Characterizing plasma metabolites/ lipids and gut microbiome profile as biomarkers of susceptibility to sarcopenia in the elderly

Sarcopenia is a major challenge in agingpopulations as it directly affects mobility, metabolic health, quality of lifeand increased risk of decline in mental health and numerous diseases of agingsuch as Type II Diabetes. Targeting sarcopenia is a major target for healthyaging and quicker recovery from hospitalizations in the elderly. However muchis not known about sarcopenia in elderly.

 This study is a collaboration between ,Bangalore Baptist Hospital,  Institutefor Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem),  and Vayah Vikas is a registered Public Trust,with an ambition to improve the lives of elderly for enhanced quality anddignified living. The Scope of collaborationon academic and research activities in understanding Nutritional andenvironmental factors in age related skeletal muscle loss in elderly.

  Thereis significant association between nutritional cues and ability of human beingsto maintain skeletal muscle mass, especially as they age. Nutrients directly orthrough signalling pathways (e.g. insulin-PI3K, mTOR) alter rates of proteinsynthesis and turnover, thereby controlling muscle mass and function. In recentyears, studies carried out in western populations have pointed out that nutrientssuch as Vitamin D, antioxidants, branched chain amino acids and polyunsaturatedfatty acids can have a positive impact on the progression of sarcopenia alongwith physical activity. The levels and trajectory of the leves of thesenutrients in aged population, in developing nations such as India are notknown.  Filling this gap in knowledgewill provide new nutritional and metabolic targets for treatment of sarcopenia.

The microbiome hasestablished itself as a major modifier of physiology and health in humans.Recently it has been shown that in both western and Chinese populations thereare significant alterations in the composition of the gut microbiome, thatcorrelates with sarcopenia. This offers an exciting possibility that restoringthe composition of the microbiome may be able to prevent or manage sarcopenia.

 There is a need tomodel sarcopenia in vitro, which will enable rapid and personalized treatmentsagainst this disease. It is unclear whether features of sarcopenia can bemodelled from patient PBMC derived myoblasts. Dr. Aravind has been studyingsarcopenia in mice and the various pathways involved in it.  Through this collaboration we want to explorewhether those pathways are expressed in human cells as well.

 In this study, weare looking at 4 possible groups – elderly with sarcopenia, elderly withoutsarcopenia, elderly functionally mobile (before fracture) coming to hospitalwith long bone fracture needing immobilisation and young coming to hospitalwith long bone fracture needing immobilisation. We will look at the metabolites in their blood and microbiome in theirgut to see any differences in sarcopenia group.