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Sample records for rat striated muscle

  1. Striated Muscle Function, Regeneration, and Repair

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shadrin, I.Y.; Khodabukus, A.; Bursac, N.

    2016-01-01

    As the only striated muscle tissues in the body, skeletal and cardiac muscle share numerous structural and functional characteristics, while exhibiting vastly different size and regenerative potential. Healthy skeletal muscle harbors a robust regenerative response that becomes inadequate after large muscle loss or in degenerative pathologies and aging. In contrast, the mammalian heart loses its regenerative capacity shortly after birth, leaving it susceptible to permanent damage by acute injury or chronic disease. In this review, we compare and contrast the physiology and regenerative potential of native skeletal and cardiac muscles, mechanisms underlying striated muscle dysfunction, and bioengineering strategies to treat muscle disorders. We focus on different sources for cellular therapy, biomaterials to augment the endogenous regenerative response, and progress in engineering and application of mature striated muscle tissues in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we discuss the challenges and perspectives in translating muscle bioengineering strategies to clinical practice. PMID:27271751

  2. Dynamic Regulation of Sarcomeric Actin Filaments in Striated Muscle

    OpenAIRE

    Ono, Shoichiro

    2010-01-01

    In striated muscle, the actin cytoskeleton is differentiated into myofibrils. Actin and myosin filaments are organized in sarcomeres and specialized for producing contractile forces. Regular arrangement of actin filaments with uniform length and polarity is critical for the contractile function. However, the mechanisms of assembly and maintenance of sarcomeric actin filaments in striated muscle are not completely understood. Live imaging of actin in striated muscle has revealed that actin sub...

  3. Systems Biology Approaches to Discerning Striated Muscle Pathologies

    OpenAIRE

    Mukund, Kavitha

    2016-01-01

    The human muscular system represents nearly 75% of the body mass and encompasses two major muscle forms- striated and smooth. Striated muscle, composed broadly of myofibers, accompanying membrane systems, cytoskeletal networks together with the metabolic and regulatory machinery, have revealed complexities in composition, structure and function. A disruption to any component within this complex system of interactions lead to disorders of the muscle, typically characterized by muscle fiber los...

  4. The homeobox gene Msx in development and transdifferentiation of jellyfish striated muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galle, Sabina; Yanze, Nathalie; Seipel, Katja

    2005-01-01

    Bilaterian Msx homeobox genes are generally expressed in areas of cell proliferation and in association with multipotent progenitor cells. Likewise, jellyfish Msx is expressed in progenitor cells of the developing entocodon, a cell layer giving rise to the striated and smooth muscles of the medusa. However, in contrast to the bilaterian homologs, Msx gene expression is maintained at high levels in the differentiated striated muscle of the medusa in vivo and in vitro. This tissue exhibits reprogramming competence. Upon induction, the Msx gene is immediately switched off in the isolated striated muscle undergoing transdifferentiation, to be upregulated again in the emerging smooth muscle cells which, in a stem cell like manner, undergo quantal cell divisions producing two cell types, a proliferating smooth muscle cell and a differentiating nerve cell. This study indicates that the Msx protein may be a key component of the reprogramming machinery responsible for the extraordinary transdifferentation and regeneration potential of striated muscle in the hydrozoan jellyfish.

  5. Neurohypophyseal hormones: novel actors of striated muscle development and homeostasis

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    Alessandra Costa

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Since the 1980's, novel functional roles of the neurohypophyseal hormones vasopressin and oxytocin have emerged. Several studies have investigated the effects of these two neurohormones on striated muscle tissues, both in vitro and in vivo. The effects of vasopressin on skeletal myogenic cells, developing muscle and muscle homeostasis have been documented. Oxytocin appears to have a greater influence on cardiomyocite differentiation and heart homeostasis. This review summarizes the studies on these novel roles of the two neurohypophyseal hormones, and open the possibility of new therapeutic approaches for diseases affecting striated muscle.

  6. Ultrastructure of striated muscle fibers in the middle third of the human esophagus

    OpenAIRE

    Faussone-Pellegrini, M.S; Cortesini, C.

    1986-01-01

    Striated muscle fibers and .their spatial relationship to smooth muscle cells have been studied in the middle third of human esophagus. Biopsies were obtained from 3 patients during surgery. In both the circular and longitudinal layers, the muscle coat of this transition zone was composed of fascicles of uniform dimensioi~ (100-200 pm of diameter); some of these bundles were made up of striated muscle fibers, others were pure bundles of smooth muscle cells and ...

  7. Myostatin, a profibrotic factor and the main inhibitor of striated muscle mass, is present in the penile and vascular smooth muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovanecz, I; Masouminia, M; Gelfand, R; Vernet, D; Rajfer, J; Gonzalez-Cadavid, N F

    2017-09-01

    Myostatin is present in striated myofibers but, except for myometrial cells, has not been reported within smooth muscle cells (SMC). We investigated in the rat whether myostatin is present in SMC within the penis and the vascular wall and, if so, whether it is transcriptionally expressed and associated with the loss of corporal SMC occurring in certain forms of erectile dysfunction (ED). Myostatin protein was detected by immunohistochemistry/fluorescence and western blots in the perineal striated muscles, and also in the SMC of the penile corpora, arteries and veins, and aorta. Myostatin was found in corporal SMC cultures, and its transcriptional expression (and its receptor) was shown there by DNA microarrays. Myostatin protein was measured by western blots in the penile shaft of rats subjected to bilateral cavernosal nerve resection (BCNR), that were left untreated, or treated (45 days) with muscle-derived stem cells (MDSC), or concurrent daily low-dose sildenafil. Myostatin was not increased by BCNR (compared with sham operated animals), but over expressed after treatment with MDSC. This was reduced by concurrent sildenafil. The presence of myostatin in corporal and vascular SMC, and its overexpression in the corpora by MDSC therapy, may have relevance for the stem cell treatment of corporal fibrosis and ED.

  8. Esophageal striated muscle contractions in patients with Chagas' disease and idiopathic achalasia

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    R.O. Dantas

    2002-06-01

    Full Text Available Chagas' disease causes degeneration and reduction of the number of intrinsic neurons of the esophageal myenteric plexus, with consequent absent or partial lower esophageal sphincter relaxation and loss of peristalsis in the esophageal body. The impairment of esophageal motility is seen mainly in the distal smooth muscle region. There is no study about esophageal striated muscle contractions in the disease. In 81 patients with heartburn (44 with esophagitis taken as controls, 51 patients with Chagas' disease (21 with esophageal dilatation and 18 patients with idiopathic achalasia (11 with esophageal dilatation we studied the amplitude, duration and area under the curve of esophageal proximal contractions. Using the manometric method and a continuous perfusion system we measured the esophageal striated muscle contractions 2 to 3 cm below the upper esophageal sphincter after swallows of a 5-ml bolus of water. There was no significant difference in striated muscle contractions between patients with heartburn and esophagitis and patients with heartburn without esophagitis. There was also no significant difference between patients with heartburn younger or older than 50 years or between men and women or in esophageal striated muscle contractions between patients with heartburn and Chagas' disease. The esophageal proximal amplitude of contractions was lower in patients with idiopathic achalasia than in patients with heartburn. In patients with Chagas' disease there was no significant difference between patients with esophageal dilatation and patients with normal esophageal diameter. Esophageal striated muscle contractions in patients with Chagas' disease have the same amplitude and duration as seen in patients with heartburn. Patients with idiopathic achalasia have a lower amplitude of contraction than patients with heartburn.

  9. Contracture of Slow Striated Muscle during Calcium Deprivation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irwin, Richard L.; Hein, Manfred M.

    1963-01-01

    When deprived of calcium the slow striated muscle fibers of the frog develop reversible contractures in either hypertonic or isotonic solutions. While calcium deprivation continues because of a flowing calcium-free solution the muscles relax slowly and completely. Restoration of calcium during contracture relaxes the muscle promptly to initial tension. When relaxed during calcium lack the return of calcium does not change tension and the muscle stays relaxed. When contractures are induced by solutions containing small amounts of calcium relaxation does not occur or requires several hours. The rate of tension development depends upon the rate at which calcium moves outward since the contractures develop slower in low concentrations of calcium and are absent or greatly slowed in a stagnant calcium-free solution. Withdrawal of calcium prevents the contractile responses to ACh, KCl, or electrical stimulation through the nerve. Muscles return to their original excitability after calcium is restored. Origin of the contractures is unrelated to nerve activity since they are maximal during transmission failure from calcium lack, occur in denervated muscles, and are not blocked by high concentrations of d-tubocurarine, procaine, or atropine. The experiments also indicate that the contractures do not originate from repetitive activity of muscle membranes. The findings are most simply explained by relating the outward movement of calcium as a link for initiating contraction in slow type striated muscle. PMID:14065284

  10. Expression of various sarcomeric tropomyosin isoforms in equine striated muscles

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    Syamalima Dube

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In order to better understand the training and athletic activity of horses, we must have complete understanding of the isoform diversity of various myofibrillar protein genes like tropomyosin. Tropomyosin (TPM, a coiled-coil dimeric protein, is a component of thin filament in striated muscles. In mammals, four TPM genes (TPM1, TPM2, TPM3, and TPM4 generate a multitude of TPM isoforms via alternate splicing and/or using different promoters. Unfortunately, our knowledge of TPM isoform diversity in the horse is very limited. Hence, we undertook a comprehensive exploratory study of various TPM isoforms from horse heart and skeletal muscle. We have cloned and sequenced two sarcomeric isoforms of the TPM1 gene called TPM1α and TPM1κ, one sarcomeric isoform of the TPM2 and one of the TPM3 gene, TPM2α and TPM3α respectively. By qRT-PCR using both relative expression and copy number, we have shown that TPM1α expression compared to TPM1κ is very high in heart. On the other hand, the expression of TPM1α is higher in skeletal muscle compared to heart. Further, the expression of TPM2α and TPM3α are higher in skeletal muscle compared to heart. Using western blot analyses with CH1 monoclonal antibody we have shown the high expression levels of sarcomeric TPM proteins in cardiac and skeletal muscle. Due to the paucity of isoform specific antibodies we cannot specifically detect the expression of TPM1κ in horse striated muscle. To the best of our knowledge this is the very first report on the characterization of sarcmeric TPMs in horse striated muscle.

  11. In vivo functional and morphological characterization of bone and striated muscle microcirculation in NSG mice.

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    Haider Mussawy

    Full Text Available Organ-specific microcirculation plays a central role in tumor growth, tumor cell homing, tissue engineering, and wound healing. Mouse models are widely used to study these processes; however, these mouse strains often possess unique microhemodynamic parameters, making it difficult to directly compare experiments. The full functional characterization of bone and striated muscle microcirculatory parameters in non-obese diabetic-severe combined immunodeficiency/y-chain; NOD-Prkds IL2rg (NSG mice has not yet been reported. Here, we established either a dorsal skinfold chamber or femur window in NSG mice (n = 23, allowing direct analysis of microcirculatory parameters in vivo by intravital fluorescence microscopy at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after chamber preparation. Organ-specific differences were observed. Bone had a significantly lower vessel density but a higher vessel diameter than striated muscle. Bone also showed higher effective vascular permeability than striated muscle. The centerline velocity values were similar in the femur window and dorsal skinfold chamber, with a higher volumetric blood flow in bone. Interestingly, bone and striated muscle showed similar tissue perfusion rates. Knowledge of physiological microhemodynamic values of bone and striated muscle in NSG mice makes it possible to analyze pathophysiological processes at these anatomic sites, such as tumor growth, tumor metastasis, and tumor microcirculation, as well as the response to therapeutic agents.

  12. Autoradiographic analysis of protein regeneration in striated skeleton muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dadoune, J.P.

    1977-01-01

    An autoradiographic study was conducted of protein regeneration in striated muscles aimed at clarifying the contradictions in the literature: while some authors hold that the regeneration rate is identical for all types of myofibril proteins and the myofibril is thus regenerated as a whole, others claim that the regeneration rate differs depending on the type of the myofibril protein. Tritium-labelled leucine incorporation experiments showed the existence of at least 2 pools of newly formed proteins in striated muscles in both adult and young animals. One pool is regenerated in 1 to 2 weeks, the other roughly in a month. The regeneration of proteins is initially more significant in red fibres; thus the rate of myofibril protein regeneration is not uniform. In adult animals regeneration seems to be slower in filaments than in the sarcoplasm and in the mitochondria. (A.K.)

  13. Architecture of vagal motor units controlling striated muscle of esophagus: peripheral elements patterning peristalsis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powley, Terry L; Mittal, Ravinder K; Baronowsky, Elizabeth A; Hudson, Cherie N; Martin, Felecia N; McAdams, Jennifer L; Mason, Jacqueline K; Phillips, Robert J

    2013-12-01

    Little is known about the architecture of the vagal motor units that control esophageal striated muscle, in spite of the fact that these units are necessary, and responsible, for peristalsis. The present experiment was designed to characterize the motor neuron projection fields and terminal arbors forming esophageal motor units. Nucleus ambiguus compact formation neurons of the rat were labeled by bilateral intracranial injections of the anterograde tracer dextran biotin. After tracer transport, thoracic and abdominal esophagi were removed and prepared as whole mounts of muscle wall without mucosa or submucosa. Labeled terminal arbors of individual vagal motor neurons (n=78) in the esophageal wall were inventoried, digitized and analyzed morphometrically. The size of individual vagal motor units innervating striated muscle, throughout thoracic and abdominal esophagus, averaged 52 endplates per motor neuron, a value indicative of fine motor control. A majority (77%) of the motor terminal arbors also issued one or more collateral branches that contacted neurons, including nitric oxide synthase-positive neurons, of local myenteric ganglia. Individual motor neuron terminal arbors co-innervated, or supplied endplates in tandem to, both longitudinal and circular muscle fibers in roughly similar proportions (i.e., two endplates to longitudinal for every three endplates to circular fibers). Both the observation that vagal motor unit collaterals project to myenteric ganglia and the fact that individual motor units co-innervate longitudinal and circular muscle layers are consistent with the hypothesis that elements contributing to peristaltic programming inhere, or are "hardwired," in the peripheral architecture of esophageal motor units. © 2013.

  14. Morphology of lesions in striated muscle fibres from the beige mouse

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirkeby, S

    1982-01-01

    Lesions in striated muscle fibres from the beige mouse are described at both the light- and electronmicroscopical levels. The muscles have two types of lesions, one is well defined cores in the fibres and the other is diffusely enlarged intermyofibrillar spaces (IMS). The cores can be filled...... with membrane-like structures or a fluffy unstructured material. In the areas with enlarged IMS comparatively few organelles are present and the muscle fibres seem to be fragmented....

  15. The Popeye Domain Containing Genes and Their Function in Striated Muscle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schindler, Roland F. R.; Scotton, Chiara; French, Vanessa; Ferlini, Alessandra; Brand, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    The Popeye domain containing (POPDC) genes encode a novel class of cAMP effector proteins, which are abundantly expressed in heart and skeletal muscle. Here, we will review their role in striated muscle as deduced from work in cell and animal models and the recent analysis of patients carrying a missense mutation in POPDC1. Evidence suggests that POPDC proteins control membrane trafficking of interacting proteins. Furthermore, we will discuss the current catalogue of established protein-protein interactions. In recent years, the number of POPDC-interacting proteins has been rising and currently includes ion channels (TREK-1), sarcolemma-associated proteins serving functions in mechanical stability (dystrophin), compartmentalization (caveolin 3), scaffolding (ZO-1), trafficking (NDRG4, VAMP2/3) and repair (dysferlin) or acting as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rho-family GTPases (GEFT). Recent evidence suggests that POPDC proteins might also control the cellular level of the nuclear proto-oncoprotein c-Myc. These data suggest that this family of cAMP-binding proteins probably serves multiple roles in striated muscle. PMID:27347491

  16. Poorly Understood Aspects of Striated Muscle Contraction

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    Alf Månsson

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Muscle contraction results from cyclic interactions between the contractile proteins myosin and actin, driven by the turnover of adenosine triphosphate (ATP. Despite intense studies, several molecular events in the contraction process are poorly understood, including the relationship between force-generation and phosphate-release in the ATP-turnover. Different aspects of the force-generating transition are reflected in the changes in tension development by muscle cells, myofibrils and single molecules upon changes in temperature, altered phosphate concentration, or length perturbations. It has been notoriously difficult to explain all these events within a given theoretical framework and to unequivocally correlate observed events with the atomic structures of the myosin motor. Other incompletely understood issues include the role of the two heads of myosin II and structural changes in the actin filaments as well as the importance of the three-dimensional order. We here review these issues in relation to controversies regarding basic physiological properties of striated muscle. We also briefly consider actomyosin mutation effects in cardiac and skeletal muscle function and the possibility to treat these defects by drugs.

  17. Topography of Striate-Extrastriate Connections in Neonatally Enucleated Rats

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    Robyn J. Laing

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available It is known that retinal input is necessary for the normal development of striate cortex and its corticocortical connections, but there is little information on the role that retinal input plays in the development of retinotopically organized connections between V1 and surrounding visual areas. In nearly all lateral extrastriate areas, the anatomical and physiological representation of the nasotemporal axis of the visual field mirrors the representation of this axis in V1. To determine whether the mediolateral topography of striate-extrastriate projections is preserved in neonatally enucleated rats, we analyzed the patterns of projections resulting from tracer injections placed at different sites along the mediolateral axis of V1. We found that the correlation between the distance from injection sites to the lateral border of V1 and the distance of the labeling patterns in area 18a was strong in controls and much weaker in enucleates. Data from pairs of injections in the same animal revealed that the separation of area 18a projection fields for a given separation of injection sites was more variable in enucleated than in control rats. Our analysis of single and double tracer injections suggests that neonatal bilateral enucleation weakens, but not completely abolishes, the mediolateral topography in area 18a.

  18. VAPB/ALS8 MSP ligands regulate striated muscle energy metabolism critical for adult survival in caenorhabditis elegans.

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    Sung Min Han

    Full Text Available Mutations in VAPB/ALS8 are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA, two motor neuron diseases that often include alterations in energy metabolism. We have shown that C. elegans and Drosophila neurons secrete a cleavage product of VAPB, the N-terminal major sperm protein domain (vMSP. Secreted vMSPs signal through Roundabout and Lar-like receptors expressed on striated muscle. The muscle signaling pathway localizes mitochondria to myofilaments, alters their fission/fusion balance, and promotes energy production. Here, we show that neuronal loss of the C. elegans VAPB homolog triggers metabolic alterations that appear to compensate for muscle mitochondrial dysfunction. When vMSP levels drop, cytoskeletal or mitochondrial abnormalities in muscle induce elevated DAF-16, the Forkhead Box O (FoxO homolog, transcription factor activity. DAF-16 promotes muscle triacylglycerol accumulation, increases ATP levels in adults, and extends lifespan, despite reduced muscle mitochondria electron transport chain activity. Finally, Vapb knock-out mice exhibit abnormal muscular triacylglycerol levels and FoxO target gene transcriptional responses to fasting and refeeding. Our data indicate that impaired vMSP signaling to striated muscle alters FoxO activity, which affects energy metabolism. Abnormalities in energy metabolism of ALS patients may thus constitute a compensatory mechanism counterbalancing skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction.

  19. Application of 31P-NMR spectroscopy to the study of striated muscle metabolism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, R.A.; Kushmerick, M.J.; Brown, T.R.

    1982-01-01

    This review presents the principles and limitations of phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance ( 31 P-NMR) spectroscopy as applied to the study of striated muscle metabolism. Application of the techniques discussed include noninvasive measurement of high-energy phosphate, intracellular pH, intracellular free Mg 2+ , and metabolite compartmentation. In perfused cat biceps (fast-twitch) muscles, but not in soleus (slow-twitch), NMR spectra indicate a substantially lower (1 mM) free inorganic phosphate level than when measured chemically (6 mM). In addition, saturation and inversion spin-transfer methods that enable direct measurement of the unidirectional fluxes through creatine kinase are described. In perfused cat biceps muscle, results suggest that this enzyme and its substrates are in simple chemical equilibrium

  20. Comparative Statistical Mechanics of Muscle and Non-Muscle Contractile Systems: Stationary States of Near-Equilibrium Systems in A Linear Regime

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    Yves Lecarpentier

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available A. Huxley’s equations were used to determine the mechanical properties of muscle myosin II (MII at the molecular level, as well as the probability of the occurrence of the different stages in the actin–myosin cycle. It was then possible to use the formalism of statistical mechanics with the grand canonical ensemble to calculate numerous thermodynamic parameters such as entropy, internal energy, affinity, thermodynamic flow, thermodynamic force, and entropy production rate. This allows us to compare the thermodynamic parameters of a non-muscle contractile system, such as the normal human placenta, with those of different striated skeletal muscles (soleus and extensor digitalis longus as well as the heart muscle and smooth muscles (trachea and uterus in the rat. In the human placental tissues, it was observed that the kinetics of the actin–myosin crossbridges were considerably slow compared with those of smooth and striated muscular systems. The entropy production rate was also particularly low in the human placental tissues, as compared with that observed in smooth and striated muscular systems. This is partly due to the low thermodynamic flow found in the human placental tissues. However, the unitary force of non-muscle myosin (NMII generated by each crossbridge cycle in the myofibroblasts of the human placental tissues was similar in magnitude to that of MII in the myocytes of both smooth and striated muscle cells. Statistical mechanics represents a powerful tool for studying the thermodynamics of all contractile muscle and non-muscle systems.

  1. Contracture Coupling of Slow Striated Muscle in Non-Ionic Solutions and Replacement of Calcium, Sodium, and Potassium

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    Irwin, Richard L.; Hein, Manfred M.

    1964-01-01

    The development of contracture related to changes of ionic environment (ionic contracture coupling) has been studied in the slowly responding fibers of frog skeletal muscle. When deprived of external ions for 30 minutes by use of solutions of sucrose, mannitol, or glucose, the slow skeletal muscle fibers, but not the fast, develop pronounced and easily reversible contractures. Partial replacement of the non-ionic substance with calcium or sodium reduces the development of the contractures but replacement by potassium does not. The concentration of calcium necessary to prevent contracture induced by a non-ionic solution is greater than that needed to maintain relaxation in ionic solutions. To suppress the non-ionic-induced contractures to the same extent as does calcium requires several fold higher concentrations of sodium. Two types of ionic contracture coupling occur in slow type striated muscle fibers: (a) a calcium deprivation type which develops maximally at full physiological concentration of external sodium, shows a flow rate dependency for the calcium-depriving fluid, and is lessened when the sodium concentration is decreased by replacement with sucrose; (b) a sodium deprivation type which occurs maximally without external sodium, is lessened by increasing the sodium concentration, and has no flow rate dependency for ion deprivation. Both types of contracture are largely prevented by the presence of sufficient calcium. There thus seem to be calcium- and sodium-linked processes at work in the ionic contracture coupling of slow striated muscle. PMID:14127603

  2. Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors Are Localized in Striated Muscle Mitochondria and Regulate Mitochondrial Respiration

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    Juan Mendizabal-Zubiaga

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The cannabinoid type 1 (CB1 receptor is widely distributed in the brain and peripheral organs where it regulates cellular functions and metabolism. In the brain, CB1 is mainly localized on presynaptic axon terminals but is also found on mitochondria (mtCB1, where it regulates cellular respiration and energy production. Likewise, CB1 is localized on muscle mitochondria, but very little is known about it. The aim of this study was to further investigate in detail the distribution and functional role of mtCB1 in three different striated muscles. Immunoelectron microscopy for CB1 was used in skeletal muscles (gastrocnemius and rectus abdominis and myocardium from wild-type and CB1-KO mice. Functional assessments were performed in mitochondria purified from the heart of the mice and the mitochondrial oxygen consumption upon application of different acute delta-9-tetrahidrocannabinol (Δ9-THC concentrations (100 nM or 200 nM was monitored. About 26% of the mitochondrial profiles in gastrocnemius, 22% in the rectus abdominis and 17% in the myocardium expressed CB1. Furthermore, the proportion of mtCB1 versus total CB1 immunoparticles was about 60% in the gastrocnemius, 55% in the rectus abdominis and 78% in the myocardium. Importantly, the CB1 immunolabeling pattern disappeared in muscles of CB1-KO mice. Functionally, acute 100 nM or 200 nM THC treatment specifically decreased mitochondria coupled respiration between 12% and 15% in wild-type isolated mitochondria of myocardial muscles but no significant difference was noticed between THC treated and vehicle in mitochondria isolated from CB1-KO heart. Furthermore, gene expression of key enzymes involved in pyruvate synthesis, tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle and mitochondrial respiratory chain was evaluated in the striated muscle of CB1-WT and CB1-KO. CB1-KO showed an increase in the gene expression of Eno3, Pkm2, and Pdha1, suggesting an increased production of pyruvate. In contrast, no significant

  3. Revealing t-tubules in striated muscle with new optical super-resolution microscopy techniques

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    Isuru D. Jayasinghe

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The t-tubular system plays a central role in the synchronisation of calcium signalling and excitation-contraction coupling in most striated muscle cells. Light microscopy has been used for imaging t-tubules for well over 100 years and together with electron microscopy (EM, has revealed the three-dimensional complexities of the t-system topology within cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle fibres from a range of species. The emerging super-resolution single molecule localisation microscopy (SMLM techniques are offering a near 10-fold improvement over the resolution of conventional fluorescence light microscopy methods, with the ability to spectrally resolve nanometre scale distributions of multiple molecular targets. In conjunction with the next generation of electron microscopy, SMLM has allowed the visualisation and quantification of intricate t-tubule morphologies within large areas of muscle cells at an unprecedented level of detail. In this paper, we review recent advancements in the t-tubule structural biology with the utility of various microscopy techniques. We outline the technical considerations in adapting SMLM to study t-tubules and its potential to further our understanding of the molecular processes that underlie the sub-micron scale structural alterations observed in a range of muscle pathologies.

  4. Chaperones and the Proteasome System: Regulating the Construction and Demolition of Striated Muscle

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    Casey Carlisle

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Protein folding factors (chaperones are required for many diverse cellular functions. In striated muscle, chaperones are required for contractile protein function, as well as the larger scale assembly of the basic unit of muscle, the sarcomere. The sarcomere is complex and composed of hundreds of proteins and the number of proteins and processes recognized to be regulated by chaperones has increased dramatically over the past decade. Research in the past ten years has begun to discover and characterize the chaperones involved in the assembly of the sarcomere at a rapid rate. Because of the dynamic nature of muscle, wear and tear damage is inevitable. Several systems, including chaperones and the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS, have evolved to regulate protein turnover. Much of our knowledge of muscle development focuses on the formation of the sarcomere but recent work has begun to elucidate the requirement and role of chaperones and the UPS in sarcomere maintenance and disease. This review will cover the roles of chaperones in sarcomere assembly, the importance of chaperone homeostasis and the cooperation of chaperones and the UPS in sarcomere integrity and disease.

  5. [Post-traumatic reconnection of the cervical spinal cord with skeletal striated muscles. Study in adult rats and marmosets].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horvat, J C; Affane-Boulaid, F; Baillet-Derbin, C; Davarpanah, Y; Destombes, J; Duchossoy, Y; Emery, E; Kassar-Duchossoy, L; Mira, J C; Moissonnier, P; Pécot-Dechavassine, M; Reviron, T; Rhrich-Haddout, F; Tadié, M; Ye, J H

    1997-01-01

    In an attempt at repairing the injured spinal cord of adult mammals (rat, dog and marmoset) and its damaged muscular connections, we are currently using: 1) peripheral nerve autografts (PNG), containing Schwann cells, to trigger and direct axonal regrowth from host and/or transplanted motoneurons towards denervated muscular targets; 2) foetal spinal cord transplants to replace lost neurons. In adult rats and marmosets, a PNG bridge was used to joint the injured cervical spinal cord to a denervated skeletal muscle (longissimus atlantis [rat] or biceps brachii [rat and marmoset]). The spinal lesion was obtained by the implantation procedure of the PNG. After a post-operative delay ranging from 2 to 22 months, the animals were checked electrophysiologically for functional muscular reconnection and processed for a morphological study including retrograde axonal tracing (HRP, Fast Blue, True Blue), histochemistry (AChE, ATPase), immunocytochemistry (ChAT) and EM. It was thus demonstrated that host motoneurons of the cervical enlargement could extend axons all the way through the PNG bridge as: a) in anaesthetized animals, contraction of the reconnected muscle could be obtained by electrical stimulation of the grafted nerve; b) the retrograde axonal tracing studies indicated that a great number of host cervical neurons extended axons into the PNG bridge up to the muscle; c) many of them were assumed to be motoneurons (double labelling with True Blue and an antibody against ChAT); and even alpha-motoneurons (type C axosomatic synapses in HRP labelled neurons seen in EM in the rat); d) numerous ectopic endplates were seen around the intramuscular tip of the PNG. In larger (cavitation) spinal lesions (rat), foetal motoneurons contained in E14 spinal cord transplants could similarly grow axons through PNG bridges up to the reconnected muscle. Taking all these data into account, it can be concluded that neural transplants are interesting tools for evaluating both the

  6. An Electron Microscopic Study of the Irradiation Effects on the Striated Duct Cells of the Submandibular Gland in Rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kyu Chan; Lee, Sang Rae

    1990-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of irradiation on the striated duct cells of the rat submandibular gland ductal tissues which control the characteristics of saliva. For this study, the experimental group was composed of 36 irradiated Sprague Dawley strain rats divided into 8 subgroups- 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours after irradiation. 4 non-irradiated rats were used as the control group. The experimental animals were singly irradiated with a dose of 18 Gy gamma ray to their head and neck region by the Co-6-teletherapy unit and sacrificed after each experimental duration. The specimens were examined with a light microscope with an H-E stain and with a transmission electron microscope. The results of this study were as follows. 1. In the light micrograph, a severe atrophic change occurred in the striated duct cells at 2 hours after irradiation and gradual recovery occurred from 6 hours after irradiation. 2. The nuclear chromosomes of the striated duct cells were changed granular at 2 hours after irradiation. Recovery was observed at 6 hours after irradiation. Nuclear bodies were also observed from 3 hours after irradiation. 3. The mitochondria of the striated duct cells had indistinct cristae at 2 hours after irradiation, and were degenerated or swollen at 3 hours after irradiation. They recovered, however, from 6 hours, with an increasing number at 48 hours a regular arrangement was observed at 72 hours after irradiation. 4. The microvilli showed atrophic changes at 2 hours after irradiation and were almost lost at 3 hours after irradiation. They were observed again from 48 hours after irradiation. 5. The rough endoplasmic reticulum and golgi body were not apparent at 1 hours after irradiation and were dilated with degeneration 2 hours after, but intact rough endoplasmic reticulum were observed from 3 hours after irradiation and developed well at 24 hours after irradiation. By the result of this

  7. The alterations in adenosine nucleotides and lactic acid in striated muscles of rats during Rigor mortis following death with drowning or cervical dislocation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pençe, Halime Hanim; Pençe, Sadrettin; Kurtul, Naciye; Yilmaz, Necat; Kocoglu, Hasan; Bakan, Ebubekir

    2003-01-01

    In this study, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and lactic acid in the muscles of masseter, triceps, and quadriceps obtained from right and left sides of Spraque-Dawley rats following death were investigated. The samples were taken immediately and 120 minutes after death occurred. The rats were killed either by cervical dislocation or drowning. ATP concentrations in the muscles of masseter, triceps, and quadriceps were lower in samples obtained 120 minutes after death than in those obtained immediately after death. ADP, AMP, and lactic acid concentrations in these muscles were higher in samples obtained 120 minutes after death than those obtained immediately after death. A positive linear correlation was determined between ATP and ADP concentrations in quadriceps muscles of the rats killed with cervical dislocation and in triceps muscles of the rats killed with drowning. When rats killed with cervical dislocation and with drowning were compared, ADP, AMP, and lactic acid concentrations were lower in the former than in the latter for both times (immediately and 120 minutes after death occurred). In the case of drowning, ATP is consumed faster because of hard exercise or severe physical activity, resulting in a faster rigor mortis. Higher lactic acid levels were determined in muscles of the rats killed with drowning than the other group. In the control and electric shock rats, ATP decreased in different levels in the three different muscle types mentioned above in control group, being much decline in masseter and then in quadriceps. This may be caused by lower mass and less glycogen storage of masseter. No different ATP levels were measured in drowning group with respect to the muscle type possibly because of the severe activity of triceps and quadriceps and because of smaller mass of masseter. One can conclude that the occurrence of rigor mortis is closely related to the mode of death.

  8. Healthy and diseased striated muscle studied by analytical scanning electron microscopy with special reference to fibre type

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wroblewski, R.

    1982-01-01

    X-ray microanalytical investigations of striated muscles in the scanning electron microscope are reviewed. The main part of the studies was performed on cryosections cut with a conventional cryostat operating at -20 degrees C to -40 degrees C. The preparation procedure including different types of attachment of the sections to the specimen holder is described in detail. The elemental changes in muscle are related to the muscle fibre type as demonstrated by histochemical methods or to histochemically demonstrated inclusions in diseased muscles. This is of great importance, because muscle disorders are often characterised by selective involvement of different muscle fibre types. The preparation methods of muscle for analytical scanning electron microscopy and the obtained results are compared with studies performed on thin cryo and epoxy sections, analysed in the transmission and scanning-transmission electron microscope. It is evident that X-ray microanalysis performed on thick cryosections provide a quick survey of the elemental composition of whole cells, and should be followed in interesting cases by close examination on the organelle level studied in thin cryosections in the transmission and scanning-transmission electron microscope

  9. The influence of temperature on the distribution and intensity of the reaction product in rat muscle fibers obtained with the histochemical method for myosin ATPase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirkeby, S; Tuxen, A

    1989-01-01

    The influence of temperature in the incubation medium on the localization and intensity of myosin ATPase was investigated in striated muscles from the rat using a conventional histochemical technique. It was found that the enzyme reaction was temperature-dependent since the activity in some fibers...... was raised and in others was depressed by alteration of the incubation temperature. There was no obvious correlation between the temperature sensitivity of ATPase in the muscle fibers and their activity for succinic dehydrogenase. It is proposed that the histochemical method for myosin ATPase can be used...

  10. Fiber types in the striated urethral and anal sphincters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schrøder, H D; Reske-Nielsen, E

    1983-01-01

    Seven normal human striated urethral and anal sphincters obtained by autopsy were examined using histochemical techniques. In both the urethral sphincter and the subcutaneous (s.c.) and superficial part of the anal sphincter a characteristic pattern with two populations of muscle fibers, abundant...

  11. Composition of Muscle Fiber Types in Rat Rotator Cuff Muscles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rui, Yongjun; Pan, Feng; Mi, Jingyi

    2016-10-01

    The rat is a suitable model to study human rotator cuff pathology owing to the similarities in morphological anatomy structure. However, few studies have reported the composition muscle fiber types of rotator cuff muscles in the rat. In this study, the myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms were stained by immunofluorescence to show the muscle fiber types composition and distribution in rotator cuff muscles of the rat. It was found that rotator cuff muscles in the rat were of mixed fiber type composition. The majority of rotator cuff fibers labeled positively for MyHCII. Moreover, the rat rotator cuff muscles contained hybrid fibers. So, compared with human rotator cuff muscles composed partly of slow-twitch fibers, the majority of fast-twitch fibers in rat rotator cuff muscles should be considered when the rat model study focus on the pathological process of rotator cuff muscles after injury. Gaining greater insight into muscle fiber types in rotator cuff muscles of the rat may contribute to elucidate the mechanism of pathological change in rotator cuff muscles-related diseases. Anat Rec, 299:1397-1401, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Interstitial cells of Cajal in the striated musculature of the mouse esophagus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rumessen, J J; de Kerchove d'Exaerde, A; Mignon, S

    2001-01-01

    . Sections and whole-mounts were studied by immunohistochemistry. KitW-lacZ transgenic mice, which carry the lacZ reporter gene inserted in place of the first exon of the Kit gene, were processed for Xgal histochemistry, for quantitative analysis and for ultrastructural studies. Spindle-shaped ICC were...... scarce in both muscle layers of the thoracic esophagus, while their number increased steeply toward the cardia in the striated portion of the intraabdominal esophagus. They did not form networks and had no relationship with intrinsic myenteric ganglia and motor end-plates. They were often close to nerve...... between striated muscle cells in the mouse esophagus. They are close to nerves with defined neurochemical coding and could possibly represent specialized esophageal spindle proprioceptors....

  13. Metabolic activity in striate and extrastriate cortex in the hooded rat: contralateral and ipsilateral eye input

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thurlow, G.A.; Cooper, R.M.

    1988-01-01

    The extent of changes in glucose metabolism resulting from ipsilateral and contralateral eye activity in the posterior cortex of the hooded rat was demonstrated by means of the C-14 2-deoxyglucose autoradiographic technique. By stimulating one eye with square wave gratings and eliminating efferent activation from the other by means of enucleation or intraocular TTX injection, differences between ipsilaterally and contralaterally based visual activity in the two hemispheres were maximized. Carbon-14 levels in layer IV of autoradiographs of coronal sections were measured and combined across sections to form right and left matrices of posterior cortex metabolic activity. A difference matrix, formed by subtracting the metabolic activity matrix of cortex contralateral to the stimulated eye from the ipsilateral depressed matrix, emphasized those parts of the visual cortex that received monocular visual input. The demarcation of striate cortex by means of cholinesterase stain and the examination of autoradiographs from sections cut tangential to the cortical surface aided in the interpretation of the difference matrices. In striate cortex, differences were maximal in the medial monocular portion, and the lateral or binocular portion was shown to be divided metabolically into a far lateral contralaterally dominant strip along the cortical representation of the vertical meridian, and a more medial region of patches of more or less contralaterally dominant binocular input. Lateral peristriate differences were less than those of striate cortex, and regions of greater and lesser monocular input could be distinguished. We did not detect differences between the two hemispheres in either anterior or medial peristriate areas

  14. Oxygen dependence of respiration in rat spinotrapezius muscle in situ

    OpenAIRE

    Golub, Aleksander S.; Pittman, Roland N.

    2012-01-01

    The oxygen dependence of respiration in striated muscle in situ was studied by measuring the rate of decrease of interstitial Po2 [oxygen disappearance curve (ODC)] following rapid arrest of blood flow by pneumatic tissue compression, which ejected red blood cells from the muscle vessels and made the ODC independent from oxygen bound to hemoglobin. After the contribution of photo-consumption of oxygen by the method was evaluated and accounted for, the corrected ODCs were converted into the Po...

  15. Rat whisker movement after facial nerve lesion: evidence for autonomic contraction of skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heaton, James T; Sheu, Shu Hsien; Hohman, Marc H; Knox, Christopher J; Weinberg, Julie S; Kleiss, Ingrid J; Hadlock, Tessa A

    2014-04-18

    Vibrissal whisking is often employed to track facial nerve regeneration in rats; however, we have observed similar degrees of whisking recovery after facial nerve transection with or without repair. We hypothesized that the source of non-facial nerve-mediated whisker movement after chronic denervation was from autonomic, cholinergic axons traveling within the infraorbital branch of the trigeminal nerve (ION). Rats underwent unilateral facial nerve transection with repair (N=7) or resection without repair (N=11). Post-operative whisking amplitude was measured weekly across 10weeks, and during intraoperative stimulation of the ION and facial nerves at ⩾18weeks. Whisking was also measured after subsequent ION transection (N=6) or pharmacologic blocking of the autonomic ganglia using hexamethonium (N=3), and after snout cooling intended to elicit a vasodilation reflex (N=3). Whisking recovered more quickly and with greater amplitude in rats that underwent facial nerve repair compared to resection (Pfacial-nerve-mediated whisking was elicited by electrical stimulation of the ION, temporarily diminished following hexamethonium injection, abolished by transection of the ION, and rapidly and significantly (Pfacial nerve resection. This study provides the first behavioral and anatomical evidence of spontaneous autonomic innervation of skeletal muscle after motor nerve lesion, which not only has implications for interpreting facial nerve reinnervation results, but also calls into question whether autonomic-mediated innervation of striated muscle occurs naturally in other forms of neuropathy. Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Distinctive serum miRNA profile in mouse models of striated muscular pathologies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Vignier

    Full Text Available Biomarkers are critically important for disease diagnosis and monitoring. In particular, close monitoring of disease evolution is eminently required for the evaluation of therapeutic treatments. Classical monitoring methods in muscular dystrophies are largely based on histological and molecular analyses of muscle biopsies. Such biopsies are invasive and therefore difficult to obtain. The serum protein creatine kinase is a useful biomarker, which is however not specific for a given pathology and correlates poorly with the severity or course of the muscular pathology. The aim of the present study was the systematic evaluation of serum microRNAs (miRNAs as biomarkers in striated muscle pathologies. Mouse models for five striated muscle pathologies were investigated: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2D (LGMD2D, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2C (LGMD2C, Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM. Two-step RT-qPCR methodology was elaborated, using two different RT-qPCR miRNA quantification technologies. We identified miRNA modulation in the serum of all the five mouse models. The most highly dysregulated serum miRNAs were found to be commonly upregulated in DMD, LGMD2D and LGMD2C mouse models, which all exhibit massive destruction of striated muscle tissues. Some of these miRNAs were down rather than upregulated in the EDMD mice, a model without massive myofiber destruction. The dysregulated miRNAs identified in the HCM model were different, with the exception of one dysregulated miRNA common to all pathologies. Importantly, a specific and distinctive circulating miRNA profile was identified for each studied pathological mouse model. The differential expression of a few dysregulated miRNAs in the DMD mice was further evaluated in DMD patients, providing new candidates of circulating miRNA biomarkers for DMD.

  17. The Intriguing Dual Lattices of the Myosin Filaments in Vertebrate Striated Muscles: Evolution and Advantage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pradeep K. Luther

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Myosin filaments in vertebrate striated muscle have a long roughly cylindrical backbone with cross-bridge projections on the surfaces of both halves except for a short central bare zone. In the middle of this central region the filaments are cross-linked by the M-band which holds them in a well-defined hexagonal lattice in the muscle A-band. During muscular contraction the M-band-defined rotation of the myosin filaments around their long axes influences the interactions that the cross-bridges can make with the neighbouring actin filaments. We can visualise this filament rotation by electron microscopy of thin cross-sections in the bare-region immediately adjacent to the M-band where the filament profiles are distinctly triangular. In the muscles of teleost fishes, the thick filament triangular profiles have a single orientation giving what we call the simple lattice. In other vertebrates, for example all the tetrapods, the thick filaments have one of two orientations where the triangles point in opposite directions (they are rotated by 60° or 180° according to set rules. Such a distribution cannot be developed in an ordered fashion across a large 2D lattice, but there are small domains of superlattice such that the next-nearest neighbouring thick filaments often have the same orientation. We believe that this difference in the lattice forms can lead to different contractile behaviours. Here we provide a historical review, and when appropriate cite recent work related to the emergence of the simple and superlattice forms by examining the muscles of several species ranging back to primitive vertebrates and we discuss the functional differences that the two lattice forms may have.

  18. Increased hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in striated muscle of tumor-bearing mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devine, Raymond D; Bicer, Sabahattin; Reiser, Peter J; Wold, Loren E

    2017-06-01

    that occur during cancer cachexia. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We used proteomics and metadata analysis software to identify contributors to metabolic changes in striated muscle during cancer cachexia. We found increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in the heart and skeletal muscle, suggesting a potential target for the therapeutic treatment of cancer cachexia. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  19. Muscle Contraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweeney, H Lee; Hammers, David W

    2018-02-01

    SUMMARYMuscle cells are designed to generate force and movement. There are three types of mammalian muscles-skeletal, cardiac, and smooth. Skeletal muscles are attached to bones and move them relative to each other. Cardiac muscle comprises the heart, which pumps blood through the vasculature. Skeletal and cardiac muscles are known as striated muscles, because the filaments of actin and myosin that power their contraction are organized into repeating arrays, called sarcomeres, that have a striated microscopic appearance. Smooth muscle does not contain sarcomeres but uses the contraction of filaments of actin and myosin to constrict blood vessels and move the contents of hollow organs in the body. Here, we review the principal molecular organization of the three types of muscle and their contractile regulation through signaling mechanisms and discuss their major structural and functional similarities that hint at the possible evolutionary relationships between the cell types. Copyright © 2018 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

  20. (−)-EPICATECHIN IMPROVES MITOCHONDRIAL RELATED PROTEIN LEVELS AND AMELIORATES OXIDATIVE STRESS IN DYSTROPHIC DELTA SARCOGLYCAN NULL MOUSE STRIATED MUSCLE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramirez-Sanchez, Israel; De los Santos, Sergio; Gonzalez-Basurto, Silvia; Canto, Patricia; Mendoza-Lorenzo, Patricia; Palma-Flores, Carlos; Ceballos-Reyes, Guillermo; Villarreal, Francisco; Zentella-Dehesa, Alejandro; Coral-Vazquez, Ramon

    2014-01-01

    Muscular dystrophies (MD) are a group of heterogeneous genetic disorders characterized by progressive striated muscle wasting and degeneration. Although the genetic basis for many of these disorders has been identified, the exact mechanism for disease pathogenesis remains unclear. The presence of oxidative stress (OS) is known to contribute to the pathophysiology and severity of the MD. Mitochondrial dysfunction is observed in MD and likely represents an important determinant of increased OS. Experimental antioxidant therapies have been implemented with the aim of protecting against disease progression, but results from clinical trials have been disappointing. In this study, we explored the capacity of the cacao flavonoid (−)-epicatechin (Epi) to mitigate OS by acting as a positive regulator of mitochondrial structure/function endpoints and redox balance control systems in skeletal and cardiac muscles of dystrophic, δ-sarcoglycan (δ-SG) null mice. Wild type or δ-SG null 2.5 month old male mice were treated via oral gavage with either water (control animals) or Epi (1 mg/kg, twice/day) for 2 weeks. Results evidence a significant normalization of total protein carbonylation, recovery of reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG ratio) and enhanced superoxide dismutase 2, catalase and citrate synthase activities with Epi treatment. These effects were accompanied by increases in protein levels for thiolredoxin, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase 2, catalase and mitochondrial endpoints. Furthermore, we evidence decreases in heart and skeletal muscle fibrosis, accompanied with an improvement in skeletal muscle function with treatment. These results warrant the further investigation of Epi as a potential therapeutic agent to mitigate MD associated muscle degeneration. PMID:25284161

  1. Generation of a vascularized organoid using skeletal muscle as the inductive source.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Messina, Aurora

    2005-09-01

    The technology required for creating an in vivo microenvironment and a neovasculature that can grow with and service new tissue is lacking, precluding the possibility of engineering complex three-dimensional organs. We have shown that when an arterio-venous (AV) loop is constructed in vivo in the rat groin, and placed inside a semisealed chamber, an extensive functional vasculature is generated. To test whether this unusually angiogenic environment supports the survival and growth of implanted tissue or cells, we inserted various preparations of rat and human skeletal muscle. We show that after 6 weeks incubation of muscle tissue, the chamber filled with predominantly well-vascularized recipient-derived adipose tissue, but some new donor-derived skeletal muscle and connective tissue were also evident. When primary cultured myoblasts were inserted into the chamber with the AV loop, they converted to mature striated muscle fibers. Furthermore, we identify novel adipogenesis-inducing properties of skeletal muscle. This represents the first report of a specific three-dimensional tissue grown on its own vascular supply.

  2. Comparative study of the effects of the Ga-As (904 nm, 150 mW) laser and the pulsed ultrasound of 1 MHz in inflammation of tibialis muscle of Wistar rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pinto, Marcus Vinicius de Mello; Rocha, Lamara Laguardia Valente; Santos, Helio Ricardo dos; Silva, Andre Luis dos Santos; Barbosa, Luis Guilherme; Reis, Joao Batista Alves dos [Centro Universitario de Caratinga, MG (Brazil)]. E-mail; orofacial_1@hotmail.com; Costa, Daniel Almeida da [Faculdade de Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Bernardo-Filho, Mario [Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes. Dept. de Biofisica e Biometria

    2008-12-15

    This paper aims to compare the therapeutic effect of the laser As-Ga of 904 nm and pulsed Ultrasound of 1 MHz applied in striated skeletal muscle of inflamed rats. The animals received an intramuscular injection of bupivacaine hydrochloride in tibialis muscle in order to induce the inflammatory process, and after 24 hours, the time was considered 0 for the initiation of therapy, using a laser and ultrasound. Samples collected the muscles of the animals were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and histological sections of the groups used for the analysis of the muscle tissue in relation to reducing the inflammatory process, comparing the results of the two therapies used. In this study it is suggested that both treatment with laser as with ultrasound can act as anti-inflammatory. However, the laser seems to have anti-inflammatory effect for all periods observed, while the ultrasound was only able to induce declining inflammatory response to seven days. (author)

  3. Comparative study of the effects of the Ga-As (904 nm, 150 mW) laser and the pulsed ultrasound of 1 MHz in inflammation of tibialis muscle of Wistar rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pinto, Marcus Vinicius de Mello; Rocha, Lamara Laguardia Valente; Santos, Helio Ricardo dos; Silva, Andre Luis dos Santos; Barbosa, Luis Guilherme; Reis, Joao Batista Alves dos . E-mail; Costa, Daniel Almeida da; Bernardo-Filho, Mario

    2008-01-01

    This paper aims to compare the therapeutic effect of the laser As-Ga of 904 nm and pulsed Ultrasound of 1 MHz applied in striated skeletal muscle of inflamed rats. The animals received an intramuscular injection of bupivacaine hydrochloride in tibialis muscle in order to induce the inflammatory process, and after 24 hours, the time was considered 0 for the initiation of therapy, using a laser and ultrasound. Samples collected the muscles of the animals were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and histological sections of the groups used for the analysis of the muscle tissue in relation to reducing the inflammatory process, comparing the results of the two therapies used. In this study it is suggested that both treatment with laser as with ultrasound can act as anti-inflammatory. However, the laser seems to have anti-inflammatory effect for all periods observed, while the ultrasound was only able to induce declining inflammatory response to seven days. (author)

  4. Metabolic characteristics of skeletal muscle from lean and obese Zucker rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campion, D.R.; Shapira, J.F.; Allen, C.E.; Hausman, G.J.; Martin, R.J.

    1987-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if the metabolic response to obesity and to pair feeding of obese Zucker rats to lean Zucker rats was similar across skeletal muscles. Oxidation of glucose, palmitate and isoleucine was studied in muscle strips in vitro using appropriate 14- carbon substrates as tracers. The plantaris muscle was subjected to histochemical analyses using an alkaline actomyosin ATPase, NADH-tetrazolium reductase and an oil red 0 stain. Soleus muscles from both ad libitum and pair fed obese rats oxidized less glucose to CO 2 , but released similar amounts of lactate when compared to the soleus muscles of lean rats. Oxidation of glucose was similar in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of ad libitum fed obese rats, but lower when pair fed to the intake of lean rats. No differences were apparent in palmitate oxidation to CO 2 or in incorporation into lipid, except in the EDL muscle of pair-fed obese rats which exhibited a higher rate for palmitate metabolism when compared with lean rats. Isoleucine oxidation to CO 2 was higher in the EDL and plantaris muscles, but similar in the soleus muscle of ad libitum-fed obese rats when compared with lean rats. The magnitude of the difference in isoleucine oxidation was similar when the obese rats were pair fed. No differences in the percentage of plantaris muscle fibers sensitive to alkaline ATPase staining were observed. The plantaris muscle of obese rats, contained a higher proportion of oxidative fibers. These results indicate the great risk in generalizing about metabolic activity of the whole skeletal muscle mass based on observations made on one, or even two, distinct muscles in this animal model. Also, pair feeding of obese to lean Zucker rats did not result in uniform change sin metabolism between muscles of the obese rats

  5. Normalization of cell responses in cat striate cortex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heeger, D. J.

    1992-01-01

    Simple cells in the striate cortex have been depicted as half-wave-rectified linear operators. Complex cells have been depicted as energy mechanisms, constructed from the squared sum of the outputs of quadrature pairs of linear operators. However, the linear/energy model falls short of a complete explanation of striate cell responses. In this paper, a modified version of the linear/energy model is presented in which striate cells mutually inhibit one another, effectively normalizing their responses with respect to stimulus contrast. This paper reviews experimental measurements of striate cell responses, and shows that the new model explains a significantly larger body of physiological data.

  6. Immunocytochemical electron microscopic study and western blot analysis of paramyosin in different invertebrate muscle cell types of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the earthworm Eisenia foetida, and the snail Helix aspersa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Royuela, M; García-Anchuelo, R; Arenas, M I; Cervera, M; Fraile, B; Paniagua, R

    1996-04-01

    The presence and distribution pattern of paramyosin have been examined in different invertebrate muscle cell types by means of Western blot analysis and electron microscopy immunogold labelling. The muscles studied were: transversely striated muscle with continuous Z lines (flight muscle from Drosophila melanogaster), transversely striated muscle with discontinuous Z lines (heart muscle from the snail Helix aspersa), obliquely striated body wall muscle from the earthworm Eisenia foetida, and smooth muscles (retractor muscle from the snail and pseudoheart outer muscular layer from the earthworm). Paramyosin-like immunoreactivity was localized in thick filaments of all muscles studied. Immunogold particle density was similar along the whole thick filament length in insect flight muscle but it predominated in filament tips of fusiform thick filaments in both snail heart and earthworm body wall musculature when these filaments were observed in longitudinal sections. In obliquely sectioned thick filaments, immunolabelling was more abundant at the sites where filaments disappeared from the section. These results agree with the notion that paramyosin extended along the whole filament length, but that it can only be immunolabelled when it is not covered by myosin. In all muscles examined, immunolabelling density was lower in cross-sectioned myofilaments than in longitudinally sectioned myofilaments. This suggests that paramyosin does not form a continuous filament. The results of a semiquantitative analysis of paramyosin-like immunoreactivity indicated that it was more abundant in striated than in smooth muscles, and that, within striated muscles, transversely striated muscles contain more paramyosin than obliquely striated muscles.

  7. The ‘Goldilocks Zone’ from a redox perspective - Adaptive versus deleterious responses to oxidative stress in striated muscle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rick J Alleman

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Consequences of oxidative stress may be beneficial or detrimental in physiological systems. An organ system’s position on the ‘hormetic curve’ is governed by the source and temporality of reactive oxygen species (ROS production, proximity of ROS to moieties most susceptible to damage, and the capacity of the endogenous cellular ROS scavenging mechanisms. Most importantly, the resilience of the tissue (the capacity to recover from damage is a decisive factor, and this is reflected in the disparate response to ROS in cardiac and skeletal muscle. In myocytes, a high oxidative capacity invariably results in a significant ROS burden which in homeostasis, is rapidly neutralized by the robust antioxidant network. The up-regulation of key pathways in the antioxidant network is a central component of the hormetic response to ROS. Despite such adaptations, persistent oxidative stress over an extended time-frame (e.g. months to years inevitably leads to cumulative damages, maladaptation and ultimately the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. Indeed, persistent oxidative stress in heart and skeletal muscle has been repeatedly demonstrated to have causal roles in the etiology of heart disease and insulin resistance, respectively. Deciphering the mechanisms that underlie the divergence between adaptive and maladaptive responses to oxidative stress remains an active area of research for basic scientists and clinicians alike, as this would undoubtedly lead to novel therapeutic approaches. Here, we provide an overview of major types of ROS in striated muscle and the divergent adaptations that occur in response to them. Emphasis is placed on highlighting newly uncovered areas of research on this topic, with particular focus on the mitochondria, and the diverging roles that ROS play in muscle health (e.g., exercise or preconditioning and disease (e.g., cardiomyopathy, ischemia, metabolic syndrome.

  8. Histological study of rat masseter muscle following experimental occlusal alteration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishide, N; Baba, S; Hori, N; Nishikawa, H

    2001-03-01

    It has been suggested that occlusal interference results in masticatory muscle dysfunction. In our previous study, occlusal interference reduced the rat masseter energy level during masticatory movements. The purpose of this study was to investigate the histological alterations of rat masseter muscles following experimental occlusal alteration with unilateral bite-raising. A total of eight male adult Wistar rats were equally divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental rats wore bite-raising splints on the unilateral upper molar. However, 4 weeks after the operation, the anterior deep masseter muscles were removed and then stained for succinic acid dehydrogenase (SDH), haematoxylin eosin (HE) and myofibrillar ATPase. Most of the muscle fibres in experimental rats remained intact, although partial histological changes were observed, such as extended connective tissue, appearance of inflammatory cells in the muscle fibres and existence of muscle fibres with central nuclei and central cores. Moreover, the fibre area-fibre frequency histograms of experimental muscle indicated a broad pattern than that of controls. These results indicated that occlusal interference caused histological changes in masseter muscles and that this may be related to the fact that the masseter energy level was reduced during masticatory movements in unilateral bite-raised rats.

  9. Rat muscle blood flows during high-speed locomotion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armstrong, R.B.; Laughlin, M.H.

    1985-01-01

    We previously studied blood flow distribution within and among rat muscles as a function of speed from walking (15 m/min) through galloping (75 m/min) on a motor-driven treadmill. The results showed that muscle blood flows continued to increase as a function of speed through 75 m/min. The purpose of the present study was to have rats run up to maximal treadmill speeds to determine if blood flows in the muscles reach a plateau as a function of running speed over the animals normal range of locomotory speeds. Muscle blood flows were measured with radiolabeled microspheres at 1 min of running at 75, 90, and 105 m/min in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The data indicate that even at these relatively high treadmill speeds there was still no clear evidence of a plateau in blood flow in most of the hindlimb muscles. Flows in most muscles continued to increase as a function of speed. These observed patterns of blood flow vs. running speed may have resulted from the rigorous selection of rats that were capable of performing the high-intensity exercise and thus only be representative of a highly specific population of animals. On the other hand, the data could be interpreted to indicate that the cardiovascular potential during exercise is considerably higher in laboratory rats than has normally been assumed and that inadequate blood flow delivery to the muscles does not serve as a major limitation to their locomotory performance

  10. Alpha-adrenergic receptors in rat skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rattigan, S; Appleby, G J; Edwards, S J

    1986-01-01

    Sarcolemma-enriched preparations from muscles rich in slow oxidative red fibres contained specific binding sites for the alpha 1 antagonist, prazosin (e.g. soleus Kd 0.13 nM, Bmax 29 fmol/mg protein). Binding sites for prazosin were almost absent from white muscle. Displacement of prazosin bindin...... adrenergic receptors are present on the sarcolemma of slow oxidative red fibres of rat skeletal muscle. The presence provides the mechanistic basis for apparent alpha-adrenergic effects to increase glucose and oxygen uptake in perfused rat hindquarter....

  11. Length dependence of force generation exhibit similarities between rat cardiac myocytes and skeletal muscle fibres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanft, Laurin M; McDonald, Kerry S

    2010-08-01

    According to the Frank-Starling relationship, increased ventricular volume increases cardiac output, which helps match cardiac output to peripheral circulatory demand. The cellular basis for this relationship is in large part the myofilament length-tension relationship. Length-tension relationships in maximally calcium activated preparations are relatively shallow and similar between cardiac myocytes and skeletal muscle fibres. During twitch activations length-tension relationships become steeper in both cardiac and skeletal muscle; however, it remains unclear whether length dependence of tension differs between striated muscle cell types during submaximal activations. The purpose of this study was to compare sarcomere length-tension relationships and the sarcomere length dependence of force development between rat skinned left ventricular cardiac myocytes and fast-twitch and slow-twitch skeletal muscle fibres. Muscle cell preparations were calcium activated to yield 50% maximal force, after which isometric force and rate constants (k(tr)) of force development were measured over a range of sarcomere lengths. Myofilament length-tension relationships were considerably steeper in fast-twitch fibres compared to slow-twitch fibres. Interestingly, cardiac myocyte preparations exhibited two populations of length-tension relationships, one steeper than fast-twitch fibres and the other similar to slow-twitch fibres. Moreover, myocytes with shallow length-tension relationships were converted to steeper length-tension relationships by protein kinase A (PKA)-induced myofilament phosphorylation. Sarcomere length-k(tr) relationships were distinct between all three cell types and exhibited patterns markedly different from Ca(2+) activation-dependent k(tr) relationships. Overall, these findings indicate cardiac myocytes exhibit varied length-tension relationships and sarcomere length appears a dominant modulator of force development rates. Importantly, cardiac myocyte length

  12. Bones, Muscles, and Joints: The Musculoskeletal System

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Skeletal muscles are called striated (pronounced: STRY-ay-ted) because they are made up of fibers that ... blood through your body. When we smile and talk, muscles are helping us communicate, and when we ...

  13. Overview of the Muscle Cytoskeleton

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henderson, Christine A.; Gomez, Christopher G.; Novak, Stefanie M.; Mi-Mi, Lei; Gregorio, Carol C.

    2018-01-01

    Cardiac and skeletal striated muscles are intricately designed machines responsible for muscle contraction. Coordination of the basic contractile unit, the sarcomere, and the complex cytoskeletal networks are critical for contractile activity. The sarcomere is comprised of precisely organized individual filament systems that include thin (actin), thick (myosin), titin, and nebulin. Connecting the sarcomere to other organelles (e.g., mitochondria and nucleus) and serving as the scaffold to maintain cellular integrity are the intermediate filaments. The costamere, on the other hand, tethers the sarcomere to the cell membrane. Unique structures like the intercalated disc in cardiac muscle and the myotendinous junction in skeletal muscle help synchronize and transmit force. Intense investigation has been done on many of the proteins that make up these cytoskeletal assemblies. Yet the details of their function and how they interconnect have just started to be elucidated. A vast number of human myopathies are contributed to mutations in muscle proteins; thus understanding their basic function provides a mechanistic understanding of muscle disorders. In this review, we highlight the components of striated muscle with respect to their interactions, signaling pathways, functions, and connections to disease. PMID:28640448

  14. Lectins binding during alloxan-induced diabetes in rat soleus muscle

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Membrane structural changes of soleus muscle of alloxan-diabetic rats were detected with a panel of six biotinylated lectins. Samples of muscles were obtained from normal and diabetic rats. The biotinylated lectins in staining were detected by avidin-peroxidase complex. Lectin stainning of soleus muscle cryostat sections ...

  15. Postirradiation recovery of the skeletal muscle of rats of various age

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popova, M.F.; Bulyakova, N.V.

