Plasma triacylglycerol length and saturation level mark healthy aging groups in humans.

Complex lipids, essential components in biological processes, exhibit conserved age-related changes that alter membrane properties and cellular functions and are implicated as biomarkers and contributors to longevity and age-related diseases. While physical activity alleviates age-related comorbidities and physical impairments, comprehensive exploration of the underlying biological mechanisms, particularly at the level of complex lipids, remains limited. However, clinical studies suggest that physical activity may counteract these age-related lipidomic changes, presenting a promising avenue for intervention.

Development of a P magnetic resonance spectroscopy technique to quantify NADH and NAD at 3 T.

NADH and NAD act as electron donors and acceptors and NAD was shown to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolic health. We here develop a non-invasive Phosphorous Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (P-MRS) method to quantify these metabolites in human skeletal muscle on a clinical 3 T MRI scanner. This new MR-sequence enables NADH and NAD+ quantification by suppressing α-ATP signal, normally overlapping with NADH and NAD.

A conserved complex lipid signature marks human muscle aging and responds to short-term exercise.

Studies in preclinical models suggest that complex lipids, such as phospholipids, play a role in the regulation of longevity. However, identification of universally conserved complex lipid changes that occur during aging, and how these respond to interventions, is lacking. Here, to comprehensively map how complex lipids change during aging, we profiled ten tissues in young versus aged mice using a lipidomics platform.

Invasive and noninvasive markers of human skeletal muscle mitochondrial function.

Mitochondria are organelles that fuel cellular energy requirements by ATP formation via aerobic metabolism. Given the wide variety of methods to assess skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity, we tested how well different invasive and noninvasive markers of skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity reflect mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized muscle fibers. Nineteen young men (mean age: 24 ± 4 years) were recruited, and a muscle biopsy was collected to determine mitochondrial respiration from permeabilized muscle fibers and to quantify markers of mitochondrial capacity, content such as citrate synthase (CS) activity, mitochondrial DNA copy number, TOMM20, VDAC, and protein content for complex I-V of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system.

A metabolomic signature of decelerated physiological aging in human plasma.

The degenerative processes that occur during aging increase the risk of disease and impaired health. Meanwhile, interventions that target aging to promote healthy longevity are gaining interest, both academically and in the public. While nutritional and physical interventions exist, efficacy is often difficult to determine.