scholarly journals Protein profile of fiber types in human skeletal muscle: a single-fiber proteomics study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Murgia ◽  
Leonardo Nogara ◽  
Martina Baraldo ◽  
Carlo Reggiani ◽  
Matthias Mann ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Human skeletal muscle is composed of three major fiber types, referred to as type 1, 2A, and 2X fibers. This heterogeneous cellular composition complicates the interpretation of studies based on whole skeletal muscle lysate. A single-fiber proteomics approach is required to obtain a fiber-type resolved quantitative information on skeletal muscle pathophysiology. Methods Single fibers were dissected from vastus lateralis muscle biopsies of young adult males and processed for mass spectrometry-based single-fiber proteomics. We provide and analyze a resource dataset based on relatively pure fibers, containing at least 80% of either MYH7 (marker of slow type 1 fibers), MYH2 (marker of fast 2A fibers), or MYH1 (marker of fast 2X fibers). Results In a dataset of more than 3800 proteins detected by single-fiber proteomics, we selected 404 proteins showing a statistically significant difference among fiber types. We identified numerous type 1 or 2X fiber type–specific protein markers, defined as proteins present at 3-fold or higher levels in these compared to other fiber types. In contrast, we could detect only two 2A-specific protein markers in addition to MYH2. We observed three other major patterns: proteins showing a differential distribution according to the sequence 1 > 2A > 2X or 2X > 2A > 1 and type 2–specific proteins expressed in 2A and 2X fibers at levels 3 times greater than in type 1 fibers. In addition to precisely quantifying known fiber type–specific protein patterns, our study revealed several novel features of fiber type specificity, including the selective enrichment of components of the dystrophin and integrin complexes, as well as microtubular proteins, in type 2X fibers. The fiber type–specific distribution of some selected proteins revealed by proteomics was validated by immunofluorescence analyses with specific antibodies. Conclusion We here show that numerous muscle proteins, including proteins whose function is unknown, are selectively enriched in specific fiber types, pointing to potential implications in muscle pathophysiology. This reinforces the notion that single-fiber proteomics, together with recently developed approaches to single-cell proteomics, will be instrumental to explore and quantify muscle cell heterogeneity.

2015 ◽  
Vol 118 (6) ◽  
pp. 699-706 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. L. Wyckelsma ◽  
M. J. McKenna ◽  
F. R. Serpiello ◽  
C. R. Lamboley ◽  
R. J. Aughey ◽  
...  

The Na+-K+-ATPase (NKA) plays a key role in muscle excitability, but little is known in human skeletal muscle about fiber-type-specific differences in NKA isoform expression or adaptability. A vastus lateralis muscle biopsy was taken in 17 healthy young adults to contrast NKA isoform protein relative abundance between type I and IIa fibers. We further investigated muscle fiber-type-specific NKA adaptability in eight of these adults following 4-wk repeated-sprint exercise (RSE) training, comprising three sets of 5 × 4-s sprints, 3 days/wk. Single fibers were separated, and myosin heavy chain (I and IIa) and NKA (α1–3 and β1–3) isoform abundance were determined via Western blotting. All six NKA isoforms were expressed in both type I and IIa fibers. No differences between fiber types were found for α1-, α2-, α3-, β1-, or β3-isoform abundances. The NKA β2-isoform was 27% more abundant in type IIa than type I fibers ( P < 0.05), with no other fiber-type-specific trends evident. RSE training increased β1 in type IIa fibers (pretraining 0.70 ± 0.25, posttraining 0.84 ± 0.24 arbitrary units, 42%, P < 0.05). No training effects were found for other NKA isoforms. Thus human skeletal muscle expresses all six NKA isoforms and not in a fiber-type-specific manner; this points to their different functional roles in skeletal muscle cells. Detection of elevated NKA β1 after RSE training demonstrates the sensitivity of the single-fiber Western blotting technique for fiber-type-specific intervention effects.


