Researchers at the Siberian State Medical University (SibSMU) have developed an innovative approach for the early detection of sarcopenia – the pathological loss of muscle mass associated with aging. This method allows for diagnosis before severe symptoms manifest. Details of their work have been published in the journal Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark.
With age, many individuals experience a decline in physical strength, leading to difficulties with daily tasks such as climbing stairs or carrying groceries. This condition, known as sarcopenia, is a progressive reduction in muscle strength and mass that significantly diminishes quality of life and independence in older adults, as highlighted by SibSMU scientists.
According to the researchers, sarcopenia is recognized as one of the five primary risk factors for morbidity and mortality in individuals over 65 years of age.
The developed technique will enable medical professionals to identify sarcopenia at its earliest stages. Its principle is akin to introducing a new indicator into a routine biochemical blood test.
“Just as blood glucose levels today confirm diabetes risk, our work lays the foundation for similarly simple detection of nascent sarcopenia,” explained Dmitry Svarovsky, Assistant Professor at SibSMU’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a course in clinical laboratory diagnostics.
The method is based on liquid biopsy, focusing on extracellular vesicles (microscopic bubbles released by cells) and specific types of macrophages (immune cells) in the blood. The scientists discovered that these blood components carry vital information about the state of muscle tissue and its degradation processes.
SibSMU representatives believe this approach will enable timely medical intervention and the development of personalized treatment strategies.
Svarovsky emphasized that while many of the studied indicators were previously known, their combined analysis using liquid biopsy represents a novel approach.
The study identified numerous numerical patterns, including a 1.4-fold increase in the concentration of the protein vitronectin, whose functional disruptions have been previously linked to tissue aging processes.
During the research, scientists analyzed over 40 different parameters across several patient groups. A unique aspect of the work was the inclusion of a pre-sarcopenia group – an initial stage typically diagnosed solely based on clinical signs. This allowed for the identification of specific biomarkers signaling the onset of the disease at its earliest phases.
“We have gained a fresh perspective on the pathogenesis of the disease. In the future, these indicators could be used not only for diagnosis but also as therapeutic targets for both classical and entirely new medicinal compounds within the framework of life extension technologies,” stated the university.
The research was multidisciplinary, integrating the expertise of clinical medicine specialists in geriatrics and endocrinology, as well as fundamental medicine experts, biochemists, and molecular biologists.
The university also noted the significant contribution of Nigerian postgraduate student Ikponmwosa Jude Ogieuyi, one of the key co-authors of the article.
Currently, researchers plan to focus on further investigating the role of the identified indicators in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia.
The study was conducted at the Departmental Scientific and Educational Laboratory of Experimental Biochemistry and Biology, established as part of the federal program `Priority-2030`.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth