Role of MicroRNAs on Age and Contraction-induced Skeletal Muscle Growth

NCT02638454 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2860
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Sarcopenia is a predictor of functional-limitation, leading to loss of independence, lowered quality of life, and ultimately death. The impaired ability of aged skeletal muscle to adapt to anabolic stimulation may be a factor that contributes to sarcopenia. This project will provide novel insights into the role of microRNA in the attenuation of aging skeletal muscle to changes in gene expression after anabolic stimulation.

Conditions

Sarcopenia

Keywords

Exercise; Anabolic Resistance; Skeletal Muscle; microRNA

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change of microRNA expression in humans skeletal muscle after an acute bout of high intensity resistance exercise

  Determine if the expression of miRNA in skeletal muscle after an acute bout of high-intensity resistance exercise in young, functionally-limited older adults with and without low muscle mass

  Baseline, immediately (within 15-30 min after acute resistance exercise) and 4 hours after acute resistance exercise

Study Arms (3)

HL-YNG

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Healthy young sedentary males and females 20-30 yrs old Participants will undergo an acute bout of resistance exercise at 80% of their 1 repetition maximum (1RM, maximum strength) and will undergo muscle biopsies before, immediately after and 4 hours after the exercise.

Procedure: Acute Resistance Exercise

FL-OLD

EXPERIMENTAL

Functionally-limited older sedentary males and females without sarcopenia (70-85 yrs old) Participants will undergo an acute bout of resistance exercise at 80% of their 1 repetition maximum (1RM, maximum strength) and will undergo muscle biopsies before, immediately after and 4 hours after the exercise.

Procedure: Acute Resistance Exercise

SR-OLD

EXPERIMENTAL

Functionally-limited older sedentary males and females with clinically defined sarcopenia (70-85 yrs old) Participants will undergo an acute bout of resistance exercise at 80% of their 1 repetition maximum (1RM, maximum strength) and will undergo muscle biopsies before, immediately after and 4 hours after the exercise.

Procedure: Acute Resistance Exercise

Interventions

Acute Resistance Exercise PROCEDURE

1 bout of high-intensity resistance exercise at 80% of the individuals 1 repetition maximum

Also known as: Acute Strength Training

FL-OLD; HL-YNG; SR-OLD

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 85 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Male and Female
• or 70-85 years of age
• Sedentary: Must not participate in any regular exercise sessions (participants who walk regularly or walk for exercise are eligible)
• Individuals must confirm good health
• BMI must be between 19-35 kg/m2
• Individuals must be fluent in English
• Willing to come to the HNRCA laboratory for study visits
• Short Physical Performance Battery of less than 9 (70-85 years of age cohort)
• subjects with Normal Muscle Mass and 10 subjects with Low Muscle Mass as determined by DXA scan (70-85 years of age cohort) Low Muscle Mass is defined as Class I Sarcopenia, Skeletal Muscle Index within 1 to 2 standard deviations from the sex-specific mean of young adults

You may not qualify if:

• Lost or gained 7.5% or more of their body weight in the past 6 months
• Acute or terminal disease
• Significant immune disorder
• Types I and II Diabetes mellitus
• Uncontrolled hypertension (\>180/100 mmHg)
• Neuromuscular disease
• Subjects must also not be participating in any regular endurance or resistance training exercise during the previous six months.
• Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score of \<23
• Because of the DXA scan and the unknown risk associated with the muscle biopsy procedure, women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding will be excluded from the study.
• Subjects with a history of any of the following within the past 6 months will be excluded:
• Myocardial infarction in the past 6 months, or other symptomatic coronary artery disease.
• Surgery in previous 6 months
• Upper or lower extremity fracture in the previous 6 months
• Allergy to lidocaine
• Subjects currently taking any of the following drugs or classes of drugs will be excluded:

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tufts University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University

Boston, Massachusetts, 02111, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sarcopenia; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular Atrophy; Neuromuscular Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Atrophy; Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Donato A Rivas, PhD

  Tufts University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Scientist II

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 17, 2015
• First Posted: December 23, 2015
• Study Start: August 1, 2015
• Primary Completion: January 1, 2019
• Study Completion: January 1, 2019
• Last Updated: July 20, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Locations

US (1)