1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert S. Staron

This brief review attempts to summarize a number of studies on the delineation, development, and distribution of human skeletal muscle fiber types. A total of seven fiber types can be identified in human limb and trunk musculature based on the pH stability/ability of myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase (mATPase). For most human muscles, mATPase-based fiber types correlate with the myosin heavy chain (MHC) content. Thus, each histochemically identified fiber has a specific MHC profile. Although this categorization is useful, it must be realized that muscle fibers are highly adaptable and that innumerable fiber type transients exist. Also, some muscles contain specific MHC isoforms and/or combinations that do not permit routine mATPase-based fiber typing. Although the major populations of fast and slow are, for the most part, established shortly after birth, subtle alterations take place throughout life. These changes appear to relate to alterations in activity and/or hormonal levels, and perhaps later in life, total fiber number. Because large variations in fiber type distribution can be found within a muscle and between individuals, interpretation of data gathered from human muscle is often difficult. Key words: aging, myosin heavy chains, myogenesis, myofibrillar adenosine triphosphate


2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 292-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ildus I. Ahmetov ◽  
Olga L. Vinogradova ◽  
Alun G. Williams

The ability to perform aerobic or anaerobic exercise varies widely among individuals, partially depending on their muscle-fiber composition. Variability in the proportion of skeletal-muscle fiber types may also explain marked differences in aspects of certain chronic disease states including obesity, insulin resistance, and hypertension. In untrained individuals, the proportion of slow-twitch (Type I) fibers in the vastus lateralis muscle is typically around 50% (range 5–90%), and it is unusual for them to undergo conversion to fast-twitch fibers. It has been suggested that the genetic component for the observed variability in the proportion of Type I fibers in human muscles is on the order of 40–50%, indicating that muscle fiber-type composition is determined by both genotype and environment. This article briefly reviews current progress in the understanding of genetic determinism of fiber-type proportion in human skeletal muscle. Several polymorphisms of genes involved in the calcineurin–NFAT pathway, mitochondrial biogenesis, glucose and lipid metabolism, cytoskeletal function, hypoxia and angiogenesis, and circulatory homeostasis have been associated with fiber-type composition. As muscle is a major contributor to metabolism and physical strength and can readily adapt, it is not surprising that many of these gene variants have been associated with physical performance and athlete status, as well as metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Genetic variants associated with fiber-type proportions have important implications for our understanding of muscle function in both health and disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 316 (5) ◽  
pp. E695-E706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark W. Pataky ◽  
Carmen S. Yu ◽  
Yilin Nie ◽  
Edward B. Arias ◽  
Manak Singh ◽  
...  

Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake (GU) by skeletal muscle is enhanced several hours after acute exercise in rats with normal or reduced insulin sensitivity. Skeletal muscle is composed of multiple fiber types, but exercise’s effect on fiber type-specific insulin-stimulated GU in insulin-resistant muscle was previously unknown. Male rats were fed a high-fat diet (HFD; 2 wk) and were either sedentary (SED) or exercised (2-h exercise). Other, low-fat diet-fed (LFD) rats remained SED. Rats were studied immediately postexercise (IPEX) or 3 h postexercise (3hPEX). Epitrochlearis muscles from IPEX rats were incubated in 2-deoxy-[3H]glucose (2-[3H]DG) without insulin. Epitrochlearis muscles from 3hPEX rats were incubated with 2-[3H]DG ± 100 µU/ml insulin. After single fiber isolation, GU and fiber type were determined. Glycogen and lipid droplets (LDs) were assessed histochemically. GLUT4 abundance was determined by immunoblotting. In HFD-SED vs. LFD-SED rats, insulin-stimulated GU was decreased in type IIB, IIX, IIAX, and IIBX fibers. Insulin-independent GU IPEX was increased and glycogen content was decreased in all fiber types (types I, IIA, IIB, IIX, IIAX, and IIBX). Exercise by HFD-fed rats enhanced insulin-stimulated GU in all fiber types except type I. Single fiber analyses enabled discovery of striking fiber type-specific differences in HFD and exercise effects on insulin-stimulated GU. The fiber type-specific differences in insulin-stimulated GU postexercise in insulin-resistant muscle were not attributable to a lack of fiber recruitment, as indirectly evidenced by insulin-independent GU and glycogen IPEX, differences in multiple LD indexes, or altered GLUT4 abundance, implicating fiber type-selective differences in the cellular processes responsible for postexercise enhancement of insulin-mediated GLUT4 translocation.


