The loss of muscle mass and strength during ageing is called sarcopenia. Affecting the elderly population, sarcopenia is a degenerative process that brings about a decrease in wellbeing and increased dependency. A growing number of studies indicate that this form of muscle atrophy is related to chronic inflammation, but when and why does this inflammation occur?
Researchers from IRB Barcelona´s Complex Metabolic Diseases and Mitochondria lab, headed by Dr. Antonio Zorzano, Full Professor of the Faculty of Biology at the University of Barcelona, have discovered that the inflammatory process that causes muscle atrophy is associated with the accumulation of damaged mitochondria in cells. They have also described how the increase in the levels of BNIP3, a protein related to the clearance of damaged mitochondria, is linked to better muscle ageing.
"If BNIP3 levels are low at advanced ages, more damaged mitochondria accumulate and this triggers inflammatory processes, which in turn cause muscle atrophy," explains Dr. David Sebastián, Research Associate in the same laboratory, CIBER researcher, and adjunct professor at the University of Barcelona. "The reason why some people have higher levels of BNIP3 and others lower levels is still unknown," adds Dr. Andrea Irazoki, first author of the article.
The work has been carried out with cultured cells and mouse models, as well as samples from young and elderly people.
As the power plants of cells, mitochondria are essential. Cells must therefore ensure that these organelles are in good condition. As mitochondria age and no longer function properly, the body regularly removes or "recycles" them through a process known as mitophagy.
As we age, this process becomes less efficient, and defective mitochondria tend to accumulate. The authors consider that this is compensated by an increase in BNIP3 levels, which stimulate mitophagy. In addition to binding to the mitochondrial membrane to remove these organelles, BNIP3 also affects the function of lysosomes, which are vital for removing the damaged components of cells.
"In this work, we intend to clarify the mechanisms that lead to the development of sarcopenia, and identify tools through which to promote healthy ageing at the muscular level," says Dr. Zorzano, who is also a group leader of the CIBERDEM Programme.
Future laboratory work will focus on the search for blood biomarkers associated with high levels of BNIP3, thus facilitating less invasive analyses, and also on understanding what determines high and low BNIP3 levels (if they have a genetic or environmental origin) and why mitochondria clearance is impaired with age, and the age at which this phenomenon begins.
This work has been carried out in collaboration with the Hospital General Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, the Carlos III Health Institute and the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB).
Related article:
Coordination of mitochondrial and lysosomal homeostasis mitigates inflammation and muscle atrophy during aging
Andrea Irazoki, Marta Martinez-Vicente, Pilar Aparicio, Cecilia Aris, Esmaeil Alibakhshi, Maria Rubio-Valera, Juan Castellanos, Luis Lores, Manuel Palacín, Anna Gumà, Antonio Zorzano, David Sebastián
Aging Cell (2022) DOI: 10.1111/acel.13583
About IRB Barcelona
Created in 2005 by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia) and University of Barcelona, IRB Barcelona is a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence, a seal that was awarded in 2011. The institute is devoted to conducting research of excellence in biomedicine and to transferring results to clinical practice, thus improving people’s quality of life, while simultaneously promoting the training of outstanding researchers, technology transfer, and public communication of science. Its 27 laboratories and eight core facilities address basic questions in biology and are orientated to diseases such as cancer, metastasis, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and rare conditions. IRB Barcelona is an international centre that hosts 400 employees and more than 30 nationalities. It is located in the Barcelona Science Park. IRB Barcelona is a CERCA center, and a member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
Sobre el IRB Barcelona
Creado en 2005 por la Generalitat de Catalunya y la Universidad de Barcelona, el IRB Barcelona es Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa desde 2011. El objetivo del IRB Barcelona es hacer investigación de excelencia en biomedicina y mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas y, en paralelo, potenciar la formación de talento, la transferencia tecnológica y la comunicación social de la ciencia. Los 27 laboratorios y ocho plataformas tecnológicas trabajan para responder a preguntas básicas en biología y orientadas a enfermedades como el cáncer, la metástasis, el Alzheimer, la diabetes y enfermedades raras. Es un centro internacional que acoge alrededor de 400 trabajadores de más de 30 nacionalidades. Está ubicado en el Parque Científico de Barcelona. El IRB Barcelona es un centro CERCA y es miembro del Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
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