TY - JOUR

T1 - Myonuclear addition is associated with sex-specific fiber hypertrophy and occurs in relation to fiber perimeter not cross-sectional area

AU - Moesgaard, Lukas

AU - Jessen, Søren

AU - Mackey, Abigail L

AU - Hostrup, Morten

N1 - CURIS 2022 NEXS 221

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - It is unclear whether resistance training-induced myofiber hypertrophy is affected by sex, and whether myonuclear addition occurs in relation to the myonuclear domain and can contribute to explaining a potential sex-specific hypertrophic response. This study investigated the effect of 8 weeks of resistance training on myofiber hypertrophy and myonuclear addition in 12 males (28±7 years; mean±SD) and 12 females (27±7 years). Muscle biopsies were collected from m. vastus lateralis before and after the training intervention and analyzed by immunohistochemistry for fiber type and size, satellite cells, and myonuclei. Hypertrophy of type I fibers was greater in males than females (P < 0.05), whereas hypertrophy of type II fibers was similar between sexes (P = 0.158‒0.419). Expansion of the satellite cell pool (P = 0.132‒0.667) and myonuclear addition (P=0.064‒0.228) did not differ significantly between sexes, irrespective of myofiber type. However, when individual responses to resistance training were assessed, myonuclear addition was strongly correlated with fiber hypertrophy (r = 0.68‒0.85, P < 0.001). While myofiber hypertrophy was accompanied by an increase in myonuclear domain (P < 0.05), fiber perimeter per myonucleus remained constant throughout the study (P = 0.096‒0.666). These findings indicate that myonuclear addition occurs in relation to the fiber perimeter per myonucleus, not the myonuclear domain, and has a substantial role in muscle hypertrophy, but does not fully explain greater hypertrophy of type I fibers in males than females.

AB - It is unclear whether resistance training-induced myofiber hypertrophy is affected by sex, and whether myonuclear addition occurs in relation to the myonuclear domain and can contribute to explaining a potential sex-specific hypertrophic response. This study investigated the effect of 8 weeks of resistance training on myofiber hypertrophy and myonuclear addition in 12 males (28±7 years; mean±SD) and 12 females (27±7 years). Muscle biopsies were collected from m. vastus lateralis before and after the training intervention and analyzed by immunohistochemistry for fiber type and size, satellite cells, and myonuclei. Hypertrophy of type I fibers was greater in males than females (P < 0.05), whereas hypertrophy of type II fibers was similar between sexes (P = 0.158‒0.419). Expansion of the satellite cell pool (P = 0.132‒0.667) and myonuclear addition (P=0.064‒0.228) did not differ significantly between sexes, irrespective of myofiber type. However, when individual responses to resistance training were assessed, myonuclear addition was strongly correlated with fiber hypertrophy (r = 0.68‒0.85, P < 0.001). While myofiber hypertrophy was accompanied by an increase in myonuclear domain (P < 0.05), fiber perimeter per myonucleus remained constant throughout the study (P = 0.096‒0.666). These findings indicate that myonuclear addition occurs in relation to the fiber perimeter per myonucleus, not the myonuclear domain, and has a substantial role in muscle hypertrophy, but does not fully explain greater hypertrophy of type I fibers in males than females.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Myonuclear addition

KW - Fiber hypertrophy

KW - Sex

KW - Resistance training

KW - Myonuclear domain

U2 - 10.1152/japplphysiol.00235.2022

DO - 10.1152/japplphysiol.00235.2022

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35952346

VL - 133

SP - 732

EP - 741

JO - Journal of Applied Physiology

JF - Journal of Applied Physiology

SN - 8750-7587

IS - 3

ER -