    1977-01-01

    The skeletal muscle of young rats (particularly of 3-and 4-week old ones) exposed to local irradiation of 2000 R was markedly repaired in the course of one month after irradiation . This was indicated by a restored ability of the muscle for posttraumatic regeneration. A regeneration ability of the irradiated muscle of old rats was not restored. The more intensive processes of postirradiation recovery in muscles of young rats may be explained by their more active metabolism

  16. Impact of a nickel-reduced stainless steel implant on striated muscle microcirculation: a comparative in vivo study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraft, C N; Burian, B; Perlick, L; Wimmer, M A; Wallny, T; Schmitt, O; Diedrich, O

    2001-12-05

    The impairment of skeletal muscle microcirculation by a biomaterial may have profound consequences. With moderately good physical and corrosion characteristics, implant-quality stainless steel is particularly popular in orthopedic surgery. However, due to the presence of a considerable amount of nickel in the alloy, concern has been voiced in respect to local tissue responses. More recently a stainless steel alloy with a significant reduction of nickel has become commercially available. We, therefore, studied in vivo nutritive perfusion and leukocytic response of striated muscle to this nickel-reduced alloy, and compared these results with those of the materials conventional stainless steel and titanium. Using the hamster dorsal skinfold chamber preparation and intravital microscopy, we could demonstrate that reduction of the nickel quantity in a stainless steel implant has a positive effect on local microvascular parameters. Although the implantation of a conventional stainless steel sample led to a distinct and persistent activation of leukocytes combined with disruption of the microvascular endothelial integrity, marked leukocyte extravasation, and considerable venular dilation, animals with a nickel-reduced stainless steel implant showed only a moderate increase of these parameters, with a clear tendency of recuperation. Titanium implants merely caused a transient increase of leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction within the first 120 min, and no significant change in macromolecular leakage, leukocyte extravasation, or venular diameter. Pending biomechanical and corrosion testing, nickel-reduced stainless steel may be a viable alternative to conventional implant-quality stainless steel for biomedical applications. Concerning tolerance by the local vascular system, titanium currently remains unsurpassed. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 57: 404-412, 2001

  17. Seasonal changes in isoform composition of giant proteins of thick and thin filaments and titin (connectin) phosphorylation level in striated muscles of bears (Ursidae, Mammalia).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmov, N N; Vikhlyantsev, I M; Ulanova, A D; Gritsyna, Yu V; Bobylev, A G; Saveljev, A P; Makariushchenko, V V; Maksudov, G Yu; Podlubnaya, Z A

    2015-03-01

    Seasonal changes in the isoform composition of thick and thin filament proteins (titin, myosin heavy chains (MyHCs), nebulin), as well as in the phosphorylation level of titin in striated muscles of brown bear (Ursus arctos) and hibernating Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus ussuricus) were studied. We found that the changes that lead to skeletal muscle atrophy in bears during hibernation are not accompanied by a decrease in the content of nebulin and intact titin-1 (T1) isoforms. However, a decrease (2.1-3.4-fold) in the content of T2 fragments of titin was observed in bear skeletal muscles (m. gastrocnemius, m. longissimus dorsi, m. biceps) during hibernation. The content of the stiffer N2B titin isoform was observed to increase relative to the content of its more compliant N2BA isoform in the left ventricles of hibernating bears. At the same time, in spite of the absence of decrease in the total content of T1 in the myocardium of hibernating brown bear, the content of T2 fragments decreased ~1.6-fold. The level of titin phosphorylation only slightly increased in the cardiac muscle of hibernating brown bear. In the skeletal muscles of brown bear, the level of titin phosphorylation did not vary between seasons. However, changes in the composition of MyHCs aimed at increasing the content of slow (I) and decreasing the content of fast (IIa) isoforms of this protein during hibernation of brown bear were detected. Content of MyHCs I and IIa in the skeletal muscles of hibernating Himalayan black bear corresponded to that in the skeletal muscles of hibernating brown bear.

  18. Effects of voluntary wheel running on satellite cells in the rat plantaris muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurosaka, Mitsutoshi; Naito, Hisashi; Ogura, Yuji; Kojima, Atsushi; Goto, Katsumasa; Katamoto, Shizuo

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of voluntary wheel running on satellite cells in the rat plantaris muscle. Seventeen 5-week-old male Wistar rats were assigned to a control (n = 5) or training (n = 12) group. Each rat in the training group ran voluntarily in a running-wheel cage for 8 weeks. After the training period, the animals were anesthetized, and the plantaris muscles were removed, weighed, and analyzed immunohistochemically and biochemically. Although there were no significant differences in muscle weight or fiber area between the groups, the numbers of satellite cells and myonuclei per muscle fiber, percentage of satellite cells, and citrate synthase activity were significantly higher in the training group compared with the control group (p run in the training group (r = 0.61, p running can induce an increase in the number of satellite cells without changing the mean fiber area in the rat plantaris muscle; this increase in satellite cell content is a function of distance run. Key pointsThere is no study about the effect of voluntary running on satellite cells in the rat plantaris muscle.Voluntary running training causes an increase of citrate synthase activity in the rat plantaris muscle but does not affect muscle weight and mean fiber area in the rat plantaris muscle.Voluntary running can induce an increase in the number of satellite cells without hypertrophy of the rat plantaris muscle.

  19. Basal and insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle sugar transport in endotoxic and bacteremic rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Westfall, M.V.; Sayeed, M.M.

    1988-01-01

    Membrane glucose transport with and without insulin was studied in soleus muscle from 5-h endotoxic rats (40 mg/kg Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharide), and in soleus and epitrochlearis muscles from 12-h bacteremic (Escherichia coli, 4 X 10(10) CFU/kg) rats. Glucose transport was measured in muscles by evaluating the fractional efflux of 14 C-labeled 3-O-methylglucose ( 14 C-3-MG) after loading muscles with 14 C-3-MG. Basal 3-MG transport was elevated in soleus muscles from endotoxic as well as in soleus and epitrochlearis muscles from bacteremic rats compared with time-matched controls. Low insulin concentrations stimulated 14 C-3-MG transport more in bacteremic and endotoxic rat muscles than in controls. However, sugar transport in the presence of high insulin dose was attenuated in soleus and epitrochlearis muscles from bacteremic rats and soleus muscles from endotoxic rats compared with controls. Analysis of the dose-response relationship with ALLFIT revealed that the maximal transport response to insulin was significantly decreased in both models of septic shock. Sensitivity to insulin (EC50) was increased in endotoxic rat muscles, and a somewhat similar tendency was observed in bacteremic rat soleus muscles. Neural and humoral influences and/or changes in cellular metabolic energy may contribute to the increase in basal transport. Shifts in insulin-mediated transport may be due to alterations in insulin-receptor-effector coupling and/or the number of available glucose transporters

  20. Influence of end-joint methods on magnetization loss in striated helical conductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Woo Seok; Kim, Yung Il; Choi, Kyeong Dal; Lee, Ji Kwang

    2013-01-01

    To reduce the magnetization loss of a coated conductor, the striation and the transposition have to be accomplished for magnetic decoupling. The loss reduction effect in incomplete as well as complete striated YBCO CCs was reported in previous research. At the case of the incomplete striated sample, the end region of the sample is non-striated. So, it is not jointed with each other. In power applications, the joint is needed because current leads must be connected with HTS coils. In this research, the influence of end-joint methods with copper and superconducting joint on magnetization loss in striated YBCO CC and spiral winding samples are presented and compared with non-striated measured result.

  1. A muscle stem cell for every muscle: variability of satellite cell biology among different muscle groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randolph, Matthew E.; Pavlath, Grace K.

    2015-01-01

    The human body contains approximately 640 individual skeletal muscles. Despite the fact that all of these muscles are composed of striated muscle tissue, the biology of these muscles and their associated muscle stem cell populations are quite diverse. Skeletal muscles are affected differentially by various muscular dystrophies (MDs), such that certain genetic mutations specifically alter muscle function in only a subset of muscles. Additionally, defective muscle stem cells have been implicated in the pathology of some MDs. The biology of muscle stem cells varies depending on the muscles with which they are associated. Here we review the biology of skeletal muscle stem cell populations of eight different muscle groups. Understanding the biological variation of skeletal muscles and their resident stem cells could provide valuable insight into mechanisms underlying the susceptibility of certain muscles to myopathic disease. PMID:26500547

  2. Botulinum toxin injection causes hyper-reflexia and increased muscle stiffness of the triceps surae muscle in the rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pingel, Jessica; Wienecke, Jacob; Lorentzen, Jakob

    2016-01-01

    Botulinum toxin is used to diminish spasticity and reduce the risk of development of contractures. Here, we investigated changes in muscle stiffness caused by reflex activity or elastic muscle properties following botulinum toxin injection in the triceps surae muscle in rats. Forty-four rats...... received injection of botulinum toxin in the left triceps surae muscle. Control measurements were performed on the non-injected contralateral side in all rats. Acute experiments were performed 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks following injection. The triceps surae muscle was dissected free, the Achilles tendon was cut...... and attached to a muscle puller. The resistance of the muscle to stretches of different amplitudes and velocities was systematically investigated. Reflex mediated torque was normalized to the maximal muscle force (Mmax) evoked by supramaximal stimulation of the tibial nerve. Botulinum toxin injection caused...

  3. Three-O-methylglucose transport in soleus muscle of bacteremic rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Westfall, M.V.; Sayeed, M.M.

    1987-01-01

    Basal and insulin-stimulated soleus muscle 3-O-[ 14 C]merhylglucose ([ 14 C]-3-O-MG) transport was studied in vitro and in vivo during bacteremia in rats. Fasted rats were injected with Escherichia coli to produce bacteremia (B), and controls (C) received saline. In vitro studies using soleus muscles were carried out 8 of 12 hr after bacterial injection, and transport was measured using the rate coefficient (λ = min/sup /minus/1/). Although insulin-stimulated [ 14 C]-3-O-MG transport was decreased in 12-h bacteremic rat muscles the basal [ 14 C]-3-O-MG transport was rate coefficient was elevated. For in vivo studies, [ 14 C]-3-O-MG with or without insulin was injected into rats 10-40 min prior to removing soleus muscles at 12 h postbacterial or postsaline injection. Transport was measured as the ratio of [ 14 C]-3-O-MG/sub intracell//[ 14 C]-3-O-MG/sub extracell/. Basal ratios were not different and muscles from both control and bacteremic rats responded comparably to insulin with increased [ 14 C]-3-O-MG transport during the initial 30 min. At 35-40 min postinsulin injection there was a further stimulation of [ 14 C]-3-O-MG transport in control but not in 12-h bacteremic rat muscles. The changes in [ 14 C]-3-O-MG transport observed in vitro and in vivo after 12 h of bacteremia may be due to circulating mediators and/or changes in membrane function

  4. Muscle and liver glycogen, protein, and triglyceride in the rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Richter, Erik; Sonne, Bente; Joensen Mikines, Kari

    1984-01-01

    in skeletal muscle was accompanied by increased breakdown of triglyceride and/or protein. Thus, the effect of exhausting swimming and of running on concentrations of glycogen, protein, and triglyceride in skeletal muscle and liver were studied in rats with and without deficiencies of the sympatho......-adrenal system. In control rats, both swimming and running decreased the concentration of glycogen in fast-twitch red and slow-twitch red muscle whereas concentrations of protein and triglyceride did not decrease. In the liver, swimming depleted glycogen stores but protein and triglyceride concentrations did...... not decrease. In exercising rats, muscle glycogen breakdown was impaired by adrenodemedullation and restored by infusion of epinephrine. However, impaired glycogen breakdown during exercise was not accompanied by a significant net breakdown of protein or triglyceride. Surgical sympathectomy of the muscles did...

  5. Passive stiffness of rat skeletal muscle undernourished during fetal development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Elisa Toscano

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of fetal undernutrition on the passive mechanical properties of skeletal muscle of weaned and young adult rats. INTRODUCTION: A poor nutrition supply during fetal development affects physiological functions of the fetus. From a mechanical point of view, skeletal muscle can be also characterized by its resistance to passive stretch. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups according to their mother's diet during pregnancy: a control group (mothers fed a 17% protein diet and an isocaloric low-protein group (mothers fed a 7.8% protein diet. At birth, all mothers received a standardized meal ad libitum. At the age of 25 and 90 days, the soleus muscle and extensor digitorum longus (EDL muscles were removed in order to test the passive mechanical properties. A first mechanical test consisted of an incremental stepwise extension test using fast velocity stretching (500 mm/s enabling us to measure, for each extension stepwise, the dynamic stress (σd and the steady stress (σs. A second test consisted of a slow velocity stretch in order to calculate normalized stiffness and tangent modulus from the stress-strain relationship. RESULTS: The results for the mechanical properties showed an important increase in passive stiffness in both the soleus and EDL muscles in weaned rat. In contrast, no modification was observed in young adult rats. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in passive stiffness in skeletal muscle of weaned rat submitted to intrauterine undernutrition it is most likely due to changes in muscle passive stiffness.

  6. Muscle glucose metabolism following exercise in the rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Richter, Erik; Garetto, L P; Goodman, M N

    1982-01-01

    Muscle glycogen stores are depleted during exercise and are rapidly repleted during the recovery period. To investigate the mechanism for this phenomenon, untrained male rats were run for 45 min on a motor-driven treadmill and the ability of their muscles to utilize glucose was then assessed during...... in glucose utilization enhanced by prior exercise appeared to be glucose transport across the cell membrane, as in neither control nor exercised rats did free glucose accumulate in the muscle cell. Following exercise, the ability of insulin to stimulate the release of lactate into the perfusate was unaltered......; however its ability to stimulate the incorporation of [(14)C]glucose into glycogen in certain muscles was enhanced. Thus at a concentration of 75 muU/ml insulin stimulated glycogen synthesis eightfold more in the fast-twitch red fibers of the red gastrocnemius than it did in the same muscle...

  7. Glucose uptake and transport in contracting, perfused rat muscle with different pre-contraction glycogen concentrations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hespel, P; Richter, Erik

    1990-01-01

    1. Glucose uptake and transport, muscle glycogen, free glucose and glucose-6-phosphate concentrations were studied in perfused resting and contracting rat skeletal muscle with different pre-contraction glycogen concentrations. Rats were pre-conditioned by a combination of swimming exercise and diet......, resulting in either low (glycogen-depleted rats), normal (control rats) or high (supercompensated rats) muscle glycogen concentrations at the time their hindlimbs were perfused. 2. Compared with control rats, pre-contraction muscle glycogen concentration was approximately 40% lower in glycogen-depleted rats......, whereas it was 40% higher in supercompensated rats. Muscle glycogen break-down correlated positively (r = 0.76; P less than 0.001) with pre-contraction muscle glycogen concentration. 3. Glucose uptake during contractions was approximately 50% higher in glycogen-depleted hindquarters than in control...

  8. Interpretation of the function of the striate cortex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garner, Bernardette M.; Paplinski, Andrew P.

    2000-04-01

    Biological neural networks do not require retraining every time objects move in the visual field. Conventional computer neural networks do not share this shift-invariance. The brain compensates for movements in the head, body, eyes and objects by allowing the sensory data to be tracked across the visual field. The neurons in the striate cortex respond to objects moving across the field of vision as is seen in many experiments. It is proposed, that the neurons in the striate cortex allow continuous angle changes needed to compensate for changes in orientation of the head, eyes and the motion of objects in the field of vision. It is hypothesized that the neurons in the striate cortex form a system that allows for the translation, some rotation and scaling of objects and provides a continuity of objects as they move relative to other objects. The neurons in the striate cortex respond to features which are fundamental to sight, such as orientation of lines, direction of motion, color and contrast. The neurons that respond to these features are arranged on the cortex in a way that depends on the features they are responding to and on the area of the retina from which they receive their inputs.

  9. Transgenic animal model for studying the mechanism of obesity-associated stress urinary incontinence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lin; Lin, Guiting; Lee, Yung-Chin; Reed-Maldonado, Amanda B; Sanford, Melissa T; Wang, Guifang; Li, Huixi; Banie, Lia; Xin, Zhengcheng; Lue, Tom F

    2017-02-01

    To study and compare the function and structure of the urethral sphincter in female Zucker lean (ZL) and Zucker fatty (ZF) rats and to assess the viability of ZF fats as a model for female obesity-associated stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Two study arms were created: a ZL arm including 16-week-old female ZL rats (ZUC-Lepr fa 186; n = 12) and a ZF arm including 16-week-old female ZF rats (ZUC-Lepr fa 185; n = 12). I.p. insulin tolerance testing was carried out before functional study. Metabolic cages, conscious cystometry and leak point pressure (LPP) assessments were conducted. Urethral tissues were harvested for immunofluorescence staining to check intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) and sphincter muscle (smooth muscle and striated muscle) composition. The ZF rats had insulin resistance, a greater voiding frequency and lower LPP compared with ZL rats (P Obesity impairs urethral sphincter function via IMCL deposition and leads to atrophy and distortion of urethral striated muscle. The ZF rats could be a consistent and reliable animal model in which to study obesity-associated SUI. © 2016 The Authors BJU International © 2016 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Contractions but not AICAR increase FABPpm content in rat muscle sarcolemma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeppesen, Jacob; Albers, Peter; Luiken, Joost J.

    2009-01-01

    FAT/CD36 and FABPpm protein expression, measured in lysates with western blotting, by either stimulus. AMPK thr172 and ERK1/2 thr202/204 phosphorylation were significantly increased with muscle contractions (P ...In the present study, it was investigated whether acute muscle contractions in rat skeletal muscle increased the protein content of FABPpm in the plasma membrane. Furthermore, the effect of AICAR stimulation on FAT/CD36 and FABPpm protein content in sarcolemma of rat skeletal muscle was evaluated....... METHODS: Male wistar rats (150 g) were anesthetized and either subjected to in situ electrically induced contractions (hindlimb muscles: 20 min, 10-20 V, 200 ms trains, 100 Hz) or stimulated with the pharmacological activator of AMPK, AICAR. To investigate changes in the content of FABPpm and FAT/CD36...

  11. A novel conserved isoform of the ubiquitin ligase UFD2a/UBE4B is expressed exclusively in mature striated muscle cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew L Mammen

    Full Text Available Yeast Ufd2p was the first identified E4 multiubiquitin chain assembly factor. Its vertebrate homologues later referred to as UFD2a, UBE4B or E4B were also shown to have E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. UFD2a function in the brain has been well established in vivo, and in vitro studies have shown that its activity is essential for proper condensation and segregation of chromosomes during mitosis. Here we show that 2 alternative splice forms of UFD2a, UFD2a-7 and -7/7a, are expressed sequentially during myoblast differentiation of C2C12 cell cultures and during cardiotoxin-induced regeneration of skeletal muscle in mice. UFD2a-7 contains an alternate exon 7, and UFD2a-7/7a, the larger of the 2 isoforms, contains an additional novel exon 7a. Analysis of protein or mRNA expression in mice and zebrafish revealed that a similar pattern of isoform switching occurs during developmental myogenesis of cardiac and skeletal muscle. In vertebrates (humans, rodents, zebrafish, UFD2a-7/7a is expressed only in mature striated muscle. This unique tissue specificity is further validated by the conserved presence of 2 muscle-specific splicing regulatory motifs located in the 3' introns of exons 7 and 7a. UFD2a interacts with VCP/p97, an AAA-type ATPase implicated in processes whose functions appear to be regulated, in part, through their interaction with one or more of 15 previously identified cofactors. UFD2a-7/7a did not interact with VCP/p97 in yeast 2-hybrid experiments, which may allow the ATPase to bind cofactors that facilitate its muscle-specific functions. We conclude that the regulated expression of these UFD2a isoforms most likely imparts divergent functions that are important for myogenisis.

  12. Ureter smooth muscle cell orientation in rat is predominantly longitudinal.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bart Spronck

    Full Text Available In ureter peristalsis, the orientation of the contracting smooth muscle cells is essential, yet current descriptions of orientation and composition of the smooth muscle layer in human as well as in rat ureter are inconsistent. The present study aims to improve quantification of smooth muscle orientation in rat ureters as a basis for mechanistic understanding of peristalsis. A crucial step in our approach is to use two-photon laser scanning microscopy and image analysis providing objective, quantitative data on smooth muscle cell orientation in intact ureters, avoiding the usual sectioning artifacts. In 36 rat ureter segments, originating from a proximal, middle or distal site and from a left or right ureter, we found close to the adventitia a well-defined longitudinal smooth muscle orientation. Towards the lamina propria, the orientation gradually became slightly more disperse, yet the main orientation remained longitudinal. We conclude that smooth muscle cell orientation in rat ureter is predominantly longitudinal, though the orientation gradually becomes more disperse towards the proprial side. These findings do not support identification of separate layers. The observed longitudinal orientation suggests that smooth muscle contraction would rather cause local shortening of the ureter, than cause luminal constriction. However, the net-like connective tissue of the ureter wall may translate local longitudinal shortening into co-local luminal constriction, facilitating peristalsis. Our quantitative, minimally invasive approach is a crucial step towards more mechanistic insight into ureter peristalsis, and may also be used to study smooth muscle cell orientation in other tube-like structures like gut and blood vessels.

  13. Ureter smooth muscle cell orientation in rat is predominantly longitudinal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spronck, Bart; Merken, Jort J; Reesink, Koen D; Kroon, Wilco; Delhaas, Tammo

    2014-01-01

    In ureter peristalsis, the orientation of the contracting smooth muscle cells is essential, yet current descriptions of orientation and composition of the smooth muscle layer in human as well as in rat ureter are inconsistent. The present study aims to improve quantification of smooth muscle orientation in rat ureters as a basis for mechanistic understanding of peristalsis. A crucial step in our approach is to use two-photon laser scanning microscopy and image analysis providing objective, quantitative data on smooth muscle cell orientation in intact ureters, avoiding the usual sectioning artifacts. In 36 rat ureter segments, originating from a proximal, middle or distal site and from a left or right ureter, we found close to the adventitia a well-defined longitudinal smooth muscle orientation. Towards the lamina propria, the orientation gradually became slightly more disperse, yet the main orientation remained longitudinal. We conclude that smooth muscle cell orientation in rat ureter is predominantly longitudinal, though the orientation gradually becomes more disperse towards the proprial side. These findings do not support identification of separate layers. The observed longitudinal orientation suggests that smooth muscle contraction would rather cause local shortening of the ureter, than cause luminal constriction. However, the net-like connective tissue of the ureter wall may translate local longitudinal shortening into co-local luminal constriction, facilitating peristalsis. Our quantitative, minimally invasive approach is a crucial step towards more mechanistic insight into ureter peristalsis, and may also be used to study smooth muscle cell orientation in other tube-like structures like gut and blood vessels.

  14. Effect of salbutamol on innervated and denervated rat soleus muscle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ?oic-Vranic T.

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the present investigation was to perform a 14-day time-course study of treatment with salbutamol, a ß2 adrenoceptor agonist, on rat soleus muscle in order to assess fiber type selectivity in the hypertrophic response and fiber type composition. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (N = 10, treated with salbutamol (N = 30, denervated (N = 30, and treated with salbutamol after denervation (N = 30. Salbutamol was injected intraperitoneally in the rats of the 2nd and 4th groups at a concentration of 0.3 mg/kg twice a day for 2 weeks. The muscles were denervated using the crush method with pean. The animals were sacrificed 3, 6, 9, 12, and 14 days after treatment. Frozen cross-sections of soleus muscle were stained for myosin ATPase, pH 9.4. Cross-sectional area and percent of muscle fibers were analyzed morphometrically by computerized image analysis. Treatment with salbutamol induced hypertrophy of all fiber types and a higher percentage of type II fibers (21% in the healthy rat soleus muscle. Denervation caused marked atrophy of all fibers and conversion from type I to type II muscle fibers. Denervated muscles treated with salbutamol showed a significantly larger cross-sectional area of type I muscle fibers, 28.2% compared to the denervated untreated muscle. Moreover, the number of type I fibers was increased. These results indicate that administration of salbutamol is able to induce changes in cross-sectional area and fiber type distribution in the early phase of treatment. Since denervation-induced atrophy and conversion from type I to type II fibers were improved by salbutamol treatment we propose that salbutamol, like other ß2 adrenoceptor agonists, may have a therapeutic potential in improving the condition of skeletal muscle after denervation.

  15. Electrophysiological, histochemical, and hormonal adaptation of rat muscle after prolonged hindlimb suspension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kourtidou-Papadeli, Chrysoula; Kyparos, Antonios; Albani, Maria; Frossinis, Athanasios; Papadelis, Christos L.; Bamidis, Panagiotis; Vivas, Ana; Guiba-Tziampiri, Olympia

    2004-05-01

    The perspective of long-duration flights for future exploration, imply more research in the field of human adaptation. Previous studies in rat muscles hindlimb suspension (HLS), indicated muscle atrophy and a change of fibre composition from slow-to-fast twitch types. However, the contractile responses to long-term unloading is still unclear. Fifteen adult Wistar rats were studied in 45 and 70 days of muscle unweighting and soleus (SOL) muscle as well as extensor digitorum longus (EDL) were prepared for electrophysiological recordings (single, twitch, tetanic contraction and fatigue) and histochemical stainings. The loss of muscle mass observed was greater in the soleus muscle. The analysis of electrophysiological properties of both EDL and SOL showed significant main effects of group, of number of unweighting days and fatigue properties. Single contraction for soleus muscle remained unchanged but there was statistically significant difference for tetanic contraction and fatigue. Fatigue index showed a decrease for the control rats, but increase for the HLS rats. According to the histochemical findings there was a shift from oxidative to glycolytic metabolism during HLS. The data suggested that muscles atrophied, but they presented an adaptation pattern, while their endurance in fatigue was decreased.

  16. Oxygen dependence of respiration in rat spinotrapezius muscle in situ

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pittman, Roland N.

    2012-01-01

    The oxygen dependence of respiration in striated muscle in situ was studied by measuring the rate of decrease of interstitial Po2 [oxygen disappearance curve (ODC)] following rapid arrest of blood flow by pneumatic tissue compression, which ejected red blood cells from the muscle vessels and made the ODC independent from oxygen bound to hemoglobin. After the contribution of photo-consumption of oxygen by the method was evaluated and accounted for, the corrected ODCs were converted into the Po2 dependence of oxygen consumption, V̇o2, proportional to the rate of Po2 decrease. Fitting equations obtained from a model of heterogeneous intracellular Po2 were applied to recover the parameters describing respiration in muscle fibers, with a predicted sigmoidal shape for the dependence of V̇o2 on Po2. This curve consists of two regions connected by the point for critical Po2 of the cell (i.e., Po2 at the sarcolemma when the center of the cell becomes anoxic). The critical Po2 was below the Po2 for half-maximal respiratory rate (P50) for the cells. In six muscles at rest, the rate of oxygen consumption was 139 ± 6 nl O2/cm3·s and mitochondrial P50 was k = 10.5 ± 0.8 mmHg. The range of Po2 values inside the muscle fibers was found to be 4–5 mmHg at the critical Po2. The oxygen dependence of respiration can be studied in thin muscles under different experimental conditions. In resting muscle, the critical Po2 was substantially lower than the interstitial Po2 of 53 ± 2 mmHg, a finding that indicates that V̇o2 under this circumstance is independent of oxygen supply and is discordant with the conventional hypothesis of metabolic regulation of the oxygen supply to tissue. PMID:22523254

  17. The uremic environment and muscle dysfunction in man and rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Harrison, Adrian Paul; Nielsen, Arne Høj; Eidemak, I.

    2006-01-01

    Background: Patients reaching end-stage renal disease experience debilitating fatigue, with progression of this disease, rendering patients dysfunctional in their everyday lives. Methods: In vivo measurements of muscle function, assessed using surface electromyography (EMG), were made on 25...... patients prior to and after a session of hemodialysis (HD) treatment, alongside in vitro measurements of muscle function in isolated rat muscles incubated in normal or uremic conditions approximating to those found in uremic rats (rat uremic: RU) or uremic humans (human uremic: HU). Results: HD...... significantly affected plasma values, e.g. reducing urea (69%), creatinine (62%), potassium (23%) and phosphate (48%) concentrations in patients (all pimproved the EMG frequency of 2nd dorsal interosseous (fast-twitch) (p

  18. Enhanced muscle glucose metabolism after exercise in the rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Garetto, L P; Richter, Erik; Goodman, M N

    1984-01-01

    glycogen was substantially repleted at the time (30 min postexercise) that glucose metabolism was examined. When rats were run at twice the previous rate (36 m/min), muscle glycogen was still substantially diminished 30 min after the run. At this time the previously noted increase in insulin sensitivity......Thirty minutes after a treadmill run, glucose utilization and glycogen synthesis in perfused rat skeletal muscle are enhanced due to an increase in insulin sensitivity (Richter et al., J. Clin. Invest. 69: 785-793, 1982). The exercise used in these studies was of moderate intensity, and muscle...... was still observed in perfused muscle; however, glucose utilization was also increased in the absence of added insulin (1.5 vs. 4.2 mumol X g-1 X h-1). In contrast 2.5 h after the run, muscle glycogen had returned to near preexercise values, and only the insulin-induced increase in glucose utilization...

  19. The striated MR nephrogram, not a reflection of pathology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trout, Andrew T.; Care, Marguerite M.; Towbin, Alexander J. [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Radiology - MLC 5031, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Zhang, Bin [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

    2015-10-15

    We have intermittently observed low signal striations in the kidneys on delayed post-contrast MR exams of the spine. While we suspected these striations were due to concentrated gadolinium, the clinical importance of this finding was uncertain. To describe the striated MR nephrogram (low signal striations in the kidney) and assess its clinical relevance. Retrospective review of delayed post-contrast MRIs of the spine (mean: 45 min after contrast administration). The presence of the striated MR nephrogram was correlated with imaging parameters (field strength, time since contrast), and findings (gadolinium in the bladder, inferior vena cava and aorta diameters) and with clinical factors (history of renal disease, laboratory values). Seven hundred seventy-three exams performed on 229 patients, 8.3 ± 5.3 years of age, were reviewed. The striated MR nephrogram was observed in 102/773 examinations (13.2%) and was present on at least one study in 54/229 patients (23.6%). The presence of striations was associated with the specific magnet on which the exam was performed (P < 0.01) but not with magnet field strength. Serum creatinine was minimally lower in patients with striations (0.43 ± 0.12 vs. 0.49 ± 0.18 mg/dL, P = 0.002), but no other clinical or historical data, including time from contrast administration (P = 0.54), fluid status (P = 0.17) and clinical history of renal disease (P = 0.14), were predictive of the presence of striations. The striated MR nephrogram was observed in 13% of delayed post-contrast MR exams of the spine. Precipitating factors are unclear, but the striated nephrogram does not appear to be a marker of clinically apparent renal dysfunction. (orig.)

  20. MicroRNAs promote skeletal muscle differentiation of mesodermal iPSC-derived progenitors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Giacomazzi, G. (Giorgia); Holvoet, B. (Bryan); Trenson, S. (Sander); Caluwé, E. (Ellen); Kravic, B. (Bojana); Grosemans, H. (Hanne); Cortés-Calabuig, Á. (Álvaro); Deroose, C.M. (Christophe M.); D. Huylebroeck (Danny); Hashemolhosseini, S. (Said); S. Janssens (Stefan); McNally, E. (Elizabeth); Quattrocelli, M. (Mattia); Sampaolesi, M. (Maurilio)

    2017-01-01

    textabstractMuscular dystrophies (MDs) are often characterized by impairment of both skeletal and cardiac muscle. Regenerative strategies for both compartments therefore constitute a therapeutic avenue. Mesodermal iPSC-derived progenitors (MiPs) can regenerate both striated muscle types

  1. Chronic dietary supplementation with soy protein improves muscle function in rats.

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    Ramzi J Khairallah

    Full Text Available Athletes as well as elderly or hospitalized patients use dietary protein supplementation to maintain or grow skeletal muscle. It is recognized that high quality protein is needed for muscle accretion, and can be obtained from both animal and plant-based sources. There is interest to understand whether these sources differ in their ability to maintain or stimulate muscle growth and function. In this study, baseline muscle performance was assessed in 50 adult Sprague-Dawley rats after which they were assigned to one of five semi-purified "Western" diets (n = 10/group differing only in protein source, namely 19 kcal% protein from either milk protein isolate (MPI, whey protein isolate (WPI, soy protein isolate (SPI, soy protein concentrate (SPC or enzyme-treated soy protein (SPE. The diets were fed for 8 weeks at which point muscle performance testing was repeated and tissues were collected for analysis. There was no significant difference in food consumption or body weights over time between the diet groups nor were there differences in terminal organ and muscle weights or in serum lipids, creatinine or myostatin. Compared with MPI-fed rats, rats fed WPI and SPC displayed a greater maximum rate of contraction using the in vivo measure of muscle performance (p<0.05 with increases ranging from 13.3-27.5% and 22.8-29.5%, respectively at 60, 80, 100 and 150 Hz. When the maximum force was normalized to body weight, SPC-fed rats displayed increased force compared to MPI (p<0.05, whereas when normalized to gastrocnemius weight, WPI-fed rats displayed increased force compared to MPI (p<0.05. There was no difference between groups using in situ muscle performance. In conclusion, soy protein consumption, in high-fat diet, resulted in muscle function comparable to whey protein and improved compared to milk protein. The benefits seen with soy or whey protein were independent of changes in muscle mass or fiber cross-sectional area.

