Role of MicroRNAs and Long Non-Coding RNAs in Sarcopenia

Abstract

Sarcopenia is an age-related pathological process characterized by loss of muscle mass and function, which consequently affects the quality of life of the elderly. There is growing evidence that non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), play a key role in skeletal muscle physiology. Alterations in the expression levels of miRNAs and lncRNAs contribute to muscle atrophy and sarcopenia by regulating various signaling pathways. This review summarizes the recent findings regarding non-coding RNAs associated with sarcopenia and provides an overview of sarcopenia pathogenesis promoted by multiple non-coding RNA-mediated signaling pathways. In addition, we discuss the impact of exercise on the expression patterns of non-coding RNAs involved in sarcopenia. Identifying non-coding RNAs associated with sarcopenia and understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate skeletal muscle dysfunction during aging will provide new insights to develop potential treatment strategies.

Sarcopenia and noncoding RNAs: A comprehensive review

“…The data presented above show the importance of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the pathophysiology of sarcopenia. In fact, these transcripts can modulate the activity of a number of signaling pathways that are involved in the determination of muscle strength and function, including TGF‐β/BMP, IGF‐1, and MRF‐related signaling pathways (J. Lee & Kang, 2022). Although dysregulation of noncoding RNAs in the sarcopenic subjects has been elucidated by several studies, the molecular mechanisms employed by these transcripts in the context of aging‐related sarcopenia are not clear.…”

“…The data presented above show the importance of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the pathophysiology of sarcopenia. In fact, these transcripts can modulate the activity of a number of signaling pathways that are involved in the determination of muscle strength and function, including TGF-β/BMP, IGF-1, and MRF-related signaling pathways (J Lee & Kang, 2022)…”

The Cytokine Growth Differentiation Factor-15 and Skeletal Muscle Health: Portrait of an Emerging Widely Applicable Disease Biomarker

“…In the blood, alterations to the arsenal of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors actively released by muscle cells, can be further explored for diagnosis of sarcopenia [ 108 ] or other muscle conditions. GDF-15 can feature in that scheme, in combination with other circulating stress-related factors inversely associated with muscle mass and function, including inducible heat shock protein 70 [ 109 , 110 ] and specific non-coding RNAs [ 111 ]. The search for susceptibility genes is another powerful tool to weigh the importance of the many factors involved in muscle disease, and genome-wide association studies in older individuals can identify gene variants that associate with muscle weakness [ 112 ].…”

The regulatory network of potential transcription factors and MiRNAs of mitochondria-related genes for sarcopenia

“…A growing stream of research suggests that miRNAs have a big role in skeletal muscle physiology by targeting and preventing the translation of specific mRNAs. Research has found that miR-127 and miR-434-3p were generally downregulated in most aged mouse muscles ( Lee and Kang, 2022 ). Additionally, miR-101 was associated with frailty syndrome ( Carini et al, 2022 ) and Alzheimer’s disease ( Barbato et al, 2020 ).…”