Background: Tissue accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is associated with ageing, both in diabetics and nondiabetic subjects.
Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess immunostaining for AGEs, specifically carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) and receptor for AGEs (RAGE), in muscle tissue of healthy male subjects differing in age and weight stability.
Methodology: Muscle tissue was obtained during hernia surgery in middle-aged men reporting weight maintenance (WM, n = 10) or weight gain (WG, n = 7), and also in 4 elderly men. Tissue inmunostaining for CML and RAGE was performed.
Results: Intensity of CML and RAGE staining were highly correlated (r = 0.84) and also significantly associated with weight change and age. Muscle AGEs accretion was statistically associated with muscle expression of oxidative injury (8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal) and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha).
Discussion: The increase of skeletal muscle AGEs/RAGE and markers of inflammation and oxidative injury in association with weight gain and old age suggest a pathogenic role of AGEs in weight gain and in sarcopenia of aging.