  2. Neonatal Handling Produces Sex Hormone-Dependent Resilience to Stress-Induced Muscle Hyperalgesia in Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez, Pedro; Green, Paul G; Levine, Jon D

    2018-06-01

    Neonatal handling (NH) of male rat pups strongly attenuates stress response and stress-induced persistent muscle hyperalgesia in adults. Because female sex is a well established risk factor for stress-induced chronic muscle pain, we explored whether NH provides resilience to stress-induced hyperalgesia in adult female rats. Rat pups underwent NH, or standard (control) care. Muscle mechanical nociceptive threshold was assessed before and after water avoidance (WA) stress, when they were adults. In contrast to male rats, NH produced only a modest protection against WA stress-induced muscle hyperalgesia in female rats. Gonadectomy completely abolished NH-induced resilience in male rats but produced only a small increase in this protective effect in female rats. The administration of the antiestrogen drug fulvestrant, in addition to gonadectomy, did not enhance the protective effect of NH in female rats. Finally, knockdown of the androgen receptor by intrathecal antisense treatment attenuated the protective effect of NH in intact male rats. Together, these data indicate that androgens play a key role in NH-induced resilience to WA stress-induced muscle hyperalgesia. NH induces androgen-dependent resilience to stress-induced muscle pain. Therefore, androgens may contribute to sex differences observed in chronic musculoskeletal pain and its enhancement by stress. Copyright © 2018 The American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. A Rat Model for Muscle Regeneration in the Soft Palate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvajal Monroy, Paola L.; Grefte, Sander; Kuijpers-Jagtman, Anne M.; Helmich, Maria P. A. C.; Ulrich, Dietmar J. O.; Von den Hoff, Johannes W.; Wagener, Frank A. D. T. G.

    2013-01-01

    Background Children with a cleft in the soft palate have difficulties with speech, swallowing, and sucking. Despite successful surgical repositioning of the muscles, optimal function is often not achieved. Scar formation and defective regeneration may hamper the functional recovery of the muscles after cleft palate repair. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the anatomy and histology of the soft palate in rats, and to establish an in vivo model for muscle regeneration after surgical injury. Methods Fourteen adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups. Groups 1 (n = 4) and 2 (n = 2) were used to investigate the anatomy and histology of the soft palate, respectively. Group 3 (n = 6) was used for surgical wounding of the soft palate, and group 4 (n = 2) was used as unwounded control group. The wounds (1 mm) were evaluated by (immuno)histochemistry (AZAN staining, Pax7, MyoD, MyoG, MyHC, and ASMA) after 7 days. Results The present study shows that the anatomy and histology of the soft palate muscles of the rat is largely comparable with that in humans. All wounds showed clinical evidence of healing after 7 days. AZAN staining demonstrated extensive collagen deposition in the wound area, and initial regeneration of muscle fibers and salivary glands. Proliferating and differentiating satellite cells were identified in the wound area by antibody staining. Conclusions This model is the first, suitable for studying muscle regeneration in the rat soft palate, and allows the development of novel adjuvant strategies to promote muscle regeneration after cleft palate surgery. PMID:23554995

  4. Effects of elevated temperature on protein breakdown in muscles from septic rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hall-Angeras, M.A.; Angeras, U.H.; Hasselgren, P.O.; Fischer, J.E.

    1990-01-01

    Elevated temperature has been proposed to contribute to accelerated muscle protein degradation during fever and sepsis. The present study examined the effect of increased temperature in vitro on protein turnover in skeletal muscles from septic and control rats. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP); control rats were sham operated. After 16 h, the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus (SOL) muscles were incubated at 37 or 40 degrees C. Protein synthesis was determined by measuring incorporation of [14C]phenylalanine into protein. Total and myofibrillar protein breakdown was assessed from release of tyrosine and 3-methylhistidine (3-MH), respectively. Total protein breakdown was increased at 40 degrees C by 15% in EDL and by 29% in SOL from control rats, whereas 3-MH release was not affected. In muscles from septic rats, total and myofibrillar protein breakdown was increased by 22 and 30%, respectively, at 40 degrees C in EDL but was not altered in SOL. Protein synthesis was unaffected by high temperature both in septic and nonseptic muscles. The present results suggest that high temperature is not the primary mechanism of increased muscle protein breakdown in sepsis because the typical response to sepsis, i.e., a predominant increase in myofibrillar protein breakdown, was not induced by elevated temperature in normal muscle. It is possible, however, that increased temperature may potentiate protein breakdown that is already stimulated by sepsis because elevated temperature increased both total and myofibrillar protein breakdown in EDL from septic rats

  5. Muscle specific changes in length-force characteristics of the calf muscles in the spastic Han-Wistar rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Annesofie Thorup; Jensen, Bente Rona; Uhlendorf, Toni L

    2014-01-01

    length, passive stiffness and passive force of spastic GA were decreased whereas those of spastic SO were increased. No mechanical interaction between the calf muscles and TA was found. As GA was lengthened, force from SO and PL declined despite a constant muscle-tendon unit length of SO and PL. However......, the extent of this interaction was not different in the spastic rats. In conclusion, the effects of spasticity on length-force characteristics were muscle specific. The changes seen for GA and PL muscles are consistent with the changes in limb mechanics reported for human patients. Our results indicate......The purpose of the present study was to investigate muscle mechanical properties and mechanical interaction between muscles in the lower hindlimb of the spastic mutant rat. Length-force characteristics of gastrocnemius (GA), soleus (SO) and plantaris (PL) were assessed in anesthetized spastic...

  6. Botulinum toxin injection causes hyper-reflexia and increased muscle stiffness of the triceps surae muscle in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pingel, Jessica; Wienecke, Jacob; Lorentzen, Jakob; Nielsen, Jens Bo

    2016-12-01

    Botulinum toxin is used with the intention of diminishing spasticity and reducing the risk of development of contractures. Here, we investigated changes in muscle stiffness caused by reflex activity or elastic muscle properties following botulinum toxin injection in the triceps surae muscle in rats. Forty-four rats received injection of botulinum toxin in the left triceps surae muscle. Control measurements were performed on the noninjected contralateral side in all rats. Acute experiments were performed, 1, 2, 4, and 8 wk following injection. The triceps surae muscle was dissected free, and the Achilles tendon was cut and attached to a muscle puller. The resistance of the muscle to stretches of different amplitudes and velocities was systematically investigated. Reflex-mediated torque was normalized to the maximal muscle force evoked by supramaximal stimulation of the tibial nerve. Botulinum toxin injection caused severe atrophy of the triceps surae muscle at all time points. The force generated by stretch reflex activity was also strongly diminished but not to the same extent as the maximal muscle force at 2 and 4 wk, signifying a relative reflex hyperexcitability. Passive muscle stiffness was unaltered at 1 wk but increased at 2, 4, and 8 wk (P botulinum toxin causes a relative increase in reflex stiffness, which is likely caused by compensatory neuroplastic changes. The stiffness of elastic elements in the muscles also increased. The data are not consistent with the ideas that botulinum toxin is an efficient antispastic medication or that it may prevent development of contractures. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  7. Implication of altered ubiquitin-proteasome system and ER stress in the muscle atrophy of diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, S Sreenivasa; Shruthi, Karnam; Prabhakar, Y Konda; Sailaja, Gummadi; Reddy, G Bhanuprakash

    2018-02-01

    Skeletal muscle is adversely affected in type-1 diabetes, and excessively stimulated ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) was found to be a leading cause of muscle wasting or atrophy. The role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in muscle atrophy of type-1 diabetes is not known. Hence, we investigated the role of UPS and ER stress in the muscle atrophy of chronic diabetes rat model. Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin (STZ) in male Sprague-Dawley rats and were sacrificed 2- and 4-months thereafter to collect gastrocnemius muscle. In another experiment, 2-months post-STZ-injection diabetic rats were treated with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, for the next 2-months and gastrocnemius muscle was collected. The muscle fiber cross-sectional area was diminished in diabetic rats. The expression of UPS components: E1, MURF1, TRIM72, UCHL1, UCHL5, ubiquitinated proteins, and proteasome activity were elevated in the diabetic rats indicating activated UPS. Altered expression of ER-associated degradation (ERAD) components and increased ER stress markers were detected in 4-months diabetic rats. Proteasome inhibition by MG132 alleviated alterations in the UPS and ER stress in diabetic rat muscle. Increased UPS activity and ER stress were implicated in the muscle atrophy of diabetic rats and proteasome inhibition exhibited beneficiary outcome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. SPRINT-INTERVAL TRAINING INDUCES HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN 72 IN RAT SKELETAL MUSCLES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuji Ogura

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies have demonstrated that endurance exercise training increases the level of heat shock proteins (HSPs in skeletal muscles. However, little attention has been drawn to the effects of high intensity-short duration exercise, or sprint- interval training (SIT on HSP72 level in rat skeletal muscles. This study performed to test the hypothesis that the SIT would induce the HSP72 in fast and slow skeletal muscles of rats. Young male Wistar rats (8 weeks old were randomly assigned to a control (CON or a SIT group (n = 8/group. Animals in the SIT group were trained (1 min/sprint, 6~10 sets/day and 5~6 days/week on a treadmill for 9 weeks. After the training period, HSP72 levels in the plantaris (fast and soleus (slow muscles were analyzed by Western blotting method. Enzyme activities (hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and citrate synthase and histochemical properties (muscle fiber type compositions and cross sectional area in both muscles were also determined. The SIT resulted in significantly (p < 0.05 higher levels of HSP72 in both the plantaris and soleus muscles compared to the CON group, with the plantaris producing a greater HSP72 increase than the soleus (plantaris; 550 ± 116%, soleus; 26 ± 8%, p < 0.05. Further, there were bioenergetic improvements, fast-to-slow shift of muscle fiber composition and hypertrophy in the type IIA fiber only in the plantaris muscle. These findings indicate that the SIT program increases HSP72 level of the rat hindlimb muscles, and the SIT-induced accumulation of HSP72 differs between fast and slow muscles

  9. Eccentric contractions affect muscle membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition in rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Helge, Jørn Wulff; Therkildsen, K J; Jørgensen, T B

    2001-01-01

    This study investigated if prior eccentric contractions, and thus mechanical strain and muscle damage, exert an effect on the muscle membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition in rats, and whether a possible effect could be attenuated by dietary supplements. Twenty-three rats were randomised...... muscle, was excised from both legs. In the muscles stimulated to contract eccentrically, compared to the control muscles, the proportion of arachidonic acid, C20:4,n-6 (17.7 +/- 0.6; 16.4 +/- 0.4% of total fatty acids, respectively) and docosapentanoeic acid, C22:5,n-3 (2.9 +/- 0.1 and 2.7 +/- 0.......1% of total fatty acids, respectively) was uniformly higher across groups (P fatty acids) compared to the control leg (38.2 +/- 0...

  10. Cellular location of rat muscle ferritins and their preferential loss during cell isolation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linder, M C; Roboz, M; McKown, M J; Pardridge, W M; Zak, R

    1984-04-10

    Heart and other muscles of the rat contain two forms of ferritin separable in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The cellular location of the fast- and slow-migrating ferritins was investigated using primary cultures of hindlimb skeletal muscle, and isolated myocardial cell populations. Muscle and non-muscle cells were isolated in good yield from hearts of adult rats pretreated with large doses of iron to increase their ferritin content. In virtually all cases, the isolated muscle cells contained traces only of the fast-migrating species and the non-muscle cells contained small amounts of the slow-migrating ferritin. During cell isolation, 90-100% of both ferritins was lost and could be recovered in the perfusates and solutions employed, while one third of the total tissue protein, and a larger percentage of creatine phosphokinase, was recovered in the isolated cells. Primary cultures of thigh muscle from adult rats which had differentiated into multi-nucleated myotubes, were incubated for 1-3 days with chelated iron. These cells contained substantial amounts of the electrophoretically fast migrating ferritin, with its characteristic larger Stokes' radius (determined by quantitative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). None of the slow-migrating ferritin species was detected, although hindlimb muscle from iron-treated rats contained both forms. It is concluded that the fast-migrating ferritin of muscle, which is much larger and more asymmetric than other ferritins, is confined to the muscle cell population, while the other form is predominantly or exclusively in the non-muscle cells. Both ferritins are lost preferentially over other proteins during procedures which injure muscle tissue.

  11. Effects of growth hormone on morphology of cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle and hormone levels in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Ping; Liu Cong; Meng Fanbo; Zhu Jinming; Ni Jinsong; Zhou Hong; Tang Yubo

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To study the effects of growth hormone (GH) on morphology of cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle and hormone levels in Wistar rats. Methods: The GH was given with subcutaneous injection for 15 days, the level of serum GH was determined by radiation-immune method; the body weight and the ratio of organ weight to body weight were determined; the cell appearances of cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle were observed under microscope. the control group was set up. Results; The level of serum GH and rat body weight in experimental group were obviously higher than that in the control group, but the ratio of organ weight to body weight was not obviously different in two groups; musculature hypertrophy and cell nucleolus increasing were observed under microscopy, there were no capillary vessel hyperplasia and inflammatory soakage. Conclusion: GH can induce hypertrophy of cardiac muscle cells and skeletal muscle cells but not interstitial proliferation. (authors)

  12. Dietary fat influences the expression of contractile and metabolic genes in rat skeletal muscle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wataru Mizunoya

    Full Text Available Dietary fat plays a major role in obesity, lipid metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases. To determine whether the intake of different types of dietary fats affect the muscle fiber types that govern the metabolic and contractile properties of the skeletal muscle, we fed male Wistar rats with a 15% fat diet derived from different fat sources. Diets composed of soybean oil (n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA-rich, fish oil (n-3 PUFA-rich, or lard (low in PUFAs were administered to the rats for 4 weeks. Myosin heavy chain (MyHC isoforms were used as biomarkers to delineate the skeletal muscle fiber types. Compared with soybean oil intake, fish oil intake showed significantly lower levels of the fast-type MyHC2B and higher levels of the intermediate-type MyHC2X composition in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL muscle, which is a fast-type dominant muscle. Concomitantly, MyHC2X mRNA levels in fish oil-fed rats were significantly higher than those observed in the soybean oil-fed rats. The MyHC isoform composition in the lard-fed rats was an intermediate between that of the fish oil and soybean oil-fed rats. Mitochondrial uncoupling protein 3, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4, and porin mRNA showed significantly upregulated levels in the EDL of fish oil-fed rats compared to those observed in soybean oil-fed and lard-fed rats, implying an activation of oxidative metabolism. In contrast, no changes in the composition of MyHC isoforms was observed in the soleus muscle, which is a slow-type dominant muscle. Fatty acid composition in the serum and the muscle was significantly influenced by the type of dietary fat consumed. In conclusion, dietary fat affects the expression of genes related to the contractile and metabolic properties in the fast-type dominant skeletal muscle, where the activation of oxidative metabolism is more pronounced after fish oil intake than that after soybean oil intake.

  13. The expression of NFATc1 in adult rat skeletal muscle fibres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutungi, Gabriel

    2008-03-01

    Although numerous studies have recently implicated the calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T-cells (Cn-NFAT) signalling pathway in the regulation of activity-dependent fibre type switching in adult mammalian skeletal muscles, little is known about the endogenous expression of NFAT proteins in the various fibre types present in these muscles. In this study, the immunolocalization of NFATc1 (also known as NFATc or NFAT2) in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL; a mainly fast-twitch muscle) and the soleus (a predominantly slow-twitch muscle) muscles of adult ( approximately 90-day-old) Wistar rats was investigated. The results show that NFATc1 is expressed only in oxidative fibres (i.e. type I and type IIA fibres) that stain intensely for succinate dehydrogenase activity irrespective of whether they are from the fast- or slow-twitch muscle. Thus, 99 +/- 4% (n = 7 rats) of the muscle fibres in the soleus and 42 +/- 2% (n = 7 rats) of those in the EDL expressed NFATc1. In the soleus muscle fibres, NFATc1 was localized mainly in the fibre nuclei, whereas in the EDL fibres it was localized in both the cytoplasm and the nuclei. However, no difference in its localization was observed between type I and type IIA fibres in both muscles. Western blot experiments showed that the soleus expressed more NFATc1 proteins than the EDL. From these results, we suggest that NFATc1 controls the number and distribution of both type I and type IIA fibres, as well as the oxidative capacity of adult mammalian skeletal muscles.

  14. Autophagy in muscle of glucose-infusion hyperglycemia rats and streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia rats via selective activation of m-TOR or FoxO3.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pengfei Lv

    Full Text Available Autophagy is a conserved process in eukaryotes required for metabolism and is involved in diverse diseases. To investigate autophagy in skeletal muscle under hyperglycemia status, we established two hyperglycemia-rat models that differ in their circulating insulin levels, by glucose infusion and singe high-dose streptozotocin injection. We then detected expression of autophagy related genes with real-time PCR and western blot. We found that under hyperglycemia status induced by glucose-infusion, autophagy was inhibited in rat skeletal muscle, whereas under streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia status autophagy was enhanced. Meanwhile, hyperglycemic gastrocnemius muscle was more prone to autophagy than soleus muscle. Furthermore, inhibition of autophagy in skeletal muscle in glucose-infusion hyperglycemia rats was mediated by the m-TOR pathway while m-TOR and FoxO3 both contributed to enhancement of autophagy in gastrocnemius muscle in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia rats. These data shows that insulin plays a relatively more important role than hyperglycemia in regulating autophagy in hyperglycemia rat muscle through selectively activating the m-TOR or FoxO3 pathway in a fiber-selective manner.

  15. Changes of contractile responses due to simulated weightlessness in rat soleus muscle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elkhammari, A.; Noireaud, J.; Léoty, C.

    1994-08-01

    Some contractile and electrophysiological properties of muscle fibers isolated from the slow-twitch soleus (SOL) and fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of rats were compared with those measured in SOL muscles from suspended rats. In suspendede SOL (21 days of tail-suspension) membrane potential (Em), intracellular sodium activity (aiNa) and the slope of the relationship between Em and log [K]o were typical of fast-twitch muscles. The relation between the maximal amplitude of K-contractures vs Em was steeper for control SOL than for EDL and suspended SOL muscles. After suspension, in SOL muscles the contractile threshold and the inactivation curves for K-contractures were shifted to more positive Em. Repriming of K-contractures was unaffected by suspencion. The exposure of isolated fibers to perchlorate (ClO4-)-containing (6-40 mM) solutions resulted ina similar concentration-dependent shift to more negative Em of activation curves for EDL and suspended SOL muscles. On exposure to a Na-free TEA solution, SOL from control and suspended rats, in contrast to EDL muscles, generated slow contractile responses. Suspended SOL showed a reduced sensitivity to the contracture-producing effect of caffeine compared to control muscles. These results suggested that the modification observed due to suspension could be encounted by changes in the characteristics of muscle fibers from slow to fast-twitch type.

  16. Electrical Stimulation of Denervated Rat Skeletal Muscle Retards Capillary and Muscle Loss in Early Stages of Disuse Atrophy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kouki Nakagawa

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of low-frequency electrical muscle stimulation (ES on the decrease in muscle mass, fiber size, capillary supply, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP immunoreactivity in the early stages of denervation-induced limb disuse. Direct ES was performed on the tibialis anterior muscle following denervation in seven-week-old male rats. The rats were divided into the following groups: control (CON, denervation (DN, and denervation with direct ES (DN + ES. Direct ES was performed at an intensity of 16 mA and a frequency of 10 Hz for 30 min per day, six days a week, for one week. We performed immunohistochemical staining to determine the expression of dystrophin, CD34, and MMP-2 in transverse sections of TA muscles. The weight, myofiber cross-sectional area (FCSA, and capillary-to-fiber (C/F ratio of the tibialis anterior (TA muscle were significantly reduced in the DN group compared to the control and DN + ES groups. The MMP-2 positive area was significantly greater in DN and DN + ES groups compared to the control group. These findings suggest beneficial effects of direct ES in reducing muscle atrophy and capillary regression without increasing MMP-2 immunoreactivity in the early stages of DN-induced muscle disuse in rat hind limbs.

  17. Electrical Stimulation of Denervated Rat Skeletal Muscle Retards Capillary and Muscle Loss in Early Stages of Disuse Atrophy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakagawa, Kouki; Hayao, Keishi; Yotani, Kengo; Ogita, Futoshi; Yamamoto, Noriaki; Onishi, Hideaki

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of low-frequency electrical muscle stimulation (ES) on the decrease in muscle mass, fiber size, capillary supply, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) immunoreactivity in the early stages of denervation-induced limb disuse. Direct ES was performed on the tibialis anterior muscle following denervation in seven-week-old male rats. The rats were divided into the following groups: control (CON), denervation (DN), and denervation with direct ES (DN + ES). Direct ES was performed at an intensity of 16 mA and a frequency of 10 Hz for 30 min per day, six days a week, for one week. We performed immunohistochemical staining to determine the expression of dystrophin, CD34, and MMP-2 in transverse sections of TA muscles. The weight, myofiber cross-sectional area (FCSA), and capillary-to-fiber (C/F) ratio of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle were significantly reduced in the DN group compared to the control and DN + ES groups. The MMP-2 positive area was significantly greater in DN and DN + ES groups compared to the control group. These findings suggest beneficial effects of direct ES in reducing muscle atrophy and capillary regression without increasing MMP-2 immunoreactivity in the early stages of DN-induced muscle disuse in rat hind limbs. PMID:28497057

  18. The effects of methylmercury on the mitochondrial energetics of rat skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuwabara, Takeo; Yuasa, Tatsuhiko; Nagashima, Masaru; Igarashi, Hironaka; Yonemochi, Yousuke; Atsumi, Tetsushi; Miyatake, Tadashi

    1989-01-01

    In this report it is shown that methylmercury chloride (MMC) affected the mitochondrial energetics of rat skeletal muscles in case of chronic intoxication. High energy phosphate compounds were measured by 31 P-NMR spectroscopy in the living rat hindleg skeletal muscle. Decreased value of phosphocreatine (PCr)/inorganic phosphate (Pi) ratio was observed in the resting muscle of the MMC intoxicated group, and suspend recovery of the ATP, PCr and intracellular pH after muscle contraction was found in the MMC intoxicated muscle. There was no difference in the ATP levels of the resting muscle between the control and MMC group. These results suggested that the synthesis of ATP was disturbed by the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration below TCA cycle. (author)

  19. Transcriptional profiling of rat skeletal muscle hypertrophy under restriction of blood flow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Shouyu; Liu, Xueyun; Chen, Zhenhuang; Li, Gaoquan; Chen, Qin; Zhou, Guoqing; Ma, Ruijie; Yao, Xinmiao; Huang, Xiao

    2016-12-15

    Blood flow restriction (BFR) under low-intensity resistance training (LIRT) can produce similar effects upon muscles to that of high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) while overcoming many of the restrictions to HIRT that occurs in a clinical setting. However, the potential molecular mechanisms of BFR induced muscle hypertrophy remain largely unknown. Here, using a BFR rat model, we aim to better elucidate the mechanisms regulating muscle hypertrophy as induced by BFR and reveal possible clinical therapeutic targets for atrophy cases. We performed genome wide screening with microarray analysis to identify unique differentially expressed genes during rat muscle hypertrophy. We then successfully separated the differentially expressed genes from BRF treated soleus samples by comparing the Affymetrix rat Genome U34 2.0 array with the control. Using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) we also analyzed other related differentially expressed genes. Results suggested that muscle hypertrophy induced by BFR is essentially regulated by the rate of protein turnover. Specifically, PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways act as positive regulators in controlling protein synthesis where ubiquitin-proteasome acts as a negative regulator. This represents the first general genome wide level investigation of the gene expression profile in the rat soleus after BFR treatment. This may aid our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating and controlling muscle hypertrophy and provide support to the BFR strategies aiming to prevent muscle atrophy in a clinical setting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Enhancement of Skeletal Muscle in Aged Rats Following High-Intensity Stretch-Shortening Contraction Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rader, Erik P; Naimo, Marshall A; Layner, Kayla N; Triscuit, Alyssa M; Chetlin, Robert D; Ensey, James; Baker, Brent A

    2017-04-01

    Exercise is the most accessible, efficacious, and multifactorial intervention to improve health and treat chronic disease. High-intensity resistance exercise, in particular, also maximizes skeletal muscle size and strength-outcomes crucial at advanced age. However, such training is capable of inducing muscle maladaptation when misapplied at old age. Therefore, characterization of parameters (e.g., mode and frequency) that foster adaptation is an active research area. To address this issue, we utilized a rodent model that allowed training at maximal intensity in terms of muscle activation and tested the hypothesis that muscles of old rats adapt to stretch-shortening contraction (SSC) training, provided the training frequency is sufficiently low. At termination of training, normalized muscle mass (i.e., muscle mass divided by tibia length) and muscle quality (isometric force divided by normalized muscle mass) were determined. For young rats, normalized muscle mass increased by ∼20% regardless of training frequency. No difference was observed for muscle quality values after 2 days versus 3 days per week training (0.65 ± 0.09 N/mg/mm vs. 0.59 ± 0.05 N/mg/mm, respectively). For old rats following 3 days per week training, normalized muscle mass was unaltered and muscle quality was 30% lower than young levels. Following 2 days per week training at old age, normalized muscle mass increased by 17% and muscle quality was restored to young levels. To investigate this enhanced response, oxidative stress was assessed by lipid peroxidation quantification. For young rats, lipid peroxidation levels were unaltered by training. With aging, baseline levels of lipid peroxidation increased by 1.5-fold. For old rats, only 2 days per week training decreased lipid peroxidation to levels indistinguishable from young values. These results imply that, appropriately scheduled high-intensity SSC training at old age is capable of restoring muscle to a younger phenotype in terms

  1. EFFECTS OF VOLUNTARY WHEEL RUNNING ON SATELLITE CELLS IN THE RAT PLANTARIS MUSCLE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atsushi Kojima

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of voluntary wheel running on satellite cells in the rat plantaris muscle. Seventeen 5-week-old male Wistar rats were assigned to a control (n = 5 or training (n = 12 group. Each rat in the training group ran voluntarily in a running-wheel cage for 8 weeks. After the training period, the animals were anesthetized, and the plantaris muscles were removed, weighed, and analyzed immunohistochemically and biochemically. Although there were no significant differences in muscle weight or fiber area between the groups, the numbers of satellite cells and myonuclei per muscle fiber, percentage of satellite cells, and citrate synthase activity were significantly higher in the training group compared with the control group (p < 0.05. The percentage of satellite cells was also positively correlated with distance run in the training group (r = 0.61, p < 0.05. Voluntary running can induce an increase in the number of satellite cells without changing the mean fiber area in the rat plantaris muscle; this increase in satellite cell content is a function of distance run

  2. Rat rotator cuff muscle responds differently from hindlimb muscle to a combined tendon-nerve injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Michael R; Ravishankar, Bharat; Laron, Dominique; Kim, Hubert T; Liu, Xuhui; Feeley, Brian T

    2015-07-01

    Rotator cuff tears (RCTs) are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries seen by orthopaedic surgeons. Clinically, massive cuff tears lead to unique pathophysiological changes in rotator cuff muscle, including atrophy, and massive fatty infiltration, which are rarely seen in other skeletal muscles. Studies in a rodent model for RCT have demonstrated that these histologic findings are accompanied by activation of the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathways following combined tendon-nerve injury. The purpose of this study was to compare the histologic and molecular features of rotator cuff muscle and gastrocnemius muscle--a major hindlimb muscle, following combined tendon-nerve injury. Six weeks after injury, the rat gastrocnemius did not exhibit notable fatty infiltration compared to the rotator cuff. Likewise, the adipogenic markers SREBP-1 and PPARγ as well as the TGF-β canonical pathway were upregulated in the rotator cuff, but not the gastrocnemius. Our study suggests that the rat rotator cuff and hindlimb muscles differ significantly in their response to a combined tendon-nerve injury. Clinically, these findings highlight the unique response of the rotator cuff to injury, and may begin to explain the poor outcomes of massive RCTs compared to other muscle-tendon injuries. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Kinetics of glucose transport in rat muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ploug, Thorkil; Galbo, Henrik; Vinten, Jørgen

    1987-01-01

    The effects of insulin and prior muscle contractions, respectively, on 3-O-methylglucose (3-O-MG) transport in skeletal muscle were studied in the perfused rat hindquarter. Initial rates of entry of 3-O-MG in red gastrocnemius, soleus, and white gastrocnemius muscles as a function of perfusate 3-O-MG...... concentration exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Uptake by simple diffusion could not be detected. The maximum 3-O-MG transport velocity (Vmax) was increased more by maximum isometric contractions (10- to 40-fold, depending on fiber type) than by insulin (20,000 microU/ml; 3- to 20-fold) in both red and white...

  4. Activation of estrogen response elements is mediated both via estrogen and muscle contractions in rat skeletal muscle myotubes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wiik, A.; Hellsten, Ylva; Berthelson, P.

    2009-01-01

    is ER independent. The muscle contraction-induced transactivation of ERE and increase in ERbeta mRNA were instead found to be MAP kinase (MAPK) dependent. This study demonstrates for the first time that muscle contractions have a similar functional effect as estrogen in skeletal muscle myotubes, causing......The aim of the present study was to investigate the activation of estrogen response elements (EREs) by estrogen and muscle contractions in rat myotubes in culture and to assess whether the activation is dependent on the estrogen receptors (ERs). In addition, the effect of estrogen and contraction...... on the mRNA levels of ERalpha and ERbeta was studied to determine the functional consequence of the transactivation. Myoblasts were isolated from rat skeletal muscle and transfected with a vector consisting of sequences of EREs coupled to the gene for luciferase. The transfected myoblasts were...

  5. A comparative study of charge movement in rat and frog skeletal muscle fibres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollingworth, S; Marshall, M W

    1981-12-01

    1. The middle of the fibre voltage--clamp technique (Adrian & Marshall, 1977), modified where necessary for electrically short muscle fibres, has been used to measure non-linear charge movements in mammalian fast twitch (rat extensor digitorum longus), mammalian slow twitch (rat soleus) and frog (sartorius) muscles. 2. The maximum amount of charge moved in mammalian fast twitch muscle at 2 degrees C in hypertonic solution, was 3--5 times greater than in slow twitch muscle. The voltage distribution of fast twitch charge was 10--15 mV more positive when compared to slow twitch. 3. In both mammalian muscle types hypertonic Ringer solution negatively shifted the voltage distribution of charge some 6 mV. The steepness of charge moved around mechanical threshold was unaffected by hypertonicity. 4. The amount of charge in frog sartorius fibres at 2 degrees C in hypertonic solution was about half of that in rat fast twitch muscle; the voltage distribution of the frog charge was similar to rat soleus muscle. 5. Warming between 2 and 15 degrees C had no effect on either the amount of steady-state distribution of charge in mammalian or frog muscles. 6. At 2 degrees C, the kinetics of charge movement in fast and slow twitch mammalian muscles were similar and 2--3 times faster than frog muscle at the same temperature. In fast and slow mammalian fibres at 2 degrees C similar times were taken to shift the same fractions of the total amount of charge. The Q10 of charge movement kinetics was between 1.2 and 2.0 in the three muscles studied.