2007 ◽  
Vol 103 (6) ◽  
pp. 2105-2111 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Tupling ◽  
E. Bombardier ◽  
R. D. Stewart ◽  
C. Vigna ◽  
A. E. Aqui

To investigate the time course of fiber type-specific heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) expression in human skeletal muscle after acute exercise, 10 untrained male volunteers performed single-legged isometric knee extensor exercise at 60% of their maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) with a 50% duty cycle (5-s contraction and 5-s relaxation) for 30 min. Muscle biopsies were collected from the vastus lateralis before (Pre) exercise in the rested control leg (C) and immediately after exercise (Post) in the exercised leg (E) only and on recovery days 1 (R1), 2 (R2), 3 (R3), and 6 (R6) from both legs. As demonstrated by Western blot analysis, whole muscle Hsp70 content was unchanged ( P > 0.05) immediately after exercise (Pre vs. Post), was increased ( P < 0.05) by ∼43% at R1, and remained elevated throughout the entire recovery period in E only. Hsp70 expression was also assessed in individual muscle fiber types I, IIA, and IIAX/IIX by immunohistochemistry. There were no fiber type differences ( P > 0.05) in basal Hsp70 expression. Immediately after exercise, Hsp70 expression was increased ( P < 0.05) in type I fibers by ∼87% but was unchanged ( P > 0.05) in type II fibers (Pre vs. Post). At R1 and throughout recovery, Hsp70 content in E was increased above basal levels ( P < 0.05) in all fiber types, but Hsp70 expression was always highest ( P < 0.05) in type I fibers. Hsp70 content in C was not different from Pre at any time throughout recovery. Glycogen depletion was observed at Post in all type II, but not type I, fibers, suggesting that the fiber type differences in exercise-induced Hsp70 expression were not related to glycogen availability. These results demonstrate that the time course of exercise-induced Hsp70 expression in human skeletal muscle is fiber type specific.


2011 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 820-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn M. Murphy

Human physiological studies typically use skeletal muscle biopsies from the heterogeneous vastus lateralis muscle comprised of both fast-twitch and slow-twitch fiber types. It is likely that potential changes of physiological importance are overlooked because fiber-type specific responses may not be apparent in the whole muscle preparation. A technological advance in Western blotting is presented where proteins are analyzed in just one small segment (<2 mm) of individual fibers dissected from freeze-dried muscle samples using standard laboratory equipment. A significant advance is being able to classify every fiber at the level of both contractile (myosin heavy chain and tropomyosin) and sarcoplasmic reticulum [sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase type 1] properties and then being able to measure specific proteins in the very same segments. This removes the need to fiber type segments before further analyses and, as such, dramatically reduces the time required for sample collection. Compared with slow-twitch fibers, there was less AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-α1 (∼25%) and AMPK-β1 (∼60%) in fast-twitch fibers from human skeletal muscle biopsies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 840-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene S. Tobias ◽  
Kara K. Lazauskas ◽  
Jose A. Arevalo ◽  
James R. Bagley ◽  
Lee E. Brown ◽  
...  

