Transcriptome analysis of resistance training to reverse muscle atrophy in SAMP8 mice

Sarcopenia is a systemic syndrome characterized by an age-related decline in muscle strength, mass, and function, which increases the risk of fractures and falls in the elderly, resulting in adverse consequences of disability and death. SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice have significant differences in muscle strength and mass during the aging process, thus becoming a preferred choice for sarcopentic models and controls. Resistance training is considered to be one of the most effective methods to improve sarcopenia, but the mechanism is still unclear, and we then proposed to use transcriptome sequencing to explore the potential targets of action of resistance training to improve sarcopenia, using SAMP8 mice as the study object, SAMR1 mice as the control (C) group (n=8), and SAMP8 mice divided into the model (M) group (n=8); training (R) group (n=8), which was subjected to 8 weeks of load-increasing ladder-climbing resistance training (once per another day, three times per week). Relative grip strength, relative muscle mass, mean fiber area, and accelerating rotarod test were measured, and the results showed a significant overall improvement in muscle strength, mass, and function in group R compared to group M, indicating that resistance training effectively reversed sarcopenia. Applying transcriptome next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to screen for information on gene expression changes related to sarcopenia, and our study may provide an experimental basis for resistance training in the treatment of sarcopenia.