ERMA is a multidisciplinary study defined to reveal, how hormonal differences over the menopausal stages affect the physiological and psychological functioning of middle-aged women. Our previous studies focusing on the role of estrogen and estrogen containing hormone replacement therapy (EHT) in muscle physiology have used cross-sectional designs with young premenopausal women and postmenopausal women with or without EHT.  ERMA study exploits in addition to the cross-sectional study with the 47-54-yrs-old women also the follow-up of those women at their perimenopausal stage until they reach post menopause. Experimental animals are used to model systemic estrogen deprivation and transgenic ERalphaKO mice to investigate ERalpha-dependency of the mechanisms. Consequently, the effects of estrogen withdrawal on muscle as well as whole body condition from cellular mechanisms to physiological conditions can be explored. Estrogen and hormonal aging regulated apoptosis in skeletal muscle is investigated as a novel mechanism involving development of muscle wasting, weakness and fattines with age. Specifically, ERMA focuses on estrogen- and miR-21-mediated regulation of apoptotic Fas/FasL and Bcl-2/Bax patways and their interactions with IGF-1/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in skeletal muscle.

Funding
Academy of Finland 2014-2018 (V Kovanen)
Juho Vainio Foundation 2016-2018 (EK Laakkonen)
EU HORIZON 2020 / PANINI (S Sipilä)

Research group

Principal investigators
Docent Vuokko Kovanen, Gerontology Research Center, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä
Docent Eija Laakkonen, Gerontology Research Center, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä

Senior researchers and key collaboratorsProfessor Sarianna Sipilä, University of Jyväskylä
Chief Clinician Pauliina Aukee, Central Finland Central Hospital, Jyväskylä

Research Director Katja Kokko, University of Jyväskylä
Professor Taija Juutinen, University of Jyväskylä
Senior Researcher Ina Tarkka, University of Jyväskylä
Research Director Tuija Tammelin, LIKES Research Center
Professor Dawn Lowe, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University ofMinnesota, United States

Publications:

1. Laakkonen EK, Kulmala J, Aukee P, Hakonen H, Kujala UM, Lowe DA, Kovanen V, Tammelin T, Sipilä S. Female reproductive factors are associated with objectively measured physical activity in middle-aged women. PLoS One. 2017 Feb 22;12(2):e0172054
2. Kovanen V, Aukee P, Kokko K, Finni T, Tarkka IM, Tammelin T, Kujala UM, Sipilä S, Laakkonen EK Design and protocol of Estrogenic Regulation of Muscle Apoptosis (ERMA) study with 47 to 55 years old women’s cohort: novel results show menopause-related differences in blood count. Menopause (revision submitted)
3. Dmitriy Bondarev, MSc,1 Eija Laakkonen, PhD1, Taija Finni, PhD2, Katja Kokko, PhD1, Urho M. Kujala, PhD3, Pauliina Aukee, PhD4, Vuokko Kovanen, PhD13, Sarianna Sipilä, PhD1Physical performance in relation to menopausal status and physical activity. Menopause (submitted)