Mitophagy and Autophagy in Elderly Subjects

In recent years, evidence has shown that mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in the development of age-related muscle decline that may lead to frailty. During aging, there is a progressive reduction in the cell's capacity to eliminate its dysfunctional elements by autophagy, as evidenced by the accumulation of oxidative damage and mutations in mitochondria and by the decrease in autophagic flux. In fact, it has been demonstrated that dysfunctional mitochondria can be specifically targeted for elimination by autophagy, a process that has been termed mitophagy. A major challenge in the clinic today is in the lack of validated tools, including biomarkers, to assess the decline in mitochondrial health associated with an impairment in muscle function. In the present study, the investigators will employ a battery of established and exploratory tests (clinical, physiological and molecular) to assess in vivo mitochondrial function and more specifically, the levels of mitophagy and autophagy, in the muscle of healthy and pre-frail elderly. It is anticipated that the results of this study will facilitate the rapid translation of interventions targeting mitophagy and autophagy for the improvement of muscle function.