  6. Wheat Germ Oil Attenuates Gamma Radiation- Induced Skeletal Muscles Damage in Rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Said, U.Z.; Saada, H.N.; Shedid, Sh.M.; Mahdy, E.M.E.; Shousha, W.Gh.

    2008-01-01

    Muscular strength is important in sport as well as in daily activities. Exposure to ionizing radiation is thought to increase oxidative stress and damage muscle tissue. Wheat germ oil is a natural unrefined vegetable oil. It is an excellent source of vitamin E, octacosanol, linoleic and linolenic essential fatty acids, which may be beneficial in neutralizing the free oxygen radicals. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of wheat germ oil, on radiation-induced oxidative damage in rats skeletal muscle. Wheat germ oil was supplemented orally via gavages to rats at a dose of 54 mg/ kg body weight/day for 14 successive days pre- and 7 post-exposure to 5 Gy (one shot dose) of whole body gamma irradiation. Animals were sacrificed 7, 14 and 21 days post radiation exposure. The results revealed that whole body gamma-irradiation of rats induces oxidative stress in skeletal muscles obvious by significant elevation in the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) associated with significant decreases in the content of reduced glutathione (GSE1), as well as decreases in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities. Irradiated rats showed, also, significant decreases in creatine phosphokinase (CPK), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) activities. Furthermore, total iron, total copper and total calcium levels were significantly increased in skeletal muscles of irradiated rats group compared to control group. Wheat germ oil treated-irradiated rats showed significantly less sever damage and remarkable improvement in all the measured parameters, compared to irradiated rats. It could be concluded that wheat germ oil by attenuating radiation induced oxidative stress might play a role in maintaining skeletal muscle integrity

  7. Impaired exercise performance and skeletal muscle mitochondrial function in rats with secondary carnitine deficiency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jamal BOUITBIR

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The effects of carnitine depletion upon exercise performance and skeletal muscle mitochondrial function remain largely unexplored. We therefore investigated the effect of N-trimethyl-hydrazine-3-propionate (THP, a carnitine analogue inhibiting carnitine biosynthesis and renal carnitine reabsorption, on physical performance and skeletal muscle mitochondrial function in rats.Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated daily with water (control rats; n=12 or with 20 mg/100 g body weight THP (n=12 via oral gavage for 3 weeks. Following treatment, half of the animals of each group performed an exercise test until exhaustion.Results: Distance covered and exercise performance were lower in THP-treated compared to control rats. In the oxidative soleus muscle, carnitine depletion caused atrophy (-24% and impaired function of complex II and IV of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The free radical leak (ROS production relative to oxygen consumption was increased and the cellular glutathione pool decreased. Moreover, mRNA expression of markers of mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial DNA were decreased in THP-treated compared to control rats. In comparison, in the glycolytic gastrocnemius muscle, carnitine depletion was associated with impaired function of complex IV and increased free radical leak, whilst muscle weight and cellular glutathione pool were maintained. Markers of mitochondrial proliferation and mitochondrial DNA were unaffected.Conclusions: Carnitine deficiency is associated with impaired exercise capacity in rats treated with THP. THP-induced carnitine deficiency is associated with impaired function of the electron transport chain in oxidative and glycolytic muscle as well as with atrophy and decreased mitochondrial DNA in oxidative muscle.

  8. Gender-Dimorphic Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Proteins in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minji Choi

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Despite the fact that sexual differences increase diabetic risk and contribute to the need for gender-specific care, there remain contradictory results as to whether or not sexual dimorphism increases susceptibility to the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Methods: To examine gender-dimorphic regulation of skeletal muscle proteins between healthy control and STZ-induced diabetic rats of both genders, we performed differential proteome analysis using two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry. Results: Animal experiments revealed that STZ treatment rendered female rats more susceptible to induction of diabetes than their male littermates with significantly lower plasma insulin levels due to hormonal regulation. Proteomic analysis of skeletal muscle identified a total of 21 proteins showing gender-dimorphic differential expression patterns between healthy controls and diabetic rats. Most interestingly, gender-specific proteome comparison showed that male and female rats displayed differential regulation of proteins involved in muscle contraction, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism, as well as oxidative phosphorylation and cellular stress. Conclusion: The current proteomic study revealed that impaired protein regulation was more prominent in the muscle tissue of female diabetic rats, which were more susceptible to STZ-induced diabetes. We expect that the present proteomic data can provide valuable information for evidence-based gender-specific treatment of diabetes.

  9. Skeletal Muscle Sorbitol Levels in Diabetic Rats with and without Insulin Therapy and Endurance Exercise Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez, O. A.; Walseth, T. F.; Snow, L. M.; Serfass, R. C.; Thompson, L. V.

    2009-01-01

    Sorbitol accumulation is postulated to play a role in skeletal muscle dysfunction associated with diabetes. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of insulin and of endurance exercise on skeletal muscle sorbitol levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Rats were assigned to one experimental group (control sedentary, control exercise, diabetic sedentary, diabetic exercise, diabetic sedentary no-insulin). Diabetic rats received daily subcutaneous insulin. The exercise-trained rats ran on a treadmill (1 hour, 5X/wk, for 12 weeks). Skeletal muscle sorbitol levels were the highest in the diabetic sedentary no-insulin group. Diabetic sedentary rats receiving insulin had similar sorbitol levels to control sedentary rats. Endurance exercise did not significantly affect sorbitol levels. These results indicate that insulin treatment lowers sorbitol in skeletal muscle; therefore sorbitol accumulation is probably not related to muscle dysfunction in insulin-treated diabetic individuals. Endurance exercise did not influence intramuscular sorbitol values as strongly as insulin. PMID:20016800

  10. Branched-chain amino acid metabolism in rat muscle: abnormal regulation in acidosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    May, R.C.; Hara, Y.; Kelly, R.A.; Block, K.P.; Buse, M.G.; Mitch, W.E.

    1987-01-01

    Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism is frequently abnormal in pathological conditions accompanied by chronic metabolic acidosis. To study how metabolic acidosis affects BCAA metabolism in muscle, rats were gavage fed a 14% protein diet with or without 4 mmol NH 4 Cl x 100 g body wt -1 x day -1 . Epitrochlearis muscles were incubated with L-[1- 14 C]-valine and L-[1- 14 C]leucine, and rates of decarboxylation, net transamination, and incorporation into muscle protein were measured. Plasma and muscle BCAA levels were lower in acidotic rats. Rates of valine and leucine decarboxylation and net transamination were higher in muscles from acidotic rats; these differences were associated with a 79% increase in the total activity of branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase and a 146% increase in the activated form of the enzyme. They conclude that acidosis affects the regulation of BCAA metabolism by enhancing flux through the transaminase and by directly stimulating oxidative catabolism through activation of branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase

  11. Branched-chain amino acid metabolism in rat muscle: abnormal regulation in acidosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    May, R.C.; Hara, Y.; Kelly, R.A.; Block, K.P.; Buse, M.G.; Mitch, W.E.

    1987-06-01

    Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism is frequently abnormal in pathological conditions accompanied by chronic metabolic acidosis. To study how metabolic acidosis affects BCAA metabolism in muscle, rats were gavage fed a 14% protein diet with or without 4 mmol NH/sub 4/Cl x 100 g body wt/sup -1/ x day/sup -1/. Epitrochlearis muscles were incubated with L-(1-/sup 14/C)-valine and L-(1-/sup 14/C)leucine, and rates of decarboxylation, net transamination, and incorporation into muscle protein were measured. Plasma and muscle BCAA levels were lower in acidotic rats. Rates of valine and leucine decarboxylation and net transamination were higher in muscles from acidotic rats; these differences were associated with a 79% increase in the total activity of branched-chain ..cap alpha..-keto acid dehydrogenase and a 146% increase in the activated form of the enzyme. They conclude that acidosis affects the regulation of BCAA metabolism by enhancing flux through the transaminase and by directly stimulating oxidative catabolism through activation of branched-chain ..cap alpha..-keto acid dehydrogenase.

  12. Isolation and individual electrical stimulation of single smooth-muscle cells from the urinary bladder of the pig

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.J. Glerum (Jacobus); R. van Mastrigt (Ron); J.C. Romijn (Johannes); D.J. Griffiths (Derek)

    1987-01-01

    textabstractIn contrast to striated muscle, measurements on strips of smooth muscle cannot be uniquely interpreted in terms of an array of contractile units. Therefore scaling down to the single-cell level is necessary to gain detailed understanding of the contractile process in this type of muscle.

  13. Glucose rapidly decreases plasma membrane GLUT4 content in rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marette, A; Dimitrakoudis, D; Shi, Q; Rodgers, C D; Klip, A; Vranic, M

    1999-02-01

    We have previously demonstrated that chronic hyperglycemia per se decreases GLUT4 glucose transporter expression and plasma membrane content in mildly streptozotocin- (STZ) diabetic rats (Biochem. J. 284, 341-348, 1992). In the present study, we investigated the effect of an acute rise in glycemia on muscle GLUT4 and GLUT1 protein contents in the plasma membrane, in the absence of insulin elevation. Four experimental groups of rats were analyzed in the postabsorptive state: 1. Control rats. 2. Hyperglycemic STZ-diabetic rats with moderately reduced fasting insulin levels. 3. STZ-diabetic rats made normoglycemic with phlorizin treatment. 4. Phlorizin-treated (normoglycemic) STZ-diabetic rats infused with glucose for 40 min. The uniqueness of the latter model is that glycemia can be rapidly raised without any concomitant increase in plasma insulin levels. Plasma membranes were isolated from hindlimb muscle and GLUT1 and GLUT4 proteins amounts determined by Western blot analysis. As predicted, STZ-diabetes caused a significant decrease in the abundance of GLUT4 in the isolated plasma membranes. Normalization of glycemia for 3 d with phlorizin treatment restored plasma membrane GLUT4 content in muscle of STZ-diabetic rats. A sudden rise in glycemia over a period of 40 min caused the GLUT4 levels in the plasma membrane fraction to decrease to those of nontreated STZ-diabetic rats. In contrast to the GLUT4 transporter, plasma membrane GLUT1 abundance was not changed by the acute glucose challenge. It is concluded that glucose can have regulatory effect by acutely reducing plasma membrane GLUT4 protein contents in rat skeletal muscle. We hypothesize that this glucose-induced downregulation of plasma membrane GLUT4 could represent a protective mechanism against excessive glucose uptake under hyperglycemic conditions accompanied by insulin resistance.

  14. Striated muscle fiber size, composition and capillary density in diabetes in relation to neuropathy and muscle strength

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreassen, Christer Swan; Jensen, Jacob Malte; Jakobsen, Johannes

    2014-01-01

    study was to evaluate histologic properties and capillarization of diabetic skeletal muscle in relation to DPN and muscle strength. METHODS: Twenty type 1 and 20 type 2 diabetic (T1D and T2D, respectively) patients underwent biopsy of the gastrocnemic muscle, isokinetic dynamometry at the ankle...... between muscle fiber diameter, muscle fiber type distribution, or capillary density and degree of neuropathy or muscle strength for either patient group. Muscle fiber diameter and the proportion of Type II fibers were greater for T1D patients than both T2D patients and controls. The T2D patients had fewer...

  15. Association of testicular undescent induced by prenatal flutamide treatment with thickening of the cremaster muscle in rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuno, Yoshiharu; Komiyama, Masatoshi; Tobe, Toyofusa; Toyota, Naoji; Adachi, Tetsuya

    2003-01-01

    Background and Aims:  Previously, in cryptorchid rats, which were induced by prenatal exposure to flutamide, we found a thickening of the cremaster muscle. This study was undertaken to quantify the increase of the cremaster muscle thickness in the cryptorchid rats, and to examine its possible relationship with the proliferation of muscle cells. Methods:  To obtain cryptorchid rats, pregnant Wistar rats were subcutaneously injected with flutamide (100 mg/kg per day) during gestational days 16–17. Serial sections of the scrotum, containing the testis and cremaster muscle, were prepared from the control and cryptorchid rats that were 2–6 weeks of age, and stained with hematoxylin–eosin for morphometry, or stained with antibody against the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) to analyze the cell proliferation ability. Results:  The thickened cremaster muscle was always associated with cryptorchid testis and, in the case of unilateral cryptorchidism, the cremaster muscle of the contralateral (descended testis) side exhibited normal thickness. The average thickness of the affected cremaster muscle was 0.80 and 1.89 mm at 4 and 6 weeks of age, respectively, although that of the normal muscle was 0.28 and 0.33 mm at the same time period, respectively. Conclusion:  Our results showed that the cremaster muscle of the cryptorchid rats was significantly thicker than that of the control rats. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed that a thickened cremaster muscle contained many PCNA‐positive nuclei even at 4 weeks of age, in contrast to the control, which had only a few positive nuclei. Our present study indicates that continuous proliferation of the muscle cells associated with cryptorchid testis increases the thickness of cremaster cells in rats exposed to flutamide prenatally. (Reprod Med Biol 2003; 2: 109–113) PMID:29699173

  16. Expression of interleukin-15 and inflammatory cytokines in skeletal muscles of STZ-induced diabetic rats: effect of resistance exercise training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molanouri Shamsi, M; Hassan, Z H; Gharakhanlou, R; Quinn, L S; Azadmanesh, K; Baghersad, L; Isanejad, A; Mahdavi, M

    2014-05-01

    Skeletal muscle atrophy is associated with type-1 diabetes. Skeletal muscle is the source of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines that can mediate muscle hypertrophy and atrophy, while resistance exercise can modulate both muscle mass and muscle cytokine expression. This study determined the effects of a 5-week resistance exercise training regimen on the expression of muscle cytokines in healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, with special emphasis on interleukin-15 (IL-15), a muscle-derived cytokine proposed to be involved in muscle hypertrophy or responses to stress. Induction of diabetes reduced muscle weight in both the fast flexor hallucis longus (FHL) and slow soleus muscles, while resistance training preserved FHL muscle weight in diabetic rats. IL-15 protein content was increased by training in both FHL and soleus muscles, as well as serum, in normal and diabetic rats. With regard to proinflammatory cytokines, muscle IL-6 levels were increased in diabetic rats, while training decreased muscle IL-6 levels in diabetic rats; training had no effect on FHL muscle IL-6 levels in healthy rats. Also, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and IL-1β levels were increased by diabetes, but not changed by training. In conclusion, we found that in diabetic rats, resistance training increased muscle and serum IL-15 levels, decreased muscle IL-6 levels, and preserved FHL muscle mass.

  17. Melanocortin 4 Receptor Activation Attenuates Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Skeletal Muscle of Diabetic Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hao-Hao; Liu, Jiao; Qin, Gui-Jun; Li, Xia-Lian; Du, Pei-Jie; Hao, Xiao; Zhao, Di; Tian, Tian; Wu, Jing; Yun, Meng; Bai, Yan-Hui

    2017-11-01

    A previous study has confirmed that the central melanocortin system was able to mediate skeletal muscle AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation in mice fed a high-fat diet, while activation of the AMPK signaling pathway significantly induced mitochondrial biogenesis. Our hypothesis was that melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) was involved in the development of skeletal muscle injury in diabetic rats. In this study, we treated diabetic rats intracerebroventricularly with MC4R agonist R027-3225 or antagonist SHU9119, respectively. Then, we measured the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content and mitochondrial biogenesis, and the protein levels of p-AMPK, AMPK, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in the skeletal muscle of diabetic rats. The results showed that there was significant skeletal muscle injury in the diabetic rats along with serious oxidative stress and decreased mitochondrial biogenesis. Treatment with R027-3225 reduced oxidative stress and induced mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle, and also activated the AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1α signaling pathway. However, diabetic rats injected with MC4R antagonist SHU9119 showed an aggravated oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle. In conclusion, our results revealed that MC4R activation was able to attenuate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle induced by diabetes partially through activating the AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1α signaling pathway. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4072-4079, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Muscle as a “Mediator“ of Systemic Metabolism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baskin, Kedryn K.; Winders, Benjamin R.; Olson, Eric N.

    2015-01-01

    Skeletal and cardiac muscles play key roles in the regulation of systemic energy homeostasis and display remarkable plasticity in their metabolic responses to caloric availability and physical activity. In this Perspective we discuss recent studies highlighting transcriptional mechanisms that govern systemic metabolism by striated muscles. We focus on the participation of the Mediator complex in this process, and suggest that tissue-specific regulation of Mediator subunits impacts metabolic homeostasis. PMID:25651178

  19. Effects of hypertonic dextrose on injured rat skeletal muscles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunduracioglu, Burak; Ulkar, Bulent; Sabuncuoglu, Bizden T; Can, Belgin; Bayrakci, Kenan

    2006-04-01

    Histological examination of proliferative therapy effects on the healing process of muscular injury. We performed this study between March and August 2002 at Ankara University, School of Medicine, Laboratory of Animal Experiments, Ankara, Turkey. We used an experimental animal model by conducting a standardized cut injury of the gastrocnemius muscle in 30 adult male albino rats, which we divided into 2 groups; proliferative therapy group and control group. We evaluated the injured rat muscles by light microscopy on the fifth, eight, and twelfth day of injury. The muscular regeneration process began at day 5 in both the control and proliferative therapy groups. The proliferative therapy group revealed a prominent inflammatory reaction, fibroblast migration, and necrosis with accompanying regeneration and excessive connective tissue formation. We cannot consider proliferative therapy an appropriate treatment modality for muscular injuries, unless there is evidence of normal muscle physiology and biomechanics post traumatically.

  20. Overload-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy is not impaired in STZ-diabetic rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortes, Marco Aurélio S; Pinheiro, Carlos Hermano J; Guimarães-Ferreira, Lucas; Vitzel, Kaio F; Vasconcelos, Diogo A A; Curi, Rui

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of overload-induced hypertrophy on extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscles of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The overload-induced hypertrophy and absolute tetanic and twitch forces increases in EDL and soleus muscles were not different between diabetic and control rats. Phospho-Akt and rpS6 contents were increased in EDL muscle after 7 days of overload and returned to the pre-overload values after 30 days. In the soleus muscle, the contents of total and phospho-Akt and total rpS6 were increased in both groups after 7 days. The contents of total Akt in controls and total rpS6 and phospho-Akt in the diabetic rats remained increased after 30 days. mRNA expression after 7 days of overload in the EDL muscle of control and diabetic animals showed an increase in MGF and follistatin and a decrease in myostatin and Axin2. The expression of FAK was increased and of MuRF-1 and atrogin-1 decreased only in the control group, whereas Ankrd2 expression was enhanced only in diabetic rats. In the soleus muscle caused similar changes in both groups: increase in FAK and MGF and decrease in Wnt7a, MuRF-1, atrogin-1, and myostatin. Differences between groups were observed only in the increased expression of follistatin in diabetic animals and decreased Ankrd2 expression in the control group. So, insulin deficiency does not impair the overload-induced hypertrophic response in soleus and EDL muscles. However, different mechanisms seem to be involved in the comparable hypertrophic responses of skeletal muscle in control and diabetic animals. PMID:26197932

  1. The influence of flow redistribution on working rat muscle oxygenation.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoofd, L.J.C.; Degens, H.

    2009-01-01

    We applied a theoretical model of muscle tissue O2 transport to investigate the effects of flow redistribution on rat soleus muscle oxygenation. The situation chosen was the anaerobic threshold where redistribution of flow is expected to have the largest impact. In the basic situation all

  2. Optimizing hyaluronidase dose and plasmid DNA delivery greatly improves gene electrotransfer efficiency in rat skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Åkerström, Thorbjörn; Vedel, Kenneth; Needham Andersen, Josefine

    2015-01-01

    Transfection of rat skeletal muscle in vivo is a widely used research model. However, gene electrotransfer protocols have been developed for mice and yield variable results in rats. We investigated whether changes in hyaluronidase pre-treatment and plasmid DNA delivery can improve transfection...... with a homogenous distribution. We also show that transfection was stable over five weeks of regular exercise or inactivity. Our findings show that species-specific plasmid DNA delivery and hyaluronidase pre-treatment greatly improves transfection efficiency in rat skeletal muscle....... efficiency in rat skeletal muscle. We found that pre-treating the muscle with a hyaluronidase dose suitable for rats (0.56. U/g b.w.) prior to plasmid DNA injection increased transfection efficiency by >200% whereas timing of the pre-treatment did not affect efficiency. Uniformly distributing plasmid DNA...

  3. Role of insulin on exercise-induced GLUT-4 protein expression and glycogen supercompensation in rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuo, Chia-Hua; Hwang, Hyonson; Lee, Man-Cheong; Castle, Arthur L; Ivy, John L

    2004-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of insulin on skeletal muscle GLUT-4 protein expression and glycogen storage after postexercise carbohydrate supplementation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of six treatment groups: sedentary control (Con), Con with streptozocin (Stz/C), immediately postexercise (Ex0), Ex0 with Stz (Stz/Ex0), 5-h postexercise (Ex5), and Ex5 with Stz (Stz/Ex5). Rats were exercised by swimming (2 bouts of 3 h) and carbohydrate supplemented immediately after each exercise session by glucose intubation (1 ml of a 50% wt/vol). Stz was administered 72-h before exercise, which resulted in hyperglycemia and elimination of the insulin response to the carbohydrate supplement. GLUT-4 protein of Ex0 rats was 30% above Con in fast-twitch (FT) red and 21% above Con in FT white muscle. In Ex5, GLUT-4 protein was 52% above Con in FT red and 47% above Con in FT white muscle. Muscle glycogen in FT red and white muscle was also increased above Con in Ex5 rats. Neither GLUT-4 protein nor muscle glycogen was increased above Con in Stz/Ex0 or Stz/Ex5 rats. GLUT-4 mRNA in FT red muscle of Ex0 rats was 61% above Con but only 33% above Con in Ex5 rats. GLUT-4 mRNA in FT red muscle of Stz/C and Stz/Ex0 rats was similar but significantly elevated in Ex5/Stz rats. These results suggest that insulin is essential for the increase in GLUT-4 protein expression following postexercise carbohydrate supplementation.

  4. Curcumin attenuates skeletal muscle mitochondrial impairment in COPD rats: PGC-1α/SIRT3 pathway involved.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ming; Tang, Jingjing; Li, Yali; Xie, Yingying; Shan, Hu; Chen, Mingxia; Zhang, Jie; Yang, Xia; Zhang, Qiuhong; Yang, Xudong

    2017-11-01

    Curcumin has been widely used to treat numerous diseases due to its antioxidant property. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of curcumin on skeletal muscle mitochondria in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its underlying mechanism. The rat model of COPD was established by cigarette smoke exposure combined with intratracheal administration of lipopolysaccharide. Airway inflammation and emphysema were notably ameliorated by the treatment with curcumin. Oral administration of curcumin significantly improved muscle fiber atrophy, myofibril disorganization, interstitial fibrosis and mitochondrial structure damage in the skeletal muscle of COPD rats. Mitochondrial enzyme activities of cytochrome c oxidase, succinate dehydrogenase, Na + /K + -ATPase and Ca 2+ -ATPase in skeletal muscle mitochondria from COPD rats were significantly increased after treatment with curcumin. Moreover, curcumin significantly decreased oxidative stress and inflammation by determining the levels of malondialdehyde, manganese superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, IL-6 and TNF-α in skeletal muscle of COPD rats. Furthermore, curcumin significantly increased the mRNA and protein expression of PGC-1α and SIRT3 in the skeletal muscle tissues of COPD rats. These results suggested that curcumin can attenuate skeletal muscle mitochondrial impairment in COPD rats possibly by the up-regulation of PGC-1α/SIRT3 signaling pathway. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. beta-adrenergic effects on carbohydrate metabolism in the unweighted rat soleus muscle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirby, Christopher R.; Tischler, Marc E.

    1990-01-01

    The effect of unweighting on the response of the soleus-muscle carbohydrate metabolism to a beta-adrenergic agonist (isoproterenol) was investigated in rats that were subjected to three days of tail-cast suspension. It was found that isoproterenol promoted glycogen degradation in soleus from suspended rats to a higher degree than in weighted soleus from control rats, and had no effect in unweighted digitorum longus. However, isoproterenol did not have a greater inhibitory effect on the net uptake of tritium-labeled 2-deoxy-glucose by the unweighted soleus and that isoproterenol inhibited hexose phosphorylation less in the unweighted than in the control muscle.

  6. Endurance training facilitates myoglobin desaturation during muscle contraction in rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takakura, Hisashi; Furuichi, Yasuro; Yamada, Tatsuya; Jue, Thomas; Ojino, Minoru; Hashimoto, Takeshi; Iwase, Satoshi; Hojo, Tatsuya; Izawa, Tetsuya; Masuda, Kazumi

    2015-03-24

    At onset of muscle contraction, myoglobin (Mb) immediately releases its bound O2 to the mitochondria. Accordingly, intracellular O2 tension (PmbO2) markedly declines in order to increase muscle O2 uptake (mVO2). However, whether the change in PmbO2 during muscle contraction modulates mVO2 and whether the O2 release rate from Mb increases in endurance-trained muscles remain unclear. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to determine the effect of endurance training on O2 saturation of Mb (SmbO2) and PmbO2 kinetics during muscle contraction. Male Wistar rats were subjected to a 4-week swimming training (Tr group; 6 days per week, 30 min × 4 sets per day) with a weight load of 2% body mass. After the training period, deoxygenated Mb kinetics during muscle contraction were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy under hemoglobin-free medium perfusion. In the Tr group, the VmO2peak significantly increased by 32%. Although the PmbO2 during muscle contraction did not affect the increased mVO2 in endurance-trained muscle, the O2 release rate from Mb increased because of the increased Mb concentration and faster decremental rate in SmbO2 at the maximal twitch tension. These results suggest that the Mb dynamics during muscle contraction are contributing factors to faster VO2 kinetics in endurance-trained muscle.

  7. Lentivirus administration to rat muscle provides efficient sustained expression of erythropoietin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Seppen, J.; Barry, S. C.; Harder, B.; Osborne, W. R.

    2001-01-01

    A lentivirus pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus G protein (VSV-G) encoding rat erythropoietin (EPO) complementary DNA was administered to rat skeletal muscle and red blood cell production was serially monitored. After a single intramuscular injection hematocrit values increased and reached

  8. Three-Dimensional Culture Model of Skeletal Muscle Tissue with Atrophy Induced by Dexamethasone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Kazunori; Genma, Riho; Gotou, Yuuki; Nagasaka, Sumire; Honda, Hiroyuki

    2017-06-15

    Drug screening systems for muscle atrophy based on the contractile force of cultured skeletal muscle tissues are required for the development of preventive or therapeutic drugs for atrophy. This study aims to develop a muscle atrophy model by inducing atrophy in normal muscle tissues constructed on microdevices capable of measuring the contractile force and to verify if this model is suitable for drug screening using the contractile force as an index. Tissue engineered skeletal muscles containing striated myotubes were prepared on the microdevices for the study. The addition of 100 µM dexamethasone (Dex), which is used as a muscle atrophy inducer, for 24 h reduced the contractile force significantly. An increase in the expression of Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 in the tissues treated with Dex was established. A decrease in the number of striated myotubes was also observed in the tissues treated with Dex. Treatment with 8 ng/mL Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-I) for 24 h significantly increased the contractile force of the Dex-induced atrophic tissues. The same treatment, though, had no impact on the force of the normal tissues. Thus, it is envisaged that the atrophic skeletal muscle tissues induced by Dex can be used for drug screening against atrophy.

  9. Skeletal muscle and hormonal adaptation to physical training in the rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksson, J; Svedenhag, J; Richter, Erik

    1985-01-01

    The main purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that adrenergic stimulation of muscle fibres during exercise is a major stimulus for the training-induced enhancement of skeletal muscle respiratory capacity. Therefore, Sprague-Dawley rats either underwent bilateral surgical ablati...

  10. Proximo-distal organization and fibre type regionalization in rat hindlimb muscles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wang, LC; Kernell, D

    Five muscles of the rat's lower hindlimb were compared with regard to their histochemical fibre type distribution at seven different proximo-distal levels. The muscles were: extensor digitorum longus (ED), flexor digitorum and hallucis longus (FD), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), peroneus longus (PE)

  11. Noninvasive Cu-64-ATSM and PET/CT Assessment of Hypoxia in Rat Skeletal Muscles and Tendons During Muscle Contractions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skovgaard, D.; Kjaer, M.; Madsen, J.

    2009-01-01

    the first PET/CT scan. Standardized uptake values (SUVs) were calculated for the Achilles tendons and triceps surae muscles and were correlated to gene expression of HIF1 alpha and CAIII using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Immediately after the contractions, uptake of Cu-64-ATSM......The purpose of the present study was to investigate exercise-related changes in oxygenation in rat skeletal muscles and tendons noninvasively with PET/CT and the hypoxia-selective tracer Cu-64-diacetyl bis(N-4-methylthiosemicarbazone) (ATSM) and to quantitatively study concomitant changes in gene...... expression of 2 hypoxia-related genes, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1 alpha) and carbonic anhydrase III (CAIII). Methods: Two groups of Wistar rats performed 1-leg contractions of the calf muscle by electrostimulation of the sciatic nerve. After 10 min of muscle contractions, Cu-64-ATSM was injected...

  12. Noninvasive 64Cu-ATSM and PET/CT Assessment of Hypoxia in Rat Skeletal Muscles and Tendons During Muscle Contractions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skovgaard, Dorthe; Kjaer, Michael; Madsen, Jacob

    2009-01-01

    the first PET/CT scan. Standardized uptake values (SUVs) were calculated for the Achilles tendons and triceps surae muscles and were correlated to gene expression of HIF1alpha and CAIII using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Immediately after the contractions, uptake of (64)Cu......The purpose of the present study was to investigate exercise-related changes in oxygenation in rat skeletal muscles and tendons noninvasively with PET/CT and the hypoxia-selective tracer (64)Cu-diacetyl bis(N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazone) (ATSM) and to quantitatively study concomitant changes in gene...... expression of 2 hypoxia-related genes, hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF1alpha) and carbonic anhydrase III (CAIII). METHODS: Two groups of Wistar rats performed 1-leg contractions of the calf muscle by electrostimulation of the sciatic nerve. After 10 min of muscle contractions, (64)Cu-ATSM was injected...

  13. Arginase promotes skeletal muscle arteriolar endothelial dysfunction in diabetic rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fruzsina K. Johnson

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Endothelial dysfunction is a characteristic feature in diabetes that contributes to the development of vascular disease. Recently, arginase has been implicated in triggering endothelial dysfunction in diabetic patients and animals by competing with endothelial nitric oxide synthase for substrate L-arginine. While most studies have focused on the coronary circulation and large conduit blood vessels, the role of arginase in mediating diabetic endothelial dysfunction in other vascular beds has not been fully investigated. In the present study, we determined whether arginase contributes to endothelial dysfunction in skeletal muscle arterioles of diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats by streptozotocin injection. Four weeks after streptozotocin administration, blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and vascular arginase activity were significantly increased. In addition, a significant increase in arginase I and II mRNA expression was detected in gracilis muscle arterioles of diabetic rats compared to age-matched, vehicle control animals. To examine endothelial function, first-order gracilis muscle arterioles were isolated, cannulated in a pressure myograph system, exposed to graded levels of luminal flow, and internal vessel diameter measured. Increases in luminal flow (0-50µL/min caused progressive vasodilation in arterioles isolated from control, normoglycemic animals. However, flow-induced vasodilation was absent in arterioles obtained from streptozotocin-treated rats. Acute in-vitro pretreatment of blood vessels with the arginase inhibitors Nω-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine or S-(2-boronoethyl-L-cysteine restored flow-induced responses in arterioles from diabetic rats and abolished differences between diabetic and control animals. Similarly, acute in-vitro pretreatment with L-arginine returned flow-mediated vasodilation in vessels from diabetic animals to that of control rats. In contrast, D-arginine failed to restore flow

  14. Insulin binding to individual rat skeletal muscles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koerker, D.J.; Sweet, I.R.; Baskin, D.G.

