Aging is associated with loss of muscle mass and strength that leads to a condition termed
sarcopenia. Impaired conditions, morbidity, and
malnutrition are the factors of devaluation of muscle fibers in aged animals. Satellite cells play an important role in maintaining muscle homeostasis during tissue regeneration and repair. Proteomic profiling on the skeletal muscle tissues of different age group rats helps to determine the differentially expressed (DE)
proteins, which may eventually lead to the development of
biomarkers in treating the conditions of
sarcopenia. In this study, nanoscale liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (nano-LC-MS/MS) analysis was implemented in the calf tissues of young and old groups of rats. The mass spectrometry (MS) analysis revealed the presence of 335 differentially expressed
proteins between the two different age conditions, among which those based on log-fold change 25
proteins were upregulated and 77 were downregulated. The protein-protein interaction network analysis revealed 18 upregulated
proteins with three distinct interconnected networks and 57 downregulated
proteins with two networks. Further, gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed the biological process, cellular component, and molecular function of the differential
proteins. Pathway enrichment analysis of the DE
proteins identified nine significantly enriched pathways with a list of eight significant genes (Cryab, Hspb2, Acat1, Ak1, Adssl1, Anxa5, Gys1, Ogdh, Gc, and Adssl1). Quantification of significant genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) confirmed the downregulation at the
mRNA level. Western blot analysis of their
protein expression showed concordant results on two candidate
proteins (Ogdh and
annexin 5) confirming their differential regulation between the two age groups of rats. Thus, these proteomic approaches on young and aged rats provide insights into the development of
protein targets in the treatment of
sarcopenia (muscle loss).