Human skeletal muscle is a heterogeneous mixture of multiple fiber types (FT). Unfortunately, present methods for FT-specific study are constrained by limits of protein detection in single-fiber samples. These limitations beget compensatory resource-intensive procedures, ultimately dissuading investigators from pursuing FT-specific research. Additionally, previous studies neglected hybrid FT, confining their analyses to only pure FT. Here we present novel methods of protein detection across a wider spectrum of human skeletal muscle FT using fully automated capillary nanoimmunoassay (CNIA) technology. CNIA allowed a ~20-fold-lower limit of 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) detection compared with Western blotting. We then performed FT-specific assessment of AMPK expression as a proof of concept. Individual human muscle fibers were mechanically isolated, dissolved, and myosin heavy chain (MHC) fiber typed via SDS-PAGE. Single-fiber samples were combined in pairs and grouped into MHC I, MHC I/IIa, MHC IIa, and MHC IIa/IIx for expression analysis of AMPK isoforms α1, α2, β1, β2, γ2, and γ3 with a tubulin loading control. Significant FT-specific differences were found for α2 (1.7-fold higher in MHC IIa and MHC IIa/IIx vs. others), γ2 (2.5-fold higher in MHC IIa vs. others), and γ3 (2-fold higher in MHC IIa and 4-fold higher in MHC IIa/IIx vs. others). Development of a protocol that combines the efficient and sensitive CNIA technology with comprehensive SDS-PAGE fiber typing marks an important advancement in FT-specific research because it allows more precise study of the molecular mechanisms governing metabolism, adaptation, and regulation in human muscle. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We demonstrate the viability of applying capillary nanoimmunoassay technology to the study of fiber type-specific protein analysis in human muscle fibers. This novel technique enables a ~20-fold-lower limit of protein detection compared with traditional Western blotting methods. Combined with SDS-PAGE methods of fiber typing, we apply this technique to compare 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase isoform expression in myosin heavy chain (MHC) I, MHC I/IIa, MHC IIa, and MHC IIa/IIx fiber types.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lien A. Phung ◽  
Aurora D. Foster ◽  
Mark S. Miller ◽  
Dawn A. Lowe ◽  
David D. Thomas

AbstractThe myosin super-relaxed state (SRX) in skeletal muscle is hypothesized to play an important role in regulating muscle contractility and thermogenesis in humans, but has only been examined in model organisms. Here we report the first human skeletal muscle SRX measurements, using quantitative epifluorescence microscopy of fluorescent 2’/3’-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl) ATP (mantATP) single-nucleotide turnover. Myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression was determined using gel electrophoresis for each permeabilized vastus lateralis fiber, to allow for novel comparisons of SRX between fiber-types. We find that the fraction of myosin in SRX is less in MHC IIA fibers than in MHC I and IIAX fibers (p = 0.008). ATP turnover of SRX is faster in MHC IIAX fibers compared to MHC I and IIA fibers (p = 0.001). We conclude that SRX biochemistry is measurable in human skeletal muscle, and our data indicate that SRX depends on fiber type as classified by MHC isoform. Extension from this preliminary work would provide further understanding regarding the role of SRX in human muscle physiology.


1982 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Sjöström ◽  
S Kidman ◽  
K H Larsén ◽  
K A Angquist

In order to define ultrastructural features, which alone or in combination with other features could be used to identify different types of fibers in human skeletal muscle, frozen biopsy specimens of m. tibialis anterior were serially sectioned. The thawed sections were prepared either for enzyme histochemistry or for electron microscopy. The same fiber was then identified in all serial sections and its ultrastructure examined under the electron microscope. A total of 75 fibers were included in this investigation. Specimens were also conventionally prepared for electron microscopy. Special interest was devoted to the appearance of the sarcomeric Z- and M-bands. In the same fiber, all myofibrils showed the same Z- as well as M-band structure. On the other hand, it was evident that these structures varied from one type of fiber to another in the same muscle and that their appearance were covariant to a great extent. Low level resolution of Type 1 fibers usually showed broad Z- and M-bands with five strong M-bridge lines. In Type 2A fibers intermediate Z-bands were observed. In the middle portion of the M-bands, three strong M-bridge lines were distinct while the two outer lines were relatively weak. Finally, Type 2B fibers usually appeared with narrow Z-bands. The three M-bridge lines in the middle were strong while the two outer ones were very weak, if seen at all. Discriminant analysis showed that about 70% of the fibers should have been correctly allocated on the basis of the Z-band width alone. When two independent observers classified the fibers on the basis of M-band appearance, more than 95% of the fibers were correctly classified. Thus, both the Z- and M-bands, alone or in combination, can be used as fiber type discriminators. However, the M-band structure proved to be more reliable than the Z-band width, and should therefore be used as the fiber type indicator when only one of these parameters is considered.


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