    1990-01-01

    Studies of insulin binding to skeletal muscle, performed using sarcolemmal membrane preparations or whole muscle incubations of mixed muscle or typical red (soleus, psoas) or white [extensor digitorum longus (EDL), gastrocnemius] muscle, have suggested that red muscle binds more insulin than white muscle. We have evaluated this hypothesis using cryostat sections of unfixed tissue to measure insulin binding in a broad range of skeletal muscles; many were of similar fiber-type profiles. Insulin binding per square millimeter of skeletal muscle slice was measured by autoradiography and computer-assisted densitometry. We found a 4.5-fold range in specific insulin tracer binding, with heart and predominantly slow-twitch oxidative muscles (SO) at the high end and the predominantly fast-twitch glycolytic (FG) muscles at the low end of the range. This pattern reflects insulin sensitivity. Evaluation of displacement curves for insulin binding yielded linear Scatchard plots. The dissociation constants varied over a ninefold range (0.26-2.06 nM). Binding capacity varied from 12.2 to 82.7 fmol/mm2. Neither binding parameter was correlated with fiber type or insulin sensitivity; e.g., among three muscles of similar fiber-type profile, the EDL had high numbers of low-affinity binding sites, whereas the quadriceps had low numbers of high-affinity sites. In summary, considerable heterogeneity in insulin binding was found among hindlimb muscles of the rat, which can be attributed to heterogeneity in binding affinities and the numbers of binding sites. It can be concluded that a given fiber type is not uniquely associated with a set of insulin binding parameters that result in high or low binding

  15. Muscle assembly: a titanic achievement?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregorio, C C; Granzier, H; Sorimachi, H; Labeit, S

    1999-02-01

    The formation of perfectly aligned myofibrils in striated muscle represents a dramatic example of supramolecular assembly in eukaryotic cells. Recently, considerable progress has been made in deciphering the roles that titin, the third most abundant protein in muscle, has in this process. An increasing number of sarcomeric proteins (ligands) are being identified that bind to specific titin domains. Titin may serve as a molecular blueprint for sarcomere assembly and turnover by specifying the precise position of its ligands within each half-sarcomere in addition to functioning as a molecular spring that maintains the structural integrity of the contracting myofibrils.

  16. Anthelmintics, used for the treatment of fascioliasis as uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation in warm blooded animals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Miert, A.S.J.P.A.M. van; Groeneveld, H.W.

    1969-01-01

    Dinitrophenol and liverfluke anthelmintics such as niclofolan, nitroxynil, bromophenophos and hexachlorophene increased ATP-ase activity of rat-liver mitochondria and caused a contracture of striated muscle in vitro. After lethal doses, rigidity occured soon after deatth. It is postulated that these

  17. Interactions of Aging, Overload, and Creatine Supplementation in Rat Plantaris Muscle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark D. Schuenke

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Attenuation of age-related sarcopenia by creatine supplementation has been equivocal. In this study, plantaris muscles of young (Y; 5m and aging (A; 24m Fisher 344 rats underwent four weeks of either control (C, creatine supplementation (Cr, surgical overload (O, or overload plus creatine (OCr. Creatine alone had no effect on muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA or heat shock protein (HSP70 and increased myonuclear domain (MND only in young rats. Overload increased CSA and HSP70 content in I and IIA fibers, regardless of age, and MND in IIA fibers of YO rats. CSA and MND increased in all fast fibers of YOCr, and CSA increased in I and IIA fibers of AOCr. OCR did not alter HSP70, regardless of age. MND did not change in aging rats, regardless of treatment. These data indicate creatine alone had no significant effect. Creatine with overload produced no additional hypertrophy relative to overload alone and attenuated overload-induced HSP70 expression.

  18. Regenerated rat skeletal muscle after periodic contusions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.B. Minamoto

    2001-11-01

    Full Text Available In the present study we evaluated the morphological aspect and changes in the area and incidence of muscle fiber types of long-term regenerated rat tibialis anterior (TA muscle previously submitted to periodic contusions. Animals received eight consecutive traumas: one trauma per week, for eight weeks, and were evaluated one (N = 8 and four (N = 9 months after the last contusion. Serial cross-sections were evaluated by toluidine blue staining, acid phosphatase and myosin ATPase reactions. The weight of injured muscles was decreased compared to the contralateral intact one (one month: 0.77 ± 0.15 vs 0.91 ± 0.09 g, P = 0.03; four months: 0.79 ± 0.14 vs 1.02 ± 0.07 g, P = 0.0007, respectively and showed abundant presence of split fibers and fibers with centralized nuclei, mainly in the deep portion. Damaged muscles presented a higher incidence of undifferentiated fibers when compared to the intact one (one month: 3.4 ± 2.1 vs 0.5 ± 0.3%, P = 0.006; four months: 2.3 ± 1.6 vs 0.3 ± 0.3%, P = 0.007, respectively. Injured TA evaluated one month later showed a decreased area of muscle fibers when compared to the intact one (P = 0.003. Thus, we conclude that: a muscle fibers were damaged mainly in the deep portion, probably because they were compressed against the tibia; b periodic contusions in the TA muscle did not change the percentage of type I and II muscle fibers; c periodically injured TA muscles took four months to reach a muscle fiber area similar to that of the intact muscle.

  19. The Effects of Phrenic Nerve Degeneration by Axotomy and Crush on the Electrical Activities of Diaphragm Muscles of Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkiş, Mehmet Eşref; Kavak, Servet; Sayır, Fuat; Him, Aydin

    2016-03-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of axotomy and crush-related degeneration on the electrical activities of diaphragm muscle strips of experimental rats. In the present study, twenty-one male Wistar-albino rats were used and divided into three groups. The animals in the first group were not crushed or axotomized and served as controls. Phrenic nerves of the rats in the second and third groups were crushed or axotomized in the diaphragm muscle. Resting membrane potential (RMP) was decreased significantly in both crush and axotomy of diaphragm muscle strips of experimental rats (p phrenic nerves may produce electrical activities in the diaphragm muscle of the rat by depolarization time and half-repolarization time prolonged in crush and axotomy rats.

  20. Effect of age on fatty infiltration of supraspinatus muscle after experimental tendon release in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farshad Mazda

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Rotator cuff tendon tear is a leading cause for atrophy, fibrosis and fatty infiltration of the rotator cuff muscles. The pathophysiology of fatty muscle infiltration is not well understood. An animal model suited to study cellular and molecular mechanisms would therefore be desirable. While a rat model has been established for chronic rotator cuff tendon pathology, sufficient and easily identifiable fatty infiltration of the muscle has not yet been shown in rats. As younger animals regenerate better, we hypothesized that the absence of a sufficient amount of fatty infiltration in previous experiments was due to the selection of young animals and that older animals would exhibit higher amounts of fatty infiltration after tendon tear. Findings The supraspinatus tendon was released using tenotomy in 3 young (6 weeks old and in 3 aged (24 months old Sprague Dawley rats (group I and II. Another 3 aged (24 months old rats underwent sham surgery and served as a control group (group III. In group I and II retraction of the musculotendinous unit was allowed for 6 weeks. All animals were sacrificed 6 weeks after surgery and the supraspinatus muscles were harvested. Each sample was examined for fatty infiltration of the muscle by histological methods and micro-CT. In histology, fat cells were counted with a 10-fold magnification in 6 fields of view twice. An adjusted measurement setup was developed for the use of micro-CT to quantify the absorption coefficient of the muscle as a reciprocal indicator for fatty infiltration, based on the established procedure for quantification of fatty infiltration on CT in humans. Tenotomy resulted in an insignificant increase of fat cells in histological sections in both, aged and young rats. Micro-CT was able to quantify small differences in the absorption coefficients of muscle samples; the absorption coefficient was 8.1% ± 11.3% lower in retracted muscles (group I and II compared with the control

  1. Properties of 5'-deiodinase of 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine in rat skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsukahara, Fujiko; Nomoto, Teruko; Maeda, Michiko

    1989-01-01

    To characterize rT 3 5'-deiodinase (5'D) in rat skeletal muscle, the effects of altered thyroid status and PTU on rT 3 f'D were studied. rT 3 5'D activity was measured by incubating homogenates of rat skeletal muscle with [ 125 ]rT 3 , iodine labelled in the outer ring, in the presence of 20 mmol/l DL-dithiothreitol. This activity was observed to increase significantly 24 h after a single sc injection of T 3 (75μg/kg). The increase following the daily administration of this drug (15 or 75 μ/kg) for 3 and 14 days was dependent on the dose and number of previous days of injection. A significant decrease in activity was observed 2 weeks after thyroidectomy. The addition of 0.1 mmol/l 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) to the incubation medium in vitro caused a marked reduction in the activity in homogenates of skeletal muscle from hypothyroid, euthyroid and hyperthyroid rats. PTU, pressent at 0.05% in the drinking water for 2 weeks virtually abolished it. The properties of rT 3 5'D in rat skeletal muscle thus appear to be essentially the same as those of type I enzyme with respect to response toward altered thyroid status and PTU. (author)

  2. Establishment of bipotent progenitor cell clone from rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murakami, Yousuke; Yada, Erica; Nakano, Shin-ichi; Miyagoe-Suzuki, Yuko; Hosoyama, Tohru; Matsuwaki, Takashi; Yamanouchi, Keitaro; Nishihara, Masugi

    2011-12-01

    The present study describes the isolation, cloning and characterization of adipogenic progenitor cells from rat skeletal muscle. Among the obtained 10 clones, the most highly adipogenic progenitor, 2G11 cells, were further characterized. In addition to their adipogenicity, 2G11 cells retain myogenic potential as revealed by formation of multinucleated myotubes when co-cultured with myoblasts. 2G11 cells were resistant to an inhibitory effect of basic fibroblast growth factor on adipogenesis, while adipogenesis of widely used preadipogenic cell line, 3T3-L1 cells, was suppressed almost completely by the same treatment. In vivo transplantation experiments revealed that 2G11 cells are able to possess both adipogenicity and myogenicity in vivo. These results indicate the presence of bipotent progenitor cells in rat skeletal muscle, and suggest that such cells may contribute to ectopic fat formation in skeletal muscle. © 2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  3. Elevated interstitial fluid volume in rat soleus muscles by hindlimb unweighting

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kandarian, S C; Boushel, Robert Christopher; Schulte, Lars

    1991-01-01

    ) by tail suspension. Soleus muscles were studied after 28 days and compared with those from five age-matched control (C) rats. Interstitial fluid volume ([3H]inulin space) and maximum tetanic tension (Po) were measured in vitro at 25 degrees C. Soleus muscles atrophied 58% because of unweighting (C = 147...

  4. Studies on the uptake of 14C-neostigmine in the isolated rat diaphragm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Helleberg, L.

    1976-01-01

    The uptake process of 14 C-neostigmine in striated muscles was studied using the isolated rat diaphragm. Hemidiaphragms were incubated with 3x10 -7 M 14 C-neostigmine at 37deg in Krebs-Ringer solution containing 11 mM glucose and aerated with oxygen:carbon dioxide (95:5 v/v %). The uptake, which is expressed as the muscle-to-medium concentration ratio, was 1.41, after 3 hours, after which the rate of uptake diminished and became equal to that of inulin. The uptake which showed partial saturation, was decreased by some tertiary and quarternary amines, metabolic inhibitors, potassium and in an atmosphere of nitrogen. Neostigmine accumulated in all parts of the muscle without preference for the end plate zone. The half-time for the efflux was about 30 min. The phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation became desensitized to the effect of 3x10 -7 M neostigmine after 2-3 hours. It is suggested that the uptake of neostigmine is mediated via a specialized carrier transport system. (author)

  5. Experimental occlusal interference induces long-term masticatory muscle hyperalgesia in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Ye; Xie, Qiu-Fei; Li, Kai; Light, Alan R; Fu, Kai-Yuan

    2009-08-01

    Temporomandibular joint or related masticatory muscle pain represents the most common chronic orofacial pain condition. Patients frequently report this kind of pain after dental alterations in occlusion. However, lack of understanding of the mechanisms of occlusion-related temporomandibular joint and muscle pain prevents treating this problem successfully. To explore the relationship between improper occlusion (occlusal interference) and masticatory muscle pain, we created an occlusal interference animal model by directly bonding a crown to a maxillary molar to raise the masticating surface of the tooth in rats. We raised the occlusal surface to three different heights (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6mm), and for one month we quantitatively measured mechanical nociceptive thresholds of the temporal and masseter muscles on both sides. Results showed a stimulus-response relationship between the height of occlusal interference and muscle hyperalgesia. Removal of the crown 6 days after occlusal interference showed that the removal at this time could not terminate the 1 month duration of mechanical hyperalgesia in the masticatory muscles. Lastly, we systemically administered NMDA antagonist MK801 (0.2, 0.1, and 0.05 mg/kg) to the treated rats and found that MK801 dose dependently attenuated the occlusal interference-induced hyperalgesia. These findings suggest that occlusal interference is directly related to masticatory muscle pain, and that central sensitization mechanisms are involved in the maintenance of the occlusal interference-induced mechanical hyperalgesia.

  6. Proteome-wide muscle protein fractional synthesis rates predict muscle mass gain in response to a selective androgen receptor modulator in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankaran, Mahalakshmi; Shearer, Todd W; Stimpson, Stephen A; Turner, Scott M; King, Chelsea; Wong, Po-Yin Anne; Shen, Ying; Turnbull, Philip S; Kramer, Fritz; Clifton, Lisa; Russell, Alan; Hellerstein, Marc K; Evans, William J

    2016-03-15

    Biomarkers of muscle protein synthesis rate could provide early data demonstrating anabolic efficacy for treating muscle-wasting conditions. Androgenic therapies have been shown to increase muscle mass primarily by increasing the rate of muscle protein synthesis. We hypothesized that the synthesis rate of large numbers of individual muscle proteins could serve as early response biomarkers and potentially treatment-specific signaling for predicting the effect of anabolic treatments on muscle mass. Utilizing selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) treatment in the ovariectomized (OVX) rat, we applied an unbiased, dynamic proteomics approach to measure the fractional synthesis rates (FSR) of 167-201 individual skeletal muscle proteins in triceps, EDL, and soleus. OVX rats treated with a SARM molecule (GSK212A at 0.1, 0.3, or 1 mg/kg) for 10 or 28 days showed significant, dose-related increases in body weight, lean body mass, and individual triceps but not EDL or soleus weights. Thirty-four out of the 94 proteins measured from the triceps of all rats exhibited a significant, dose-related increase in FSR after 10 days of SARM treatment. For several cytoplasmic proteins, including carbonic anhydrase 3, creatine kinase M-type (CK-M), pyruvate kinase, and aldolase-A, a change in 10-day FSR was strongly correlated (r(2) = 0.90-0.99) to the 28-day change in lean body mass and triceps weight gains, suggesting a noninvasive measurement of SARM effects. In summary, FSR of multiple muscle proteins measured by dynamics of moderate- to high-abundance proteins provides early biomarkers of the anabolic response of skeletal muscle to SARM. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  7. New kids on the block: The Popeye domain containing (POPDC) protein family acting as a novel class of cAMP effector proteins in striated muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, Thomas; Schindler, Roland

    2017-12-01

    The cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signalling pathway constitutes an ancient signal transduction pathway present in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Previously, it was thought that in eukaryotes three effector proteins mediate cAMP signalling, namely protein kinase A (PKA), exchange factor directly activated by cAMP (EPAC) and the cyclic-nucleotide gated channels. However, recently a novel family of cAMP effector proteins emerged and was termed the Popeye domain containing (POPDC) family, which consists of three members POPDC1, POPDC2 and POPDC3. POPDC proteins are transmembrane proteins, which are abundantly present in striated and smooth muscle cells. POPDC proteins bind cAMP with high affinity comparable to PKA. Presently, their biochemical activity is poorly understood. However, mutational analysis in animal models as well as the disease phenotype observed in patients carrying missense mutations suggests that POPDC proteins are acting by modulating membrane trafficking of interacting proteins. In this review, we will describe the current knowledge about this gene family and also outline the apparent gaps in our understanding of their role in cAMP signalling and beyond. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Impact of Western and Mediterranean Diets and Vitamin D on Muscle Fibers of Sedentary Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purrello, Francesco

    2018-01-01

    Background: The metabolic syndrome is associated with sarcopenia. Decreased serum levels of Vitamin D (VitD) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and their mutual relationship were also reported. We aimed to evaluate whether different dietary profiles, containing or not VitD, may exert different effects on muscle molecular morphology. Methods: Twenty-eight male rats were fed for 10 weeks in order to detect early defects induced by different dietary regimens: regular diet (R); regular diet with vitamin D supplementation (R-DS) and regular diet with vitamin D restriction (R-DR); high-fat butter-based diets (HFB-DS and HFB-DR) with 41% energy from fat; high-fat extra-virgin olive oil-based diets (HFEVO-DS and HFEVO-DR) with 41% energy from fat. IL-1β, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)1, Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1), and VitD-receptor (VDR) expressions were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Muscle fiber perimeter was measured by histology and morphometric analysis. Results: The muscle fibers of the HEVO-DS rats were hypertrophic, comparable to those of the R-DS rats. An inverse correlation existed between the dietary fat content and the perimeter of the muscle fibers (p < 0.01). In the HFB-DR rats, the muscle fibers appeared hypotrophic with an increase of IL-1β and a dramatic decrease of IGF-1 expression. Conclusions: High-fat western diet could impair muscle metabolism and lay the ground for subsequent muscle damage. VitD associated with a Mediterranean diet showed trophic action on the muscle fibers. PMID:29462978

  9. Healing effect of Sanguisorba officinalis L extract on second-degree ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Results: On day 14, the mean wound area of SOLE treatment group (0.22 ± 0.05 cm2) was ... Herbal samples of Sanguisorba officinalis L. .... striated muscles and vascular engorgement and necrosis were seen in the burn skin of model rats.

  10. Muscle differentiation in a colonial ascidian: organisation, gene expression and evolutionary considerations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burighel Paolo

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Ascidians are tunicates, the taxon recently proposed as sister group to the vertebrates. They possess a chordate-like swimming larva, which metamorphoses into a sessile adult. Several ascidian species form colonies of clonal individuals by asexual reproduction. During their life cycle, ascidians present three muscle types: striated in larval tail, striated in the heart, and unstriated in the adult body-wall. Results In the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri, we investigated organisation, differentiation and gene expression of muscle beginning from early buds to adults and during zooid regression. We characterised transcripts for troponin T (BsTnT-c, adult muscle-type (BsMA2 and cytoplasmic-type (BsCA1 actins, followed by in situ hybridisation (ISH on sections to establish the spatio-temporal expression of BsTnT-c and BsMA2 during asexual reproduction and in the larva. Moreover, we characterised actin genomic sequences, which by comparison with other metazoans revealed conserved intron patterns. Conclusion Integration of data from ISH, phalloidin staining and TEM allowed us to follow the phases of differentiation of the three muscle kinds, which differ in expression pattern of the two transcripts. Moreover, phylogenetic analyses provided evidence for the close relationship between tunicate and vertebrate muscle genes. The characteristics and plasticity of muscles in tunicates are discussed.

  11. Changes in skeletal muscle and tendon structure and function following genetic inactivation of myostatin in rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendias, Christopher L; Lynch, Evan B; Gumucio, Jonathan P; Flood, Michael D; Rittman, Danielle S; Van Pelt, Douglas W; Roche, Stuart M; Davis, Carol S

    2015-01-01

    Myostatin is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle and tendon mass. Myostatin deficiency has been well studied in mice, but limited data are available on how myostatin regulates the structure and function of muscles and tendons of larger animals. We hypothesized that, in comparison to wild-type (MSTN+/+) rats, rats in which zinc finger nucleases were used to genetically inactivate myostatin (MSTNΔ/Δ) would exhibit an increase in muscle mass and total force production, a reduction in specific force, an accumulation of type II fibres and a decrease and stiffening of connective tissue. Overall, the muscle and tendon phenotype of myostatin-deficient rats was markedly different from that of myostatin-deficient mice, which have impaired contractility and pathological changes to fibres and their extracellular matrix. Extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles of MSTNΔ/Δ rats demonstrated 20–33% increases in mass, 35–45% increases in fibre number, 20–57% increases in isometric force and no differences in specific force. The insulin-like growth factor-1 pathway was activated to a greater extent in MSTNΔ/Δ muscles, but no substantial differences in atrophy-related genes were observed. Tendons of MSTNΔ/Δ rats had a 20% reduction in peak strain, with no differences in mass, peak stress or stiffness. The general morphology and gene expression patterns were similar between tendons of both genotypes. This large rodent model of myostatin deficiency did not have the negative consequences to muscle fibres and extracellular matrix observed in mouse models, and suggests that the greatest impact of myostatin in the regulation of muscle mass may not be to induce atrophy directly, but rather to block hypertrophy signalling. PMID:25640143

  12. EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISES ON TRIACYLGLYCEROL LEVEL IN SKELETAL MUSCLES IN DIETARY-INDUCED OBESE RATS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Yu. Yakimovich

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The accumulation of triacylglycerol in peripheral tissues is one of mechanisms of insulin resistance. This paper presents the investigation of the influence of aerobic and anaerobic physical exercises on triacylglycerol level in skeletal muscles and on insulin resistance in dietary-induced obese rats. It is estimated that a high-energy (HE diet causes the accumulation of triacylglycerols in skeletal muscles that leads to high resistance to insulin. Aerobic and anaerobic physical exercises reduce the level of triacylglycerols in skeletal  muscles  and  raise  sensitivity to  insulin  in  obese  rats.  Physical  exercises  raise  the  level  of triacylglycerols in skeletal muscles in standard-diet rats that probably is the adaptation to high energy expenditure, but does not lead to high insulin resistance.

  13. A robust neuromuscular system protects rat and human skeletal muscle from sarcopenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pannérec, Alice; Springer, Margherita; Migliavacca, Eugenia; Ireland, Alex; Piasecki, Mathew; Karaz, Sonia; Jacot, Guillaume; Métairon, Sylviane; Danenberg, Esther; Raymond, Frédéric; Descombes, Patrick; McPhee, Jamie S; Feige, Jerome N

    2016-04-01

    Declining muscle mass and function is one of the main drivers of loss of independence in the elderly. Sarcopenia is associated with numerous cellular and endocrine perturbations, and it remains challenging to identify those changes that play a causal role and could serve as targets for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we uncovered a remarkable differential susceptibility of certain muscles to age-related decline. Aging rats specifically lose muscle mass and function in the hindlimbs, but not in the forelimbs. By performing a comprehensive comparative analysis of these muscles, we demonstrate that regional susceptibility to sarcopenia is dependent on neuromuscular junction fragmentation, loss of motoneuron innervation, and reduced excitability. Remarkably, muscle loss in elderly humans also differs in vastus lateralis and tibialis anterior muscles in direct relation to neuromuscular dysfunction. By comparing gene expression in susceptible and non-susceptible muscles, we identified a specific transcriptomic signature of neuromuscular impairment. Importantly, differential molecular profiling of the associated peripheral nerves revealed fundamental changes in cholesterol biosynthetic pathways. Altogether our results provide compelling evidence that susceptibility to sarcopenia is tightly linked to neuromuscular decline in rats and humans, and identify dysregulation of sterol metabolism in the peripheral nervous system as an early event in this process.

  14. Mitochondrial affinity for ADP is twofold lower in creatine kinase knock-out muscles - Possible role in rescuing cellular energy homeostasis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ter Veld, F; Jeneson, JAL; Nicolay, K

    Adaptations of the kinetic properties of mitochondria in striated muscle lacking cytosolic (M) and/or mitochondrial (Mi) creatine kinase (CK) isoforms in comparison to wild-type (WT) were investigated in vitro. Intact mitochondria were isolated from heart and gastrocnemius muscle of WT and single-

  15. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1H-MRS reveals geniculocalcarine and striate area degeneration in primary glaucoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Zhang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Glaucoma is a collection of neurodegenerative diseases that affect both the retina and the central visual pathway. We investigated whether metabolites' concentrations changed in the geniculocalcarine (GCT and the striate area of occipital lobe by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1H-MRS, suggesting neurodegeneration of the central visual pathway in primary glaucoma. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 20 patients with glaucoma in both eyes were paired with 20 healthy volunteers in same gender and an age difference less than 3 years. All the participants were examined by MR imaging including T1 Flair, T2 FSE and (1H-MRS. The T1 intensity and T2 intensity of their GCTs and striate areas were measured. The ratio of N-acetylaspartate (NAA/Creatine (Cr, Choline (Cho/Cr, glutamine and glutamate (Glx/Cr were derived by multi-voxels (1H-MRS in the GCT and the striate area of each brain hemisphere. The T1 intensity and T2 intensity had no difference between the groups. Significant decreases in NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr but no difference in Glx/Cr was found between the groups in both the GCT and the striate area. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Primary glaucoma affects metabolites' concentrations in the GCT and the striate area suggesting there is ongoing neurodegenerative process.

  16. Sex steroids do not affect muscle weight, oxidative metabolism or cytosolic androgen reception binding of functionally overloaded rat Plantaris muscles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Max, S. R.; Rance, N.

    1983-01-01

    The effects of sex steroids on muscle weight and oxidative capacity of rat planaris muscles subjected to functional overload by removal of synergistic muscles were investigated. Ten weeks after bilateral synergist removal, plantaris muscles were significantly hypertrophic compared with unoperated controls. After this period, the ability of the muscles to oxide three substrates of oxidative metabolism was assessed. Experimental procedures are discussed and results are presented herein. Results suggest a lack of beneficial effect of sex hormone status on the process of hypertrophy and on biochemical changes in overloaded muscle. Such findings are not consistent with the idea of synergistic effects of sex steroids and muscle usage.

  17. Effect of high-intensity intermittent swimming training on fatty acid oxidation enzyme activity in rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terada, Shin; Tabata, Izumi; Higuchi, Mitsuru

    2004-02-01

    We previously reported that high-intensity exercise training significantly increased citrate synthase (CS) activity, a marker of oxidative enzyme, in rat skeletal muscle to a level equaling that attained after low-intensity prolonged exercise training (Terada et al., J Appl Physiol 90: 2019-2024, 2001). Since mitochondrial oxidative enzymes and fatty acid oxidation (FAO) enzymes are often increased simultaneously, we assessed the effect of high-intensity intermittent swimming training on FAO enzyme activity in rat skeletal muscle. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (3 to 4 weeks old) were assigned to a 10-day period of high-intensity intermittent exercise training (HIT), low-intensity prolonged exercise training (LIT), or sedentary control conditions. In the HIT group, the rats repeated fourteen 20 s swimming sessions with a weight equivalent to 14-16% of their body weight. Between the exercise sessions, a 10 s pause was allowed. Rats in the LIT group swam 6 h/day in two 3 h sessions separated by 45 min of rest. CS activity in the triceps muscle of rats in the HIT and LIT groups was significantly higher than that in the control rats by 36 and 39%, respectively. Furthermore, 3-beta hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HAD) activity, an important enzyme in the FAO pathway in skeletal muscle, was higher in the two training groups than in the control rats (HIT: 100%, LIT: 88%). No significant difference in HAD activity was observed between the two training groups. In conclusion, the present investigation demonstrated that high-intensity intermittent swimming training elevated FAO enzyme activity in rat skeletal muscle to a level similar to that attained after 6 h of low-intensity prolonged swimming exercise training.

  18. Effects of exercise training on circulating and skeletal muscle renin-angiotensin system in chronic heart failure rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes-Santos, Igor Lucas; Fernandes, Tiago; Couto, Gisele Kruger; Ferreira-Filho, Julio César Ayres; Salemi, Vera Maria Cury; Fernandes, Fernanda Barrinha; Casarini, Dulce Elena; Brum, Patricia Chakur; Rossoni, Luciana Venturini; de Oliveira, Edilamar Menezes; Negrao, Carlos Eduardo

    2014-01-01

    Accumulated evidence shows that the ACE-AngII-AT1 axis of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is markedly activated in chronic heart failure (CHF). Recent studies provide information that Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7), a metabolite of AngII, counteracts the effects of AngII. However, this balance between AngII and Ang-(1-7) is still little understood in CHF. We investigated the effects of exercise training on circulating and skeletal muscle RAS in the ischemic model of CHF. Male Wistar rats underwent left coronary artery ligation or a Sham operation. They were divided into four groups: 1) Sedentary Sham (Sham-S), 2) exercise-trained Sham (Sham-Ex), sedentary CHF (CHF-S), and exercise-trained CHF (CHF-Ex). Angiotensin concentrations and ACE and ACE2 activity in the circulation and skeletal muscle (soleus and plantaris) were quantified. Skeletal muscle ACE and ACE2 protein expression, and AT1, AT2, and Mas receptor gene expression were also evaluated. CHF reduced ACE2 serum activity. Exercise training restored ACE2 and reduced ACE activity in CHF. Exercise training reduced plasma AngII concentration in both Sham and CHF rats and increased the Ang-(1-7)/AngII ratio in CHF rats. CHF and exercise training did not change skeletal muscle ACE and ACE2 activity and protein expression. CHF increased AngII levels in both soleus and plantaris muscle, and exercise training normalized them. Exercise training increased Ang-(1-7) in the plantaris muscle of CHF rats. The AT1 receptor was only increased in the soleus muscle of CHF rats, and exercise training normalized it. Exercise training increased the expression of the Mas receptor in the soleus muscle of both exercise-trained groups, and normalized it in plantaris muscle. Exercise training causes a shift in RAS towards the Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis in skeletal muscle, which can be influenced by skeletal muscle metabolic characteristics. The changes in RAS circulation do not necessarily reflect the changes occurring in the RAS of skeletal

  19. Kir2.1 regulates rat smooth muscle cell proliferation, migration, and post-injury carotid neointimal formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiao, Yong; Tang, Chengchun; Wang, Qingjie; Wang, Dong; Yan, Gaoliang; Zhu, Boqian

    2016-01-01

    Phenotype switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from the contractile type to the synthetic type is a hallmark of vascular disorders such as atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. Inward rectifier K"+ channel 2.1 (Kir2.1) has been identified in VSMC. However, whether it plays a functional role in regulating cellular transformation remains obscure. In this study, we evaluated the role of Kir2.1 on VSMC proliferation, migration, phenotype switching, and post-injury carotid neointimal formation. Kir2.1 knockdown significantly suppressed platelet-derived growth factor BB-stimulated rat vascular smooth muscle cells (rat-VSMC) proliferation and migration. Deficiency in Kir2.1 contributed to the restoration of smooth muscle α-actin, smooth muscle 22α, and calponin and to a reduction in osteopontin expression in rat-VSMC. Moreover, the in vivo study showed that rat-VSMC switched to proliferative phenotypes and that knockdown of Kir2.1 significantly inhibited neointimal formation after rat carotid injury. Kir2.1 may be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and restenosis following percutaneous coronary intervention.

  20. Kir2.1 regulates rat smooth muscle cell proliferation, migration, and post-injury carotid neointimal formation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qiao, Yong; Tang, Chengchun, E-mail: tangchengchun@medmail.com.cn; Wang, Qingjie; Wang, Dong; Yan, Gaoliang; Zhu, Boqian

    2016-09-02

    Phenotype switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from the contractile type to the synthetic type is a hallmark of vascular disorders such as atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. Inward rectifier K{sup +} channel 2.1 (Kir2.1) has been identified in VSMC. However, whether it plays a functional role in regulating cellular transformation remains obscure. In this study, we evaluated the role of Kir2.1 on VSMC proliferation, migration, phenotype switching, and post-injury carotid neointimal formation. Kir2.1 knockdown significantly suppressed platelet-derived growth factor BB-stimulated rat vascular smooth muscle cells (rat-VSMC) proliferation and migration. Deficiency in Kir2.1 contributed to the restoration of smooth muscle α-actin, smooth muscle 22α, and calponin and to a reduction in osteopontin expression in rat-VSMC. Moreover, the in vivo study showed that rat-VSMC switched to proliferative phenotypes and that knockdown of Kir2.1 significantly inhibited neointimal formation after rat carotid injury. Kir2.1 may be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and restenosis following percutaneous coronary intervention.

