Journal article
Age and sex differences in human skeletal muscle fibrosis markers and transforming growth factor-β signaling
L Parker, MK Caldow, R Watts, P Levinger, D Cameron-Smith, I Levinger
European Journal of Applied Physiology | SPRINGER | Published : 2017
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine whether higher fibrosis markers in skeletal muscle of older adults are accompanied by increased expression of components of the canonical TGF-β signal transduction pathway. Methods: Fourteen healthy young (21–35 years; 9 males and 5 females) and seventeen older (55–75 years; 9 males and 8 females) participants underwent vastus lateralis biopsies to determine intramuscular mRNA and protein expression of fibrogenic markers and TGF-β signaling molecules related to TGF-β1 and myostatin. Results: Expression of mRNA encoding the pro-fibrotic factors; axin 2, collagen III, β-catenin and fibronectin, were all significantly higher (all p < 0.05) in the o..
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Funding Acknowledgements
A/Prof. Levinger was supported by Future Leader Fellowship (ID 100040) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia. The authors wish to thank Dr. Andrew Garnham (Victoria University University) and Dr. Mitchell Anderson for performing the muscle biopsies.