Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) connect motor neurons to muscle fibers, enabling electrical-to-chemical signal transmission and sensing of mechanical forces. We employed a previously introduced human skeletal muscle tissue model to study the NMJ presynaptic terminal (PT). Using immunohistochemical approaches, we analyzed PT formation in samples from 12 participants, either immediately after surgery or following 11 days of in vitro maintenance. In immediate postsurgical samples, the number, size, and integrated immunofluorescence intensity of detectable PTs increased with participant age, accompanied by elevated expression of neurotrophic and inflammatory proteins. Moreover, CD80+ and CD206+ macrophages were detected near PTs, suggesting a potential regulatory role in PT formation. Prolonged in vitro maintenance of muscle samples in a quiescent state for 11 days reproduced age-associated PT features and further increased PT spatial expansion and fragmentation. Notably, increased PT fragmentation positively correlated with participant body mass index (BMI), suggesting a possible link between metabolic status and PT remodeling. Consistently, the activation of skeletal muscle metabolism through long-chain fatty acid supplementation partially restored PT formation in vitro. Together, these findings highlight the utility of human skeletal muscle tissue models for investigating NMJ dynamics in pathological contexts and for identifying therapeutic strategies aimed at delaying or preventing neuromuscular decline.
Liang et al. (Tue,) studied this question.