG: 67 ± 2 years) males not previously engaged in formal exercise and older male master cyclists (OT: 65 ± 5 years) who had undertaken cycling exercise for 32 ± 17 years. Comparison of gene expression between YG, OG, and OT groups revealed greater expression of mitochondrial-related genes, namely, electron transport chain (ETC) complexes II, III, and IV (p < .05) in OT compared with YG and OG. Gene expression of mitofusion (MFN)-1/2, mitochondrial fusion genes, was greater in OT compared with OG (p < .05). Similarly, protein content of ETC complexes I, II, and IV was significantly greater in OT compared with both YG and OG (p < .001). Protein content of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 α (PGC-1α), was greater in OT compared with YG and OG (p < .001). Our results suggest that the aging process per se is not associated with a decline in gene expression and protein content of ETC complexes. Mitochondrial-related gene expression and protein content are substantially greater in OT, suggesting that exercise-mediated increases in mitochondrial content can be maintained into later life.

AB - The age-associated reduction in muscle mass is well characterized; however, less is known regarding the mechanisms responsible for the decline in oxidative capacity also observed with advancing age. The purpose of the current study was therefore to compare mitochondrial gene expression and protein content between young and old recreationally active, and older highly active individuals. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis of young males (YG: 22 ± 3 years) and older (OG: 67 ± 2 years) males not previously engaged in formal exercise and older male master cyclists (OT: 65 ± 5 years) who had undertaken cycling exercise for 32 ± 17 years. Comparison of gene expression between YG, OG, and OT groups revealed greater expression of mitochondrial-related genes, namely, electron transport chain (ETC) complexes II, III, and IV (p < .05) in OT compared with YG and OG. Gene expression of mitofusion (MFN)-1/2, mitochondrial fusion genes, was greater in OT compared with OG (p < .05). Similarly, protein content of ETC complexes I, II, and IV was significantly greater in OT compared with both YG and OG (p < .001). Protein content of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 α (PGC-1α), was greater in OT compared with YG and OG (p < .001). Our results suggest that the aging process per se is not associated with a decline in gene expression and protein content of ETC complexes. Mitochondrial-related gene expression and protein content are substantially greater in OT, suggesting that exercise-mediated increases in mitochondrial content can be maintained into later life.

KW - Athlete

KW - Human

KW - Mitochondria

KW - Muscle

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DO - 10.1093/gerona/glaa005

M3 - Article

C2 - 31942994

VL - 75

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EP - 1487

JO - The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences

JF - The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences

IS - 8

ER -

High levels of physical activity in later life are associated with enhanced markers of mitochondrial metabolism

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