Open AccessMRI characterization of skeletal muscle size and fatty infiltration in long‐term trained and untrained individuals
Author(s) -
Emanuelsson Eric B.,
Berry David B.,
Reitzner Stefan M.,
Arif Muhammad,
Mardinoglu Adil,
Gustafsson Thomas,
Ward Samuel R.,
Sundberg Carl Johan,
Chapman Mark A.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
physiological reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 39
ISSN - 2051-817X
DOI - 10.14814/phy2.15398
Subject(s) - medicine , adipose tissue , magnetic resonance imaging , skeletal muscle , vastus lateralis muscle , endocrinology , pectoralis muscle , anatomy , nuclear medicine , radiology
This study investigated body composition measures in highly trained and untrained individuals using whole‐body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Additionally, correlations between these measures and skeletal muscle gene expression were performed. Thirty‐six individuals were included: endurance‐trained males (ME, n = 8) and females (FE, n = 7), strength‐trained males (MS, n = 7), and untrained control males (MC, n = 8) and females (FC, n = 6). MRI scans were performed, and resting M. vastus lateralis (VL) biopsies were subjected to RNA sequencing. Liver fat fraction, visceral adipose tissue volume (VAT), total body fat, and total lean tissue were measured from MRI data. Additionally, cross‐sectional area (CSA) and fat signal fraction (FSF) were calculated from Mm. pectoralis , M. erector spinae and M. multifidus combined, Mm. quadriceps , and Mm. triceps surae (TS). Liver fat fraction, VAT, and total body fat relative to body weight were lower in ME and FE compared with corresponding controls. MS had a larger CSA across all four muscle groups and lower FSF in all muscles apart from TS compared with MC. ME had a lower FSF across all muscle groups and a larger CSA in all muscles except TS than MC. FE athletes showed a higher CSA in Mm. pectoralis and Mm. quadriceps and a lower CSA in TS than FC with no CSA differences found in the back muscles investigated. Surprisingly, the only difference in FSF between FE and FC was found in Mm. pectoralis. Lastly, correlations between VL gene expression and VL CSA as well as FSF showed that genes positively correlated with CSA revealed an enrichment of the oxidative phosphorylation and thermogenesis pathways, while the genes positively correlated with FSF showed significant enrichment of the spliceosome pathway. Although limited differences were found with training in females, our study suggests that both regular endurance and resistance training are useful in maintaining muscle mass, reducing adipose tissue deposits, and reducing muscle fat content in males.