Serum sestrins: potential predictive molecule in human sarcopenia.

BACKGROUND

The aging trajectory from a state of robustness and good health proceeds from sarcopenia to frailty followed by disability and death due to decline in skeletal muscle mass and function. Sarcopenia is now formally recognized as a muscle disease with an ICD-10-MC diagnosis code. The autophagic response seems to be affected in the skeletal muscle during aging contributing to sarcopenia. Sestrins (Sesns) proteins play a critical role in autophagy induction under cellular stress conditions.

AIMS

The study aims to identify sarcopenia in older adults using Asian Working group guidelines (AWGS) to determine clinically relevant cut-off levels for diagnosis and their association with antioxidant protein Sesns.

METHODS

The study recruited 102 older adults attending Geriatric medicine OPD AIIMS, New Delhi, India. The level of serum Sesns were evaluated by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and validated by immunoblotting. Fifty older adults were diagnosed as sarcopenics according to AWGS.

RESULTS

Sesn 1 (p = 0.0448) and Sesn 2 (p < 0.0001) levels were significantly reduced in sarcopenic compared to non-sarcopenic. ROC analysis showed a better cut-off of Sesn 2; 10.104 ng/µL with 92% sensitivity and 84% specificity. Even after adjusting the values with respect to confounding factors, Sesn levels remained significantly reduced in sarcopenics (p < 0.030).

DISCUSSION

The level of Sesn 2 showed positive co-relation with the characteristics of sarcopenia. This study first time reported the concentration of serum sestrin in sarcopenic older adults.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that sarcopenia can be diagnosed at the early stage by using the serum sestrin scale as one of the potential biomarker.