The MMAAS Project: An Observational Human Study Investigating the Effect of Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Use on Gene Expression and the Molecular Mechanism of Muscle Memory

  1. Lima, Giscard 12
  2. Kolliari-Turner, Alexander 1
  3. Wang, Guan 1
  4. Ho, Patrick 3
  5. Meehan, Lyra 3
  6. Roeszler, Kelly 3
  7. Seto, Jane 3
  8. Malinsky, Fernanda Rossell 1
  9. Karanikolou, Antonia 1
  10. Eichhorn, Gregor 11
  11. Tanisawa, Kumpei 4
  12. Ospina-Betancurt, Jonathan 5
  13. Hamilton, Blair 116
  14. Kumi, Paulette Y.O. 7
  15. Shurlock, Jonathan 8
  16. Skiadas, Vasileios 9
  17. Twycross-Lewis, Richard 710
  18. Kilduff, Liam 11
  19. Guppy, Fergus M. 11
  20. North, Kathryn 3
  21. Pitsiladis, Yannis 12
  22. Fossati, Chiara 2
  23. Pigozzi, Fabio 2
  24. Borrione, Paolo 2
  1. 1 University of Brighton
    info

    University of Brighton

    Brighton, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/04kp2b655

  2. 2 Foro Italico University of Rome
    info

    Foro Italico University of Rome

    Roma, Italia

    ROR https://ror.org/03j4zvd18

  3. 3 University of Melbourne
    info

    University of Melbourne

    Melbourne, Australia

    ROR https://ror.org/01ej9dk98

  4. 4 Waseda University
    info

    Waseda University

    Tokio, Japón

    ROR https://ror.org/00ntfnx83

  5. 5 Universidad Europea de Madrid
    info

    Universidad Europea de Madrid

    Madrid, España

    ROR https://ror.org/04dp46240

  6. 6 The Gender Identity Clinic Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
  7. 7 Queen Mary University of London
    info

    Queen Mary University of London

    Londres, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/026zzn846

  8. 8 Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Taunton, United Kingdom
  9. 9 University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
    info

    University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

    Southampton, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/0485axj58

  10. 10 University College of Football Business (UCFB Wembley Campus), Wembley, London, United Kingdom
  11. 11 Swansea University
    info

    Swansea University

    Swansea, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/053fq8t95

Show affiliations +
Journal:
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine

ISSN: 1050-642X

Year of publication: 2022

Volume: Publish Ahead of Print

Type: Article

DOI: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000001037 GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine

Sustainable development goals

Abstract

Objective: It remains unknown whether myonuclei remain elevated post anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) usage in humans. Limited data exist on AAS-induced changes in gene expression.Design: Cross-sectional/longitudinal.Setting: University.Participants: Fifty-six men aged 20 to 42 years.Independent Variables: Non–resistance-trained (C) or resistance-trained (RT), RT currently using AAS (RT-AS), of which if AAS usage ceased for ≥18 weeks resampled as Returning Participants (RP) or RT previously using AAS (PREV).Main Outcome Measures: Myonuclei per fiber and cross-sectional area (CSA) of trapezius muscle fibers.Results: There were no significant differences between C (n = 5), RT (n = 15), RT-AS (n = 17), and PREV (n = 6) for myonuclei per fiber. Three of 5 returning participants (RP1-3) were biopsied twice. Before visit 1, RP1 ceased AAS usage 34 weeks before, RP2 and RP3 ceased AAS usage ≤2 weeks before, and all had 28 weeks between visits. Fiber CSA decreased for RP1 and RP2 between visits (7566 vs 6629 μm2; 7854 vs 5677 μm2) while myonuclei per fiber remained similar (3.5 vs 3.4; 2.5 vs 2.6). Respectively, these values increased for RP3 between visits (7167 vs 7889 μm2; 2.6 vs 3.3).Conclusions: This cohort of past AAS users did not have elevated myonuclei per fiber values, unlike previous research, but reported AAS usage was much lower. Training and AAS usage history also varied widely among participants. Comparable myonuclei per fiber numbers despite decrements in fiber CSA postexposure adheres with the muscle memory mechanism, but there is variation in usage relative to sampling date and low numbers of returning participants.

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Funding information

The research and publication costs were funded by a research grant from the World Anti-Doping Agency (16E11FP)

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