Resistance Training Increases Muscle Mitochondrial Biogenesis in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

• Published in: Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2010-06, Vol.5 (6), p.996-1002
• Main Authors: Balakrishnan, Vaidyanatha S, Rao, Madhumathi, Menon, Vandana, Gordon, Patricia L, Pilichowska, Monika, Castaneda, Francisco, Castaneda-Sceppa, Carmen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Biopsy; Chronic Disease; Diet, Protein-Restricted; DNA, Mitochondrial - biosynthesis; Female; Humans; Kidney Diseases - complications; Kidney Diseases - genetics; Kidney Diseases - physiopathology; Kidney Diseases - therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Mitochondria, Muscle - metabolism; Muscle Strength; Muscular Atrophy - etiology; Muscular Atrophy - genetics; Muscular Atrophy - physiopathology; Muscular Atrophy - therapy; Organ Size; Original; Pilot Projects; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Quadriceps Muscle - metabolism; Quadriceps Muscle - pathology; Quadriceps Muscle - physiopathology; Resistance Training; Severity of Illness Index; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1555-9041; 1555-905X
• DOI: 10.2215/CJN.09141209

Muscle wasting, a common complication in chronic kidney disease (CKD), contributes to poor outcomes. Mitochondrial biogenesis is critical for the maintenance of skeletal muscle function and structural integrity. The present study--a secondary analysis from a published randomized controlled trial--examined the effect of resistance exercise training on skeletal muscle mitochondrial (mt)DNA copy number and determined its association with skeletal muscle phenotype (muscle mass and strength). Twenty-three patients with moderate-to-severe CKD were randomized to resistance training (n = 13) or an attention-control (n = 10) group for 12 weeks. After a run-in period of a low-protein diet that continued during the intervention, mtDNA copy number in the vastus lateralis muscle was estimated by quantitative real-time PCR at baseline and 12 weeks. Participants mean age was 64 +/- 10 (SD) years and median (interquartile range, IQR) GFR 27.5 (37.0) ml/min. There were no differences between groups at baseline. Median (IQR) mtDNA copy number was 13,713 (10,618). There was a significant increase in muscle mtDNA with exercise compared with controls (1306 [13306] versus -3747 [15467], P = 0.01). The change in muscle mtDNA copy number was positively correlated with previously reported changes in types I and II muscle fiber cross-sectional area. In this pilot study, resistance training was highly effective in enhancing mitochondrial content in patients with moderate-to-severe CKD. This finding suggests that the mitochondrial dysfunction observed with chronic disease could potentially be restored with this exercise modality and should be investigated further.