  1. PGC-1α mRNA Level and Oxidative Capacity of the Plantaris Muscle in Rats with Metabolic Syndrome, Hypertension, and Type 2 Diabetes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagatomo, Fumiko; Fujino, Hidemi; Kondo, Hiroyo; Gu, Ning; Takeda, Isao; Ishioka, Noriaki; Tsuda, Kinsuke; Ishihara, Akihiko

    2011-01-01

    We examined the fiber profiles and the mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα and PPARδ/β) and of the PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) in the plantaris muscles of 15-week-old control (WR), metabolic syndrome (CP), hypertensive (SHR), and type 2 diabetic (GK) rats. The deep regions in the muscles of SHR and GK rats exhibited lower percentages of high-oxidative type I and IIA fibers and higher percentages of low-oxidative type IIB fibers compared with WR and CP rats. The surface regions in the muscles of CP, SHR, and GK rats exhibited lower percentages of high-oxidative type IIA fibers and higher percentages of low-oxidative type IIB fibers compared with WR rats. The muscles of SHR and GK rats had lower oxidative enzyme activity compared with WR rats. The muscles of SHR rats had the lowest PPARδ/β mRNA level. In addition, the muscles of SHR and GK rats had lower PGC-1α mRNA level compared with WR and CP rats. We concluded that the plantaris muscles of rats with hypertension and type 2 diabetes have lower oxidative capacity, which is associated with the decreased level of PGC-1α mRNA

  2. The giant protein titin regulates the length of the striated muscle thick filament.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tonino, Paola; Kiss, Balazs; Strom, Josh; Methawasin, Mei; Smith, John E; Kolb, Justin; Labeit, Siegfried; Granzier, Henk

    2017-10-19

    The contractile machinery of heart and skeletal muscles has as an essential component the thick filament, comprised of the molecular motor myosin. The thick filament is of a precisely controlled length, defining thereby the force level that muscles generate and how this force varies with muscle length. It has been speculated that the mechanism by which thick filament length is controlled involves the giant protein titin, but no conclusive support for this hypothesis exists. Here we show that in a mouse model in which we deleted two of titin's C-zone super-repeats, thick filament length is reduced in cardiac and skeletal muscles. In addition, functional studies reveal reduced force generation and a dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) phenotype. Thus, regulation of thick filament length depends on titin and is critical for maintaining muscle health.

  3. Imbalance in SOD/CAT activities in rat skeletal muscles submitted to treadmill training exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinho, Ricardo A; Andrades, Michael E; Oliveira, Marcos R; Pirola, Aline C; Zago, Morgana S; Silveira, Paulo C L; Dal-Pizzol, Felipe; Moreira, José Cláudio F

    2006-10-01

    The association between physical exercise and oxidative damage in the skeletal musculature has been the focus of many studies in literature, but the balance between superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and its relation to oxidative damage is not well established. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between regular treadmill physical exercise, oxidative damage and antioxidant defenses in skeletal muscle of rats. Fifteen male Wistar rats (8-12 months) were randomly separated into two groups (trained n=9 and untrained n=6). Trained rats were treadmill-trained for 12 weeks in progressive exercise (velocity, time, and inclination). Training program consisted in a progressive exercise (10 m/min without inclination for 10 min/day). After 1 week the speed, time and inclination were gradually increased until 17 m/min at 10% for 50 min/day. After the training period animals were killed, and gastrocnemius and quadriceps were surgically removed to the determination of biochemical parameters. Lipid peroxidation, protein oxidative damage, catalase, superoxide dismutase and citrate synthase activities, and muscular glycogen content were measured in the isolated muscles. We demonstrated that there is a different modulation of CAT and SOD in skeletal muscle in trained rats when compared to untrained rats (increased SOD/CAT ratio). TBARS levels were significantly decreased and, in contrast, a significant increase in protein carbonylation was observed. These results suggest a non-described adaptation of skeletal muscle against exercise-induced oxidative stress.

  4. Histomorphometric analysis of the response of rat skeletal muscle to swimming, immobilization and rehabilitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C.C.F. Nascimento

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the present study was to determine to what extent, if any, swimming training applied before immobilization in a cast interferes with the rehabilitation process in rat muscles. Female Wistar rats, mean weight 260.52 ± 16.26 g, were divided into 4 groups of 6 rats each: control, 6 weeks under baseline conditions; trained, swimming training for 6 weeks; trained-immobilized, swimming training for 6 weeks and then immobilized for 1 week; trained-immobilized-rehabilitated, swimming training for 6 weeks, immobilized for 1 week and then remobilized with swimming for 2 weeks. The animals were then sacrificed and the soleus and tibialis anterior muscles were dissected, frozen in liquid nitrogen and processed histochemically (H&E and mATPase. Data were analyzed statistically by the mixed effects linear model (P < 0.05. Cytoarchitectural changes such as degenerative characteristics in the immobilized group and regenerative characteristics such as centralized nucleus, fiber size variation and cell fragmentation in the groups submitted to swimming were more significant in the soleus muscle. The diameters of the lesser soleus type 1 and type 2A fibers were significantly reduced in the trained-immobilized group compared to the trained group (P < 0.001. In the tibialis anterior, there was an increase in the number of type 2B fibers and a reduction in type 2A fibers when trained-immobilized rats were compared to trained rats (P < 0.001. In trained-immobilized-rehabilitated rats, there was a reduction in type 2B fibers and an increase in type 2A fibers compared to trained-immobilized rats (P < 0.009. We concluded that swimming training did not minimize the deleterious effects of immobilization on the muscles studied and that remobilization did not favor tissue re-adaptation.

  5. Increased Autolysis of μ-Calpain in Skeletal Muscles of Chronic Alcohol-Fed Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gritsyna, Yulia V; Salmov, Nikolay N; Bobylev, Alexander G; Ulanova, Anna D; Kukushkin, Nikolay I; Podlubnaya, Zoya A; Vikhlyantsev, Ivan M

    2017-10-01

    Proteolysis can proceed via several distinct pathways such as the lysosomal, calcium-dependent, and ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent pathways. Calpains are the main proteases that cleave a large variety of proteins, including the giant sarcomeric proteins, titin and nebulin. Chronic ethanol feeding for 6 weeks did not affect the activities of μ-calpain and m-calpain in the m. gastrocnemius. In our research, changes in μ-calpain activity were studied in the m. gastrocnemius and m. soleus of chronically alcohol-fed rats after 6 months of alcohol intake. SDS-PAGE analysis was applied to detect changes in titin and nebulin contents. Titin phosphorylation analysis was performed using the fluorescent dye Pro-Q Diamond. Western blotting was used to determine μ-calpain autolysis as well as μ-calpain and calpastatin contents. The titin and nebulin mRNA levels were assessed by real-time PCR. The amounts of the autolysed isoform (78 kDa) of full-length μ-calpain (80 kDa) increased in the m. gastrocnemius and m. soleus of alcohol-fed rats. The calpastatin content increased in m. gastrocnemius. Decreased intact titin-1 (T1) and increased T2-proteolytic fragment contents were found in the m. gastrocnemius and m. soleus of the alcohol-fed rats. The nebulin content decreased in the rat gastrocnemius muscle of the alcohol-fed group. The phosphorylation levels of T1 and T2 were increased in the m. gastrocnemius and m. soleus, and decreased titin and nebulin mRNA levels were observed in the m. gastrocnemius. The nebulin mRNA level was increased in the soleus muscle of the alcohol-fed rats. In summary, our data suggest that prolonged chronic alcohol consumption for 6 months resulted in increased autolysis of μ-calpain in rat skeletal muscles. These changes were accompanied by reduced titin and nebulin contents, titin hyperphosphorylation, and development of hindlimb muscle atrophy in the alcohol-fed rats. Copyright © 2017 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  6. Muscle architecture and fibre characteristics of rat gastrocnemius and semimembranosus muscles during isometric contractions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huijing, P A; van Lookeren Campagne, A A; Koper, J F

    1989-01-01

    Rat gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles have a very different morphology. GM is a very pennate muscle, combining relatively short muscle fibre length with sizable fibre angles and long muscle and aponeurosis lengths. SM is a more parallel-fibred muscle, combining a relatively long fibre length with a small fibre angle and short aponeurosis length. The mechanisms of fibre shortening as well as angle increase are operational in GM as well as SM. However, as a consequence of isometric contraction, changes of fibre length and angle are greater for GM than for SM at any relative muscle length. These differences are particularly notable at short muscle lengths: at 80% of optimum muscle length, fibre length changes of approximately 30% are coupled to fibre angle changes of 15 degrees in GM, while for SM these changes are 4% and 0.6 degrees, respectively. A considerable difference was found for normalized active slack muscle length (GM approximately 80 and SM approximately 45%). This is explained by differences of degree of pennation as well as factors related to differences found for estimated fibre length-force characteristics. Estimated normalized active fibre slack length was considerably smaller for SM than for GM (approximately 40 and 60%, respectively). The most likely explanation of these findings are differences of distribution of optimum fibre lengths, possibly in combination with differences of myofilament lengths and/or fibre length distributions.

  7. Contraction-associated translocation of protein kinase C in rat skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Richter, Erik; Cleland, P J; Rattigan, S

    1987-01-01

    Electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve of the anaesthetized rat in vivo led to a time-dependent translocation of protein kinase C from the muscle cytosol to the particulate fraction. Maximum activity of protein kinase C in the particulate fraction occurred after 2 min of intermittent short...... tetanic contractions of the gastrocnemius-plantaris-soleus muscle group and coincided with the loss of activity from the cytosol. Translocation of protein kinase C may imply a role for this kinase in contraction-initiated changes in muscle metabolism....

  8. Effects of One Resistance Exercise Session on Vascular Smooth Muscle of Hypertensive Rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Tharciano Luiz Teixeira Braga da; Mota, Marcelo Mendonça; Fontes, Milene Tavares; Araújo, João Eliakim dos Santos; Carvalho, Vitor Oliveira; Bonjardim, Leonardo Rigoldi; Santos, Márcio Roberto Viana

    2015-01-01

    Hypertension is a public health problem and increases the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. To evaluate the effects of a resistance exercise session on the contractile and relaxing mechanisms of vascular smooth muscle in mesenteric arteries of N G -nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive rats. Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control (C), hypertensive (H), and exercised hypertensive (EH). Hypertension was induced by administration of 20 mg/kg of L-NAME for 7 days prior to experimental protocols. The resistance exercise protocol consisted of 10 sets of 10 repetitions and intensity of 40% of one repetition maximum. The reactivity of vascular smooth muscle was evaluated by concentration‑response curves to phenylephrine (PHEN), potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Rats treated with L-NAME showed an increase (p < 0.001) in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) compared to the initial period of induction. No difference in PHEN sensitivity was observed between groups H and EH. Acute resistance exercise reduced (p < 0.001) the contractile response induced by KCl at concentrations of 40 and 60 mM in group EH. Greater (p < 0.01) smooth muscle sensitivity to NPS was observed in group EH as compared to group H. One resistance exercise session reduces the contractile response induced by KCl in addition to increasing the sensitivity of smooth muscle to NO in mesenteric arteries of hypertensive rats

  9. Effects of One Resistance Exercise Session on Vascular Smooth Muscle of Hypertensive Rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, Tharciano Luiz Teixeira Braga da; Mota, Marcelo Mendonça; Fontes, Milene Tavares; Araújo, João Eliakim dos Santos; Carvalho, Vitor Oliveira; Bonjardim, Leonardo Rigoldi; Santos, Márcio Roberto Viana, E-mail: marciorvsantos@bol.com.br [Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil)

    2015-08-15

    Hypertension is a public health problem and increases the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. To evaluate the effects of a resistance exercise session on the contractile and relaxing mechanisms of vascular smooth muscle in mesenteric arteries of N{sup G}-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive rats. Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control (C), hypertensive (H), and exercised hypertensive (EH). Hypertension was induced by administration of 20 mg/kg of L-NAME for 7 days prior to experimental protocols. The resistance exercise protocol consisted of 10 sets of 10 repetitions and intensity of 40% of one repetition maximum. The reactivity of vascular smooth muscle was evaluated by concentration‑response curves to phenylephrine (PHEN), potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Rats treated with L-NAME showed an increase (p < 0.001) in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) compared to the initial period of induction. No difference in PHEN sensitivity was observed between groups H and EH. Acute resistance exercise reduced (p < 0.001) the contractile response induced by KCl at concentrations of 40 and 60 mM in group EH. Greater (p < 0.01) smooth muscle sensitivity to NPS was observed in group EH as compared to group H. One resistance exercise session reduces the contractile response induced by KCl in addition to increasing the sensitivity of smooth muscle to NO in mesenteric arteries of hypertensive rats.

  10. Effects of One Resistance Exercise Session on Vascular Smooth Muscle of Hypertensive Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tharciano Luiz Teixeira Braga da Silva

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Hypertension is a public health problem and increases the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a resistance exercise session on the contractile and relaxing mechanisms of vascular smooth muscle in mesenteric arteries of NG-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME-induced hypertensive rats. Methods: Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control (C, hypertensive (H, and exercised hypertensive (EH. Hypertension was induced by administration of 20 mg/kg of L-NAME for 7 days prior to experimental protocols. The resistance exercise protocol consisted of 10 sets of 10 repetitions and intensity of 40% of one repetition maximum. The reactivity of vascular smooth muscle was evaluated by concentration‑response curves to phenylephrine (PHEN, potassium chloride (KCl and sodium nitroprusside (SNP. Results: Rats treated with L-NAME showed an increase (p < 0.001 in systolic blood pressure (SBP, diastolic blood pressure (DBP and mean arterial pressure (MAP compared to the initial period of induction. No difference in PHEN sensitivity was observed between groups H and EH. Acute resistance exercise reduced (p < 0.001 the contractile response induced by KCl at concentrations of 40 and 60 mM in group EH. Greater (p < 0.01 smooth muscle sensitivity to NPS was observed in group EH as compared to group H. Conclusion: One resistance exercise session reduces the contractile response induced by KCl in addition to increasing the sensitivity of smooth muscle to NO in mesenteric arteries of hypertensive rats.

  11. (-)-Epicatechin administration and exercising skeletal muscle vascular control and microvascular oxygenation in healthy rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Copp, Steven W; Inagaki, Tadakatsu; White, Michael J; Hirai, Daniel M; Ferguson, Scott K; Holdsworth, Clark T; Sims, Gabrielle E; Poole, David C; Musch, Timothy I

    2013-01-15

    Consumption of the dietary flavanol (-)-epicatechin (EPI) is associated with enhanced endothelial function and augmented skeletal muscle capillarity and mitochondrial volume density. The potential for EPI to improve peripheral vascular function and muscle oxygenation during exercise is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that EPI administration in healthy rats would improve treadmill exercise performance secondary to elevated skeletal muscle blood flow and vascular conductance [VC, blood flow/mean arterial pressure (MAP)] and improved skeletal muscle microvascular oxygenation. Rats received water (control, n = 12) or 4 mg/kg EPI (n = 12) via oral gavage daily for 24 days. Exercise endurance capacity and peak O(2) uptake (Vo(2) peak) were measured via treadmill runs to exhaustion. MAP (arterial catheter) and blood flow (radiolabeled microspheres) were measured and VC was calculated during submaximal treadmill exercise (25 m/min, 5% grade). Spinotrapezius muscle microvascular O(2) pressure (Po(2mv)) was measured (phosphorescence quenching) during electrically induced twitch (1 Hz) contractions. In conscious rats, EPI administration resulted in lower (↓~5%) resting (P = 0.03) and exercising (P = 0.04) MAP. There were no differences in exercise endurance capacity, Vo(2) peak, total exercising hindlimb blood flow (control, 154 ± 13; and EPI, 159 ± 8 ml·min(-1)·100 g(-1), P = 0.68), or VC (control, 1.13 ± 0.10; and EPI, 1.24 ± 0.08 ml·min(-1)·100 g(-1)·mmHg(-1), P = 0.21) between groups. Following anesthesia, EPI resulted in lower MAP (↓~16%) but did not impact resting Po(2mv) or any kinetics parameters (P > 0.05 for all) during muscle contractions compared with control. EPI administration (4 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1)) improved modestly cardiovascular function (i.e., ↓MAP) with no impact on exercise performance, total exercising skeletal muscle blood flow and VC, or contracting muscle microvascular oxygenation in healthy rats.

  12. In vivo postprandial lipid partitioning in liver and muscle of diabetic rats is disturbed

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Prompers, J.J.; Jonkers, R.A.M.; Loon, van L.J.C.; Nicolay, K.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To study in vivo lipid partitioning in insulin-resistant liver and muscle of diabetic rats using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Methods: Four groups of n=6 male Zucker diabetic fatty rats were used for this study: obese, pre-diabetic fa/fa rats and lean, non-diabetic fa/+

  13. Respiration-related discharge of hyoglossus muscle motor units in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powell, Gregory L; Rice, Amber; Bennett-Cross, Seres J; Fregosi, Ralph F

    2014-01-01

    Although respiratory muscle motor units have been studied during natural breathing, simultaneous measures of muscle force have never been obtained. Tongue retractor muscles, such as the hyoglossus (HG), play an important role in swallowing, licking, chewing, breathing, and, in humans, speech. The HG is phasically recruited during the inspiratory phase of the respiratory cycle. Moreover, in urethane anesthetized rats the drive to the HG waxes and wanes spontaneously, providing a unique opportunity to study motor unit firing patterns as the muscle is driven naturally by the central pattern generator for breathing. We recorded tongue retraction force, the whole HG muscle EMG and the activity of 38 HG motor units in spontaneously breathing anesthetized rats under low-force and high-force conditions. Activity in all cases was confined to the inspiratory phase of the respiratory cycle. Changes in the EMG were correlated significantly with corresponding changes in force, with the change in EMG able to predict 53-68% of the force variation. Mean and peak motor unit firing rates were greater under high-force conditions, although the magnitude of discharge rate modulation varied widely across the population. Changes in mean and peak firing rates were significantly correlated with the corresponding changes in force, but the correlations were weak (r(2) = 0.27 and 0.25, respectively). These data indicate that, during spontaneous breathing, recruitment of HG motor units plays a critical role in the control of muscle force, with firing rate modulation playing an important but lesser role.

  14. Oxidative stress (glutathionylation and Na,K-ATPase activity in rat skeletal muscle.

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    Carsten Juel

    Full Text Available Changes in ion distribution across skeletal muscle membranes during muscle activity affect excitability and may impair force development. These changes are counteracted by the Na,K-ATPase. Regulation of the Na,K-ATPase is therefore important for skeletal muscle function. The present study investigated the presence of oxidative stress (glutathionylation on the Na,K-ATPase in rat skeletal muscle membranes.Immunoprecipitation with an anti-glutathione antibody and subsequent immunodetection of Na,K-ATPase protein subunits demonstrated 9.0±1.3% and 4.1±1.0% glutathionylation of the α isoforms in oxidative and glycolytic skeletal muscle, respectively. In oxidative muscle, 20.0±6.1% of the β1 units were glutathionylated, whereas 14.8±2.8% of the β2-subunits appear to be glutathionylated in glycolytic muscle. Treatment with the reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT, 1 mM increased the in vitro maximal Na,K-ATPase activity by 19% (P<0.05 in membranes from glycolytic muscle. Oxidized glutathione (GSSG, 0-10 mM increased the in vitro glutathionylation level detected with antibodies, and decreased the in vitro maximal Na,K-ATPase activity in a dose-dependent manner, and with a larger effect in oxidative compared to glycolytic skeletal muscle.This study demonstrates the existence of basal glutathionylation of both the α and the β units of rat skeletal muscle Na,K-ATPase. In addition, the study suggests a negative correlation between glutathionylation levels and maximal Na,K-ATPase activity.Glutathionylation likely contributes to the complex regulation of Na,K-ATPase function in skeletal muscle. Especially, glutathionylation induced by oxidative stress may have a role in Na,K-ATPase regulation during prolonged muscle activity.

  15. Importance of contraction history on muscle force of porcine urinary bladder smooth muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menzel, Robin; Böl, Markus; Siebert, Tobias

    2017-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive dataset of porcine urinary bladder smooth muscle properties. Particularly, the history dependence of force production, namely force depression (FD) following shortening and force enhancement (FE) following stretch, was analysed. During active micturition, the circumference of the urinary bladder changes enormously. Thus, FD might be an important phenomenon during smooth muscle contraction. Electrically stimulated, intact urinary bladder strips from pigs (n = 10) were suspended in an aerated-filled organ bath, and different isometric, isotonic, and isokinetic contraction protocols were performed to determine the force-length and the force-velocity relation. FD and FE were assessed in concentric and eccentric contractions with different ramp lengths and ramp velocities. Bladder smooth muscles exhibit considerable amounts of FD and FE. The amount of FD increased significantly with ramp length, while FE did not change. However, FE and FD were independent of ramp velocity. The results imply that smooth muscle bladder strips exhibit similar muscle properties and history-dependent behaviour compared to striated muscles. The provided dataset of muscle properties is important for bladder modelling as well as for the analyses and interpretation of dynamic bladder filling and voiding.

  16. Influence of chronic stress and oclusal interference on masseter muscle pain in rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonić-Kocijan, Suncana; Uhac, Ivone; Braut, Vedrana; Kovac, Zoran; Pavicić, Daniela Kovacević; Fugosić, Vesna; Urek, Miranda Muhvić

    2009-09-01

    This study aimed to investigate the individual effects of chronic stress and occlusal interference, as well as their combined influence on masseter muscle pain. Experiments were performed on 28 male Wistar rats. Animals were submitted to chronic stress procedure, exposed to occlusal interference, or exposed to both mantioned procedures. At the end of the procedure animals were submitted to orofacial formalin test, and nociceptive behavioral response was evaluated. Statisticaly significant difference of nociceptive behavioral response in chronicaly stressed rats and in the animals with occlusal interference in comparation to the control group were not obtained (p > 0.05). In contrast, nociceptive behavioral response was significantly increased in rats submitted to both of experimental procedures (p occlusal interference and chronic stress influence masseter muscle pain.

  17. [Influence of the occlusal interference time on masticatory muscle mechanical hyperalgesia in rats].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Cun-rui; Xu, Xiao-xiang; Cao, Ye; Xie, Qiu-fei

    2016-02-18

    To investigate the relationship between the removal time of 0.2 mm occlusal interference and the recovery of masticatory muscle mechanical hyperalgesia in rats. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-220 g) were randomly assigned to eight groups, with five rats in each group: (1) naive group: these rats were anesthetized and their mouths were forced open for about 5 min (the same duration as the other groups), but restorations were not applied; (2) sham-occlusal interference control group: bands were bonded to the right maxillary first molars which did not interfere with occlusion; (3)occlusal interference group: 0.2 mm thick crowns were bonded to the right maxillary first molars; (4) 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 d removal of occlusal interference groups: 0.2 mm thick crowns were bonded to the right maxillary first molars and removed on days 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The naive group and sham-occlusal interference control group were control groups. The other groups were experimental groups. Bilateral masticatory muscle mechanical withdrawal thresholds were tested on pre-application days 1, 2, and 3, and on post-application days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 28. The rats were weighed on pre-application day 1 and on post-application days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Between the naive group and the sham-occlusal interference control group, there was no significant difference in the masticatory muscle mechanical withdrawal threshold of bilateral temporalis and masseters at each time point. No significant difference was detected between the contralateral side and ipsilateral side in experimental groups (P>0.05). In the 2, 3, 4, and 5 d removal of occlusal interference groups, the masticatory muscle mechanical withdrawal thresholds decreased after occlusal interference and increased after removal of the crowns and recovered to the baseline on days 7, 10, 14, and 14, respectively [the masticatory muscle mechanical withdrawal thresholds of right masseter muscle were (137.46 ± 2.08) g, (139.02 ± 2

  18. Effect of chronic ethanol ingestion and exercise training on skeletal muscle in rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vila, L; Ferrando, A; Voces, J; Cabral de Oliveira, C; Prieto, J G; Alvarez, A I

    2001-09-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the interactive effects of exercise training and chronic ethanol consumption on metabolism, capillarity, and myofibrillar composition in rat limb muscles. Male Wistar rats were treated in separate groups as follows: non exercised-control; ethanol (15%) in animals' drinking water for 12 weeks; exercise training in treadmill and ethanol administration plus exercise for 12 weeks. Ethanol administration decreased capillarity and increased piruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities in white gastrocnemius; in plantaris muscle, ethanol increased citrate synthase activity and decreased cross-sectional area of type I, IIa, and IIb fibres. Exercise increased capillarity in all four limb muscles and decreased type I fibre area in plantaris. The decreased capillarity effect induced by ethanol in some muscles, was ameliorated when alcohol was combined with exercise. While alcoholic myopathy affects predominantly type IIb fibres, ethanol administration and aerobic exercise in some cases can affect type I and type IIa fibre areas. The exercise can decrease some harmful effects produced by ethanol in the muscle, including the decrease in the fibre area and capillary density.

  19. Branched-chain amino acid-rich diet improves skeletal muscle wasting caused by cigarette smoke in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomoda, Koichi; Kubo, Kaoru; Hino, Kazuo; Kondoh, Yasunori; Nishii, Yasue; Koyama, Noriko; Yamamoto, Yoshifumi; Yoshikawa, Masanori; Kimura, Hiroshi

    2014-04-01

    Cigarette smoke induces skeletal muscle wasting by a mechanism not yet fully elucidated. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in the skeletal muscles are useful energy sources during exercise or systemic stresses. We investigated the relationship between skeletal muscle wasting caused by cigarette smoke and changes in BCAA levels in the plasma and skeletal muscles of rats. Furthermore, the effects of BCAA-rich diet on muscle wasting caused by cigarette smoke were also investigated. Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats that were fed with a control or a BCAA-rich diet were exposed to cigarette smoke for four weeks. After the exposure, the skeletal muscle weight and BCAA levels in plasma and the skeletal muscles were measured. Cigarette smoke significantly decreased the skeletal muscle weight and BCAA levels in both plasma and skeletal muscles, while a BCAA-rich diet increased the skeletal muscle weight and BCAA levels in both plasma and skeletal muscles that had decreased by cigarette smoke exposure. In conclusion, skeletal muscle wasting caused by cigarette smoke was related to the decrease of BCAA levels in the skeletal muscles, while a BCAA-rich diet may improve cases of cigarette smoke-induced skeletal muscle wasting.

  20. Neuromuscular junction formation between human stem-cell-derived motoneurons and rat skeletal muscle in a defined system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Xiufang; Das, Mainak; Rumsey, John; Gonzalez, Mercedes; Stancescu, Maria; Hickman, James

    2010-12-01

    To date, the coculture of motoneurons (MNs) and skeletal muscle in a defined in vitro system has only been described in one study and that was between rat MNs and rat skeletal muscle. No in vitro studies have demonstrated human MN to rat muscle synapse formation, although numerous studies have attempted to implant human stem cells into rat models to determine if they could be of therapeutic use in disease or spinal injury models, although with little evidence of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) formation. In this report, MNs differentiated from human spinal cord stem cells, together with rat skeletal myotubes, were used to build a coculture system to demonstrate that NMJ formation between human MNs and rat skeletal muscles is possible. The culture was characterized by morphology, immunocytochemistry, and electrophysiology, while NMJ formation was demonstrated by immunocytochemistry and videography. This defined system provides a highly controlled reproducible model for studying the formation, regulation, maintenance, and repair of NMJs. The in vitro coculture system developed here will be an important model system to study NMJ development, the physiological and functional mechanism of synaptic transmission, and NMJ- or synapse-related disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as for drug screening and therapy design.

  1. Influence of creatine supplementation on indicators of glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle of exercised rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michel Barbosa de Araújo

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of creatine supplementation in the diet on indicators of glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle of exercised rats. Forty Wistar adult rats were distributed into four groups for eight weeks: 1 Control: sedentary rats that received balanced diet; 2 Creatine control: sedentary rats that received supplementation of 2% creatine in the balanced diet; 3 Trained: rats that ran on a treadmill at the Maximal Lactate Steady State and received balanced diet; and 4 Supplemented-trained: rats that ran on a treadmill at the Maximal Lactate Steady State and received creatine supplementation (2% in the balanced diet. The hydric intake increased and the body weight gain decreased in the supplemented-trained group. In the soleus muscle, the glucose oxidation increased in both supplemented groups. The production of lactate and glycemia during glucose tolerance test decreased in the supplemented-trained group. Creatine supplementation in conjunction with exercise training improved muscular glycidic metabolism of rats.

  2. Alternate-Day High-Fat Diet Induces an Increase in Mitochondrial Enzyme Activities and Protein Content in Rat Skeletal Muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xi; Higashida, Kazuhiko; Kawamura, Takuji; Higuchi, Mitsuru

    2016-04-06

    Long-term high-fat diet increases muscle mitochondrial enzyme activity and endurance performance. However, excessive calorie intake causes intra-abdominal fat accumulation and metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of an alternating day high-fat diet on muscle mitochondrial enzyme activities, protein content, and intra-abdominal fat mass in rats. Male Wistar rats were given a standard chow diet (CON), high-fat diet (HFD), or alternate-day high-fat diet (ALT) for 4 weeks. Rats in the ALT group were fed a high-fat diet and standard chow every other day for 4 weeks. After the dietary intervention, mitochondrial enzyme activities and protein content in skeletal muscle were measured. Although body weight did not differ among groups, the epididymal fat mass in the HFD group was higher than those of the CON and ALT groups. Citrate synthase and beta-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase activities in the plantaris muscle of rats in HFD and ALT were significantly higher than that in CON rats, whereas there was no difference between HFD and ALT groups. No significant difference was observed in muscle glycogen concentration or glucose transporter-4 protein content among the three groups. These results suggest that an alternate-day high-fat diet induces increases in mitochondrial enzyme activities and protein content in rat skeletal muscle without intra-abdominal fat accumulation.

  3. Naked mole-rats maintain healthy skeletal muscle and Complex IV mitochondrial enzyme function into old age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoll, Elizabeth A; Karapavlovic, Nevena; Rosa, Hannah; Woodmass, Michael; Rygiel, Karolina; White, Kathryn; Turnbull, Douglass M; Faulkes, Chris G

    2016-12-19

    The naked mole-rat (NMR) Heterocephalus glaber is an exceptionally long-lived rodent, living up to 32 years in captivity. This extended lifespan is accompanied by a phenotype of negligible senescence, a phenomenon of very slow changes in the expected physiological characteristics with age. One of the many consequences of normal aging in mammals is the devastating and progressive loss of skeletal muscle, termed sarcopenia, caused in part by respiratory enzyme dysfunction within the mitochondria of skeletal muscle fibers. Here we report that NMRs avoid sarcopenia for decades. Muscle fiber integrity and mitochondrial ultrastructure are largely maintained in aged animals. While mitochondrial Complex IV expression and activity remains stable, Complex I expression is significantly decreased. We show that aged naked mole-rat skeletal muscle tissue contains some mitochondrial DNA rearrangements, although the common mitochondrial DNA deletions associated with aging in human and other rodent skeletal muscles are not present. Interestingly, NMR skeletal muscle fibers demonstrate a significant increase in mitochondrial DNA copy number. These results have intriguing implications for the role of mitochondria in aging, suggesting Complex IV, but not Complex I, function is maintained in the long-lived naked mole rat, where sarcopenia is avoided and healthy muscle function is maintained for decades.

  4. Metabolic changes of masseter muscle in experimental unilateral bite-raised rat determined by 31P-MRS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishide, Naoto

    1997-01-01

    Occlusal interference is known to alter the functional activity of masticatory muscle, but no alteration of the energy metabolism of masticatory muscle which has gone occlusal interference has been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the energy metabolism in rat masseter muscle during masticatory movements following unilateral bite-raising. A bite-raising splint (1 mm) was fixed on the unilateral upper molar of experimental rats, and after 2, 4 and 6 weeks, the rats were anesthetized and masticatory movements were induced by electrical stimulation applied to the masseter muscle (with a biting force of 40 g, a frequency of 5 Hz and a stimulation time of 32 min). 31 P Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of the masseter muscle were recorded during a sequence of rest, stimulation and recovery periods, and the resonance signal area ratio of PCr and Pi ((PCr)/(PCr + Pi)) and the muscle pH were determined. After 4 and 6 weeks following the bite-raising, the masseter of the bite-raised side showed a decrease in the (PCr)/(PCr + Pi) ratio compared with a control group during stimulation (p<0.05). Neither the bite-raised side masseter at 2 weeks and the contralateral side at 4 weeks showed any differences compared with the control. The muscle pH during stimulation was similar in both the control and the bite-raised groups of rats. These findings suggest that the occlusal alteration induced by unilateral bite-raising reduces the masseter energy level during mastication. (author)

  5. Acute resistance exercise reduces increased gene expression in muscle atrophy of ovariectomised arthritic rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto Furlanetto Jr

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: We studied the effect of resistance exercise (RE on mRNA levels of atrogin-1, MuRF-1, and myostatin in the gastrocnemius muscle of arthritic rats after loss of ovarian function (LOF. Material and methods : Thirty female Wistar rats (nine weeks old, 195.3 ±17.4 grams were randomly allocated into five groups: control group (CT-Sham; n = 6; group with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; n = 6; group with rheumatoid arthritis subjected to RE (RAEX; n = 6; ovariectomy group with rheumatoid arthritis (RAOV; n = 6; and an ovariectomy group with rheumatoid arthritis subjected to RE (RAOVEX; n = 6. After 15 days of intra-articular injections with Met-BSA the animals were subjected to RE and six hours after workout were euthanised. Results : The rheumatoid arthritis provoked reduction in the cross-sectional area (CSA of muscle fibres, but the CSA was lower in the RAOV when compared to the RA groups. Skeletal muscle atrogin-1 mRNA level was increased in arthritic rats (RA and RAOV, but the atrogin-1 level was higher in RAOV group when compared to other arthritic groups. The Muscle MuRF-1 mRNA level was also increased in the RAOV group. The increased atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 mRNA levels were lower in the RAOVEX group than in the RAOV group. The myostatin mRNA level was similar in all groups, except for the RAOVEX group, in which it was lower than the other groups. Conclusions : LOF results in increased loss of skeletal muscle-related ubiquitin ligases (atrogin-1 and MuRF-1. However, the RE reduces the atrogin-1, MuRF-1, and myostatin mRNA levels in muscle of arthritic rats affected by LOF.

  6. Deformation and three-dimensional displacement of fibers in isometrically contracting rat plantaris muscles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Savelberg, Hans H.C.M.; Willems, Paul J.B.; Willems, P.; Baan, Guus C.; Huijing, P.A.J.B.M.

    2001-01-01

    In this study, the deformation of different fibers of the rat m. plantaris during isometric contractions at different muscle lengths was considered. Because the m. plantaris has an obviously inhomogeneous architecture, its fibers on the medial side of the muscle belly are judged to be shorter than

  7. Ginseng administration protects skeletal muscle from oxidative stress induced by acute exercise in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voces, J; Cabral de Oliveira, A C; Prieto, J G; Vila, L; Perez, A C; Duarte, I D G; Alvarez, A I

    2004-12-01

    Enzymatic activity was analyzed in the soleus, gastrocnemius (red and white) and plantaris muscles of acutely exercised rats after long-term administration of Panax ginseng extract in order to evaluate the protective role of ginseng against skeletal muscle oxidation. Ginseng extract (3, 10, 100, or 500 mg/kg) was administered orally for three months to male Wistar rats weighing 200 +/- 50 g before exercise and to non-exercised rats (N = 8/group). The results showed a membrane stabilizing capacity of the extract since mitochondrial function measured on the basis of citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities was reduced, on average, by 20% (P < 0.05) after exercise but the activities remained unchanged in animals treated with a ginseng dose of 100 mg/kg. Glutathione status did not show significant changes after exercise or treatment. Lipid peroxidation, measured on the basis of malondialdehyde levels, was significantly higher in all muscles after exercise, and again was reduced by about 74% (P < 0.05) by the use of ginseng extract. The administration of ginseng extract was able to protect muscle from exercise-induced oxidative stress irrespective of fiber type.

  8. Ginseng administration protects skeletal muscle from oxidative stress induced by acute exercise in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Voces

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Enzymatic activity was analyzed in the soleus, gastrocnemius (red and white and plantaris muscles of acutely exercised rats after long-term administration of Panax ginseng extract in order to evaluate the protective role of ginseng against skeletal muscle oxidation. Ginseng extract (3, 10, 100, or 500 mg/kg was administered orally for three months to male Wistar rats weighing 200 ± 50 g before exercise and to non-exercised rats (N = 8/group. The results showed a membrane stabilizing capacity of the extract since mitochondrial function measured on the basis of citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities was reduced, on average, by 20% (P < 0.05 after exercise but the activities remained unchanged in animals treated with a ginseng dose of 100 mg/kg. Glutathione status did not show significant changes after exercise or treatment. Lipid peroxidation, measured on the basis of malondialdehyde levels, was significantly higher in all muscles after exercise, and again was reduced by about 74% (P < 0.05 by the use of ginseng extract. The administration of ginseng extract was able to protect muscle from exercise-induced oxidative stress irrespective of fiber type.

  9. Inhibitors of the proteasome reduce the accelerated proteolysis in atrophying rat skeletal muscles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tawa, N E; Odessey, R; Goldberg, A L

    1997-07-01

    Several observations have suggested that the enhanced proteolysis and atrophy of skeletal muscle in various pathological states is due primarily to activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. To test this idea, we investigated whether peptide aldehyde inhibitors of the proteasome, N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal (LLN), or the more potent CBZ-leucyl-leucyl-leucinal (MG132) suppressed proteolysis in incubated rat skeletal muscles. These agents (e.g., MG132 at 10 microM) inhibited nonlysosomal protein breakdown by up to 50% (P protein synthesis or amino acid pools, but improved overall protein balance in the muscle. Upon treatment with MG132, ubiquitin-conjugated proteins accumulated in the muscle. The inhibition of muscle proteolysis correlated with efficacy against the proteasome, although these agents could also inhibit calpain-dependent proteolysis induced with Ca2+. These inhibitors had much larger effects on proteolysis in atrophying muscles than in controls. In the denervated soleus undergoing atrophy, the increase in ATP-dependent proteolysis was reduced 70% by MG132 (P muscle proteolysis induced by administering thyroid hormones was reduced 40-70% by the inhibitors. Finally, in rats made septic by cecal puncture, the increase in muscle proteolysis was completely blocked by MG132. Thus, the enhanced proteolysis in many catabolic states (including denervation, hyperthyroidism, and sepsis) is due to a proteasome-dependent pathway, and inhibition of proteasome function may be a useful approach to reduce muscle wasting.

  10. Growth hormone mitigates loss of periosteal bone formation and muscle mass in disuse osteopenic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grubbe, M-C; Thomsen, J S; Nyengaard, J R; Duruox, M; Brüel, A

    2014-12-01

    Growth hormone (GH) is a potent anabolic agent capable of increasing both bone and muscle mass. The aim was to investigate whether GH could counteract disuse-induced loss of bone and muscle mass in a rat model. Paralysis was induced by injecting 4 IU Botox (BTX) into the muscles of the right hind limb. Sixty female Wistar rats, 14 weeks old, were divided into the following groups: baseline, controls, BTX, BTX+GH, and GH. GH was given at a dosage of 5 mg/kg/d for 4 weeks. Compared with controls, BTX resulted in lower periosteal bone formation rate (BFR/BS,-79%, Pbone mineral density (aBMD, -13%, Pbone volume (BV/TV, -26%, Pbone strength (-12%, Pbone strength was found. In addition, GH partly prevented loss of muscle mass (+29% vs. BTX, P<0.001), and tended to prevent loss of muscle CSA (+11%, P=0.064). In conclusion, GH mitigates disuse-induced loss of periosteal BFR/BS at the mid-femur and rectus femoris muscle mass.

  11. High-intensity stretch-shortening contraction training modifies responsivity of skeletal muscle in old male rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rader, Erik P; Naimo, Marshall A; Ensey, James; Baker, Brent A

    2018-04-01

    Utilization of high-intensity resistance training to counter age-related sarcopenia is currently debated because of the potential for maladaptation when training design is inappropriate. Training design is problematic because the influence of various loading variables (e.g. contraction mode, repetition number, and training frequency) is still not well characterized at old age. To address this in a precisely controlled manner, we developed a rodent model of high-intensity training consisting of maximally-activated stretch-shortening contractions (SSCs), contractions typical during resistance training. With this model, we determined that at old age, high-repetition SSC training (80 SSCs: 8 sets of 10 repetitions) performed frequently (i.e. 3 days per week) for 4.5 weeks induced strength deficits with no muscle mass gain while decreasing frequency to 2 days per week promoted increases in muscle mass and muscle quality (i.e. performance normalized to muscle mass). This finding confirmed the popular notion that decreasing training frequency has a robust effect with age. Meanwhile, the influence of other loading variables remains contentious. The aim of the present study was to assess muscle adaptation following modulation of contraction mode and repetition number during high-intensity SSC training. Muscles of young (3 month old) and old (30 month old) male rats were exposed to 4.5 weeks of low-repetition static training of 4 (i.e. 4 sets of one repetition) isometric (ISO) contractions 3 days per week or a more moderate-repetition dynamic training of 40 SSCs (i.e. 4 sets of 10 repetitions) 3 days per week. For young rats, performance and muscle mass increased regardless of training protocol. For old rats, no muscle mass adaptation was observed for 4 ISO training while 40 SSC training induced muscle mass gain without improvement in muscle quality, an outcome distinct from modulating training frequency. Muscle mass gain for old rats was accompanied by

  12. Effect of endurance training on glucose transport capacity and glucose transporter expression in rat skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ploug, T.; Stallknecht, B.M.; Pedersen, O.; Kahn, B.B.; Ohkuwa, T.; Vinten, J.; Galbo, H.

    1990-01-01

    The effect of 10 wk endurance swim training on 3-O-methylglucose (3-MG) uptake (at 40 mM 3-MG) in skeletal muscle was studied in the perfused rat hindquarter. Training resulted in an increase of approximately 33% for maximum insulin-stimulated 3-MG transport in fast-twitch red fibers and an increase of approximately 33% for contraction-stimulated transport in slow-twitch red fibers compared with nonexercised sedentary muscle. A fully additive effect of insulin and contractions was observed both in trained and untrained muscle. Compared with transport in control rats subjected to an almost exhaustive single exercise session the day before experiment both maximum insulin- and contraction-stimulated transport rates were increased in all muscle types in trained rats. Accordingly, the increased glucose transport capacity in trained muscle was not due to a residual effect of the last training session. Half-times for reversal of contraction-induced glucose transport were similar in trained and untrained muscles. The concentrations of mRNA for GLUT-1 (the erythrocyte-brain-Hep G2 glucose transporter) and GLUT-4 (the adipocyte-muscle glucose transporter) were increased approximately twofold by training in fast-twitch red muscle fibers. In parallel to this, Western blot demonstrated a approximately 47% increase in GLUT-1 protein and a approximately 31% increase in GLUT-4 protein. This indicates that the increases in maximum velocity for 3-MG transport in trained muscle is due to an increased number of glucose transporters

  13. ATP-induced changes in rat skeletal muscle contractility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabdrakhmanov, A I; Khayrullin, A E; Grishin, C H; Ziganshin, A U

    2015-01-01

    considered as typical effects of ATP and other purines on skeletal muscles and could not be extrapolated to all warm-blooded animals. Furthermore the role of ATP and its derivatives in the accumulation of vertebrate muscular effort has not been investigated.It is known that in physiological conditions vertebrates may mobilize only up to a third of the maximum muscle force. Why the two-thirds of muscular strength are not used normally but may be used at stress, remains unknown.It is known that the body's adaptive response to stress is a change in the activity of the endocrine system. The leading role in this is given to catechol amines and glucocorticoids, mobilized in significant quantities in blood under stress.We have found previously that incubation of frog sartorius muscle with hydrocortisone resulted in a decrease of contraction amplitude. However, when hydrocortisone was used in combination with ATP, its inhibitory effect on contractile responses disappeared. It is interesting that hydrocortisone had no effect on the inhibitory effect of adenosine. In the following experiments, assessing the effect of hydrocortisone on rat soleus muscle, it was established that hydrocortisone and purines had similar inhibitory effect. When ATP and hydrocortisone were given together the same oppression occurred. To study the effects of ATP and adenosine on contraction parameters of rat skeletal muscle and assess the impact of the catechol amines on these processes. Contractions of rat soleus muscles were recorded isometrically by mechanical sensor Linton FSG-01 (UK) according to standard procedures. The average of muscle parameters received within 30 seconds (30 responses) was treated as one result. Amplitude and time characteristics of the curve reductions were estimated. During all experiments standard Krebs solution flowed through the bath continuously to which agents were added at necessary concentrations. All experimental animals were maintained and prepared for dissection under

  14. Effects of resistance training on fast- and slow-twitch muscles in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Umnova

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of resistance training (RT on muscle strength, the dependence of that on the fast-twitch (FT and slow-twitch (ST fibers hypertrophy, nuclear domain size, synthesis and degradation rate of contractile proteins and on the expression of myosin isoforms’. 16 weeks old Wistar rats were trained on a vertical treadmill for six days a week during six weeks. The power of exercise increased 4.9% per session. In RT group the mass of studied muscles increased about 10%, hindlimb grip strength increased from 5.20±0.27 N/100g bw to the 6.05±0.29 N/100g bw (p<0.05. Cross-sectional area and number of myonuclei of FT and ST fibers in plantaris (Pla and soleus (Sol muscles increased, myonuclear domain size did not change significantly. RT increased the MyHC IId isoforms relative content and decreased that of IIb and IIa isoforms in Pla muscle, in Sol muscle increased only IIa isoform. In Pla muscle the relative content of myosin light chain (MyLC 1slow and 2slow isoforms decreased and that of MyLC 2fast isoforms increased during RT. MyLC 3 and MyLC 2 ratio did not change significantly in Pla but increased in Sol muscle by 14.3±3.4�0(p<0.01. The rat RT programme caused hypertrophy of FT and ST muscle fibers, increase of myonuclear number via fusion of satellite cells with damaged fibers or formation of new muscle fibers as a result of myoblast fusion and myotubes formation, maintaining myonuclear domain size.

  15. Effects of low level laser in the morphology of the skeletal muscle fiber during compensatory hypertrophy in plantar muscle of rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terena, Stella Maris Lins; Fernandes, Kristianne Porta Santos; Kalil, Sandra; Alves, Agnelo Neves; Mesquita Ferrari, Raquel Agnelli

    2015-06-01

    The hypertrophy is known as an increase the cross-sectional area of the muscle as a result of a muscular work against an overload, and it is compensatory because the overload is induced by functional elimination of synergistic muscles. The importance of study the compensatory hypertrophy is understand how this process can be influenced by the irradiation with regard to the weight and muscle cross-sectional area, to assist in the rehabilitation process and the effectiveness functional return. The aim was evaluate the effects of low-level laser irradiation on morphological aspects of muscle tissue, comparing the weight and cross-sectional area in rat skeletal muscle. Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control, hypertrophy group without irradiation (right plantar muscle) and hypertrophy group and irradiation (left plantar muscle), both analyzed after 7 and 14 days. The irradiation was performed daily immediately after the surgery. The parameters were: λ = 780nm, beam spot of 0.04 cm2, output power of 40mW, power density of 1W/cm2, energy density of 10J / cm2 and 10s exposure time with a total energy of 3.2 J. The results revealed that low level laser irradiation an increase the weight of the plantaris muscle after 7 and 14 days with a difference of 7.06% and 11.51% respectively. In conclusion, low level laser irradiation has an effect on compensatory hypertrophy to produce increased muscle weight and promoted an increase in cross-sectional area of muscle fibers in the compensatory hypertrophy model after 14 days with parameters cited above.

  16. Voluntary resistance running wheel activity pattern and skeletal muscle growth in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Legerlotz, Kirsten; Elliott, Bradley; Guillemin, Bernard; Smith, Heather K

    2008-06-01

    The aims of this study were to characterize the pattern of voluntary activity of young rats in response to resistance loading on running wheels and to determine the effects of the activity on the growth of six limb skeletal muscles. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (4 weeks old) were housed individually with a resistance running wheel (R-RUN, n = 7) or a conventional free-spinning running wheel (F-RUN, n = 6) or without a wheel, as non-running control animals (CON, n = 6). The torque required to move the wheel in the R-RUN group was progressively increased, and the activity (velocity, distance and duration of each bout) of the two running wheel groups was recorded continuously for 45 days. The R-RUN group performed many more, shorter and faster bouts of running than the F-RUN group, yet the mean daily distance was not different between the F-RUN (1.3 +/- 0.2 km) and R-RUN group (1.4 +/- 0.6 km). Only the R-RUN resulted in a significantly (P RUN and R-RUN led to a significantly greater wet mass relative to increase in body mass and muscle fibre cross-sectional area in the soleus muscle compared with CON. We conclude that the pattern of voluntary activity on a resistance running wheel differs from that on a free-spinning running wheel and provides a suitable model to induce physiological muscle hypertrophy in rats.

  17. Formoterol attenuates increased oxidative stress and myosin protein loss in respiratory and limb muscles of cancer cachectic rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Salazar-Degracia

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Muscle mass loss and wasting are characteristic features of patients with chronic conditions including cancer. Therapeutic options are still scarce. We hypothesized that cachexia-induced muscle oxidative stress may be attenuated in response to treatment with beta2-adrenoceptor-selective agonist formoterol in rats. In diaphragm and gastrocnemius of tumor-bearing rats (108 AH-130 Yoshida ascites hepatoma cells inoculated intraperitoneally with and without treatment with formoterol (0.3 mg/kg body weight/day for seven days, daily subcutaneous injection, redox balance (protein oxidation and nitration and antioxidants and muscle proteins (1-dimensional immunoblots, carbonylated proteins (2-dimensional immunoblots, inflammatory cells (immunohistochemistry, and mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC complex activities were explored. In the gastrocnemius, but not the diaphragm, of cancer cachectic rats compared to the controls, protein oxidation and nitration levels were increased, several functional and structural proteins were carbonylated, and in both study muscles, myosin content was reduced, inflammatory cell counts were greater, while no significant differences were seen in MRC complex activities (I, II, and IV. Treatment of cachectic rats with formoterol attenuated all the events in both respiratory and limb muscles. In this in vivo model of cancer-cachectic rats, the diaphragm is more resistant to oxidative stress. Formoterol treatment attenuated the rise in oxidative stress in the limb muscles, inflammatory cell infiltration, and the loss of myosin content seen in both study muscles, whereas no effects were observed in the MRC complex activities. These findings have therapeutic implications as they demonstrate beneficial effects of the beta2 agonist through decreased protein oxidation and inflammation in cachectic muscles, especially the gastrocnemius.

  18. Effect of intermittent glutamine supplementation on skeletal muscle is not long-lasting in very old rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meynial-Denis, D; Beaufrère, A-M; Mignon, M; Patureau Mirand, P

    2013-01-01

    Muscle is the major site for glutamine synthesis via glutamine synthetase (GS). This enzyme is increased 1.5-2 fold in 25-27-mo rats and may be a consequence of aging-induced stress. This stimulation is similar to the induction observed following a catabolic state such as glucocorticoid treatment (6 to 24 months). Although oral glutamine supply regulates the plasma glutamine level, nothing is known if this supplementation is interrupted before the experiment. Adult (8-mo) and very old (27-mo) female rats were exposed to intermittent glutamine supplementation for 50 % of their age lifetime. Treated rats received glutamine added to their drinking water and control rats water alone but the effect of glutamine supplementation was only studied 15 days after the last supplementation. Glutamine pretreatment discontinued 15 days before the experiment increased plasma glutamine to ~ 0.6 mM, a normal value in very old rats. However, it failed to decrease the up-regulated GS activity in skeletal muscle from very old rats. Our results suggest that long-term treatment with glutamine started before advanced age but discontinued 15 days before rat sacrifice is effective in increasing plasma glutamine to recover basal adult value and in maintaining plasma glutamine in very old rats, but has no long-lasting effect on the GS activity of skeletal muscle with advanced age.

  19. Subglottal pressure, tracheal airflow, and intrinsic laryngeal muscle activity during rat ultrasound vocalization

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Vocal production requires complex planning and coordination of respiratory, laryngeal, and vocal tract movements, which are incompletely understood in most mammals. Rats produce a variety of whistles in the ultrasonic range that are of communicative relevance and of importance as a model system, but the sources of acoustic variability were mostly unknown. The goal was to identify sources of fundamental frequency variability. Subglottal pressure, tracheal airflow, and electromyographic (EMG) data from two intrinsic laryngeal muscles were measured during 22-kHz and 50-kHz call production in awake, spontaneously behaving adult male rats. During ultrasound vocalization, subglottal pressure ranged between 0.8 and 1.9 kPa. Pressure differences between call types were not significant. The relation between fundamental frequency and subglottal pressure within call types was inconsistent. Experimental manipulations of subglottal pressure had only small effects on fundamental frequency. Tracheal airflow patterns were also inconsistently associated with frequency. Pressure and flow seem to play a small role in regulation of fundamental frequency. Muscle activity, however, is precisely regulated and very sensitive to alterations, presumably because of effects on resonance properties in the vocal tract. EMG activity of cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscle was tonic in calls with slow or no fundamental frequency modulations, like 22-kHz and flat 50-kHz calls. Both muscles showed brief high-amplitude, alternating bursts at rates up to 150 Hz during production of frequency-modulated 50-kHz calls. A differentiated and fine regulation of intrinsic laryngeal muscles is critical for normal ultrasound vocalization. Many features of the laryngeal muscle activation pattern during ultrasound vocalization in rats are shared with other mammals. PMID:21832032

  20. Effect of carnitine supplementation on fatigue level in the gastrocnemius muscle of trained and sedentary rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rossana Anelice Gomez

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2012v14n3p324 L-carnitine, considered to be of great value in metabolic processes, plays an important role in the mitochondrial β-oxidation process. It may be used to improve athletic performance and to maintain a higher workload during exercise. This study aimed to investigate the effect of L-carnitine supplementation on muscle fatigue in sciatic nerve-gastrocnemius muscle preparations in sedentary and trained rats. The animals were divided into 4 groups: non-supplemented sedentary (NSS, supplemented sedentary (SS, non-supplemented trained (NST, and supplemented trained (ST rats. The animals were trained in daily 1-h sessions (5 days/week and received chronic oral L-carnitine supplementation (1 mg/mL for 4 weeks. Muscle fatigue was determined by supramaximal tetanic stimulation of the sciatic nerve (50 Hz. Time values for strength reduction were significantly different (p<0.05 between NSS vs. SS and NST vs. ST rats. No significant differences were observed between SS vs. ST and NST vs. NSS rats. These findings demonstrate that L-carnitine lengthen the time required for induction of muscle fatigue.

  1. The pelvic floor muscles: muscle thickness in healthy and urinary-incontinent women measured by perineal ultrasonography with reference to the effect of pelvic floor training. Estrogen receptor studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bernstein, Inge Thomsen

    1997-01-01

    demonstrated that the striated periurethral muscles and the pelvic floor muscles are of paramount importance for the closure function. This emphasizes the importance of well-functioning pelvic floor muscles to obtain continence, and probably explains the rationale for the effect of pelvic floor training...... in treating urinary incontinence. This study presents a review of the literature on female urinary incontinence, continence mechanisms, pelvic floor muscles, and pelvic floor training. Furthermore, a review of the literature on estrogen receptors in the pelvic floor muscles is given. Perineal ultrasonography...... the effect of pelvic floor training. Additionally, a study of the Pelvic floor muscles was performed to assess the presence of estrogen receptors. Muscle thickness seems to decrease with age. In women over age 60 years, a significantly thinner pelvic floor muscle was found compared to younger women...

  2. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose and PET/CT for noninvasive study of exercise-induced glucose uptake in rat skeletal muscle and tendon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skovgaard, Dorthe; Kjaer, Michael; El-Ali, Henrik; Kjaer, Andreas

    2009-01-01

    To investigate exercise-related glucose uptake in rat muscle and tendon using PET/CT and to study possible explanatory changes in gene expression for the glucose transporters (GLUT1 and GLUT4). The sciatic nerve in eight Wistar rats was subjected to electrostimulation to cause unilateral isometric contractions of the calf muscle. 18 F-Fluorodeoxyglucose was administered and a PET/CT scan of the hindlimbs was performed. SUVs were calculated in both Achilles tendons and the triceps surae muscles. To exclude a spill-over effect the tendons and muscles from an ex vivo group of eight rats were cut out and scanned separately (distance≥1 cm). Muscle contractions increased glucose uptake approximately sevenfold in muscles (p<0.001) and 36% in tendons (p<0.01). The ex vivo group confirmed the increase in glucose uptake in intact animals. GLUT1 and GLUT4 were expressed in both skeletal muscle and tendon, but no changes in mRNA levels could be detected. PET/CT can be used for studying glucose uptake in rat muscle and tendon in relation to muscle contractions; however, the increased uptake of glucose was not explained by changes in gene expression of GLUT1 and GLUT4. (orig.)

  3. Alteration of gene expression profiles in skeletal muscle of rats exposed to microgravity during a spaceflight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Wayne E.; Bhasin, Shalender; Lalani, Rukhsana; Datta, Anuj; Gonzalez-Cadavid, Nestor F.

    2002-01-01

    To clarify the mechanism of skeletal muscle wasting during spaceflights, we investigated whether intramuscular gene expression profiles are affected, by using DNA microarray methods. Male rats sent on the 17-day NASA STS-90 Neurolab spaceflight were sacrificed 24 hours after return to earth (MG group). Ground control rats were maintained for 17 days in flight-simulated cages (CS group). Spaceflight induced a 19% and 23% loss of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscle mass, respectively, as compared to ground controls. Muscle RNA was analyzed by the Clontech Atlas DNA expression array in four rats, with two MG/ CS pairs for the tibialis anterior, and one pair for the gastrocnemius. Alterations in gene expression were verified for selected genes by reverse-transcription PCR. In both muscles of MG rats, mRNAs for 12 genes were up-regulated by over 2-fold, and 38 were down-regulated compared to controls. There was inhibition of genes for cell proliferation and growth factor cascades, including cell cycle genes and signal transduction proteins, such as p21 Cip1, retinoblastoma (Rb), cyclins G1/S, -E and -D3, MAP kinase 3, MAD3, and ras related protein RAB2. These data indicate that following exposure to microgravity, there is downregulation of genes involved in regulation of muscle satellite cell replication.

  4. L-carnitine pretreatment protects slow-twitch skeletal muscles in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirel, Mert; Kaya, Burak; Cerkez, Cem; Ertunc, Mert; Sara, Yildirim

    2013-10-01

    Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury negatively affects the outcome of surgical interventions for amputated or severely traumatized extremities. This study aimed to evaluate the protective role of l-carnitine on the contractile properties of fast-twitch (extensor digitorum longus [EDL]) and slow-twitch (soleus [SOL]) skeletal muscles following I/R-induced injury in a rat model. Rats were divided into 4 groups (1) saline pretreatment, (2) l-carnitine pretreatment, (3) saline pretreatment and I/R, and (4) l-carnitine pretreatment and I/R. Twitch and tetanic contractions in the EDL and SOL muscles in each group were recorded. Additionally, a fatigue protocol was performed in these muscles. Twitch and tetanic contraction amplitudes were lower in the EDL and SOL muscles in which I/R was induced (P contraction amplitude in the SOL muscles following I/R (P muscles. l-Carnitine pretreatment did not alter the fatigue response in any of the muscles.

  5. Improved sphincter contractility after allogenic muscle-derived progenitor cell injection into the denervated rat urethra.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cannon, Tracy W; Lee, Ji Youl; Somogyi, George; Pruchnic, Ryan; Smith, Christopher P; Huard, Johnny; Chancellor, Michael B

    2003-11-01

    To study the physiologic outcome of allogenic transplant of muscle-derived progenitor cells (MDPCs) in the denervated female rat urethra. MDPCs were isolated from muscle biopsies of normal 6-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats and purified using the preplate technique. Sciatic nerve-transected rats were used as a model of stress urinary incontinence. The experimental group was divided into three subgroups: control, denervated plus 20 microL saline injection, and denervated plus allogenic MDPCs (1 to 1.5 x 10(6) cells) injection. Two weeks after injection, urethral muscle strips were prepared and underwent electrical field stimulation. The pharmacologic effects of d-tubocurare, phentolamine, and tetrodotoxin on the urethral strips were assessed by contractions induced by electrical field stimulation. The urethral tissues also underwent immunohistochemical staining for fast myosin heavy chain and CD4-activated lymphocytes. Urethral denervation resulted in a significant decrease of the maximal fast-twitch muscle contraction amplitude to only 8.77% of the normal urethra and partial impairment of smooth muscle contractility. Injection of MDPCs into the denervated sphincter significantly improved the fast-twitch muscle contraction amplitude to 87.02% of normal animals. Immunohistochemistry revealed a large amount of new skeletal muscle fiber formation at the injection site of the urethra with minimal inflammation. CD4 staining showed minimal lymphocyte infiltration around the MDPC injection sites. Urethral denervation resulted in near-total abolishment of the skeletal muscle and partial impairment of smooth muscle contractility. Allogenic MDPCs survived 2 weeks in sciatic nerve-transected urethra with minimal inflammation. This is the first report of the restoration of deficient urethral sphincter function through muscle-derived progenitor cell tissue engineering. MDPC-mediated cellular urethral myoplasty warrants additional investigation as a new method to treat stress urinary

  6. Dietary HMB and β-alanine co-supplementation does not improve in situ muscle function in sedentary, aged male rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russ, David W; Acksel, Cara; Boyd, Iva M; Maynard, John; McCorkle, Katherine W; Edens, Neile K; Garvey, Sean M

    2015-12-01

    This study evaluated the effects of dietary β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) combined with β-alanine (β-Ala) in sedentary, aged male rats. It has been suggested that dietary HMB or β-Ala supplementation may mitigate age-related declines in muscle strength and fatigue resistance. A total of 20 aged Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. At age 20 months, 10 rats were administered a control, purified diet and 10 rats were administered a purified diet supplemented with both HMB and β-Ala (HMB+β-Ala) for 8 weeks (approximately equivalent to 3 and 2.4 g per day human dose). We measured medial gastrocnemius (MG) size, force, fatigability, and myosin composition. We also evaluated an array of protein markers related to muscle mitochondria, protein synthesis and breakdown, and autophagy. HMB+β-Ala had no significant effects on body weight, MG mass, force or fatigability, myosin composition, or muscle quality. Compared with control rats, those fed HMB+β-Ala exhibited a reduced (41%, P = 0.039) expression of muscle RING-finger protein 1 (MURF1), a common marker of protein degradation. Muscle from rats fed HMB+β-Ala also exhibited a 45% reduction (P = 0.023) in p70s6K phosphorylation following fatiguing stimulation. These data suggest that HMB+β-Ala at the dose studied may reduce muscle protein breakdown by reducing MURF1 expression, but has minimal effects on muscle function in this model of uncomplicated aging. They do not, however, rule out potential benefits of HMB+