Investigation of Myostatin Serum Levels Before and After a 6-Month Lifestyle Intervention Program in Obese Children

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between myostatin serum levels and muscle mass, fat mass and HOMA before and after a 6-month lifestyle intervention program in obese children and adolescents.

Design: A total of 57 overweight children and adolescents (female, n=27; age range, 6.0–16.1 years) were examined between 2007 and 2009. Mean BMI (±SD) was 31.1 (5.7) kg/m² corresponding to a mean BMI-SDS LMS of 2.2 (0.4). Muscle and fat mass were determined by means of DXA. Serum myostatin was measured by using a competitive ELISA.

Results [mean±SD]: After the 6-month intervention program, muscle mass (+2.1±2.7 kg, p<0.0001), and percentage myostatin serum levels (+23.7±26.7%, p<0.0001) were higher than before, whereas decreases in BMI (−0.4 kg/m²±1.5, p<0.0001), fat mass (−1.2±3.9 kg, p<0.0001), and HOMA insulin sensitivity index (−0.78±3.28 SD, p=0.0004) were observed. In 86% (n=49, p<0.0001) of all cases, the intervention program resulted in a higher level of myostatin. After lifestyle intervention, patients with the greatest increase of myostatin had a significantly lower increase of muscle mass (p=0.048) but did not differ for fat mass. There was no significant correlation between Myostatin and HOMA insulin sensitivity index before and after lifestyle intervention.

Conclusion: Both muscle mass and serum myostatin increased concordantly. Patients with the greatest rise of myostatin had a significantly lower increase of muscle mass suggesting a negative feedback loop between myostatin and muscle tissue. In our study, the change of myostatin serum levels was not associated with the amount of fat mass or HOMA insulin sensitivity index.

Key words

myostatin - childhood obesity - intervention study - body composition

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Appendix

DISKUS-Study Group: Perikles Simon, Gutenberg University, Sports Medicine, Mainz, Germany; Andre Lacroix, Andreas Nieß, University Hospital for Internal Medicine, Sports Medicine, Tuebingen, Germany; Katrin Giel, Markus Schrauth, Paul Enck, Stephan Zipfel, University Hospital for Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Tuebingen, Germany; Jürgen Machann, Fabian Springer, Verena Ballweg, Fritz Schick, Eberhard-Karls-University, Section on Experimental Radiology, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tuebingen, Germany; Michael S. Urschitz, Department of Neonatology, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany; Andreas Neu, Hans Peter Haber, Department of Paediatrics, University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany; Huu Phuc Nguyen, Eberhard-Karls-University, Department of Medical Genetics, Tuebingen, Germany.

Correspondence