Deep muscle-proteomic analysis of freeze-dried human muscle biopsies reveals fiber type-specific adaptations to exercise training

Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 12;12(1):304. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20556-8.

Abstract

Skeletal muscle conveys several of the health-promoting effects of exercise; yet the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Studying skeletal muscle is challenging due to its different fiber types and the presence of non-muscle cells. This can be circumvented by isolation of single muscle fibers. Here, we develop a workflow enabling proteomics analysis of pools of isolated muscle fibers from freeze-dried human muscle biopsies. We identify more than 4000 proteins in slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Exercise training alters expression of 237 and 172 proteins in slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers, respectively. Interestingly, expression levels of secreted proteins and proteins involved in transcription, mitochondrial metabolism, Ca2+ signaling, and fat and glucose metabolism adapts to training in a fiber type-specific manner. Our data provide a resource to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying muscle function and health, and our workflow allows fiber type-specific proteomic analyses of snap-frozen non-embedded human muscle biopsies.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological*
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Biopsy
  • Exercise*
  • Freeze Drying*
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch / metabolism
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch / metabolism
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology*
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Proteome / metabolism
  • Proteomics*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Proteome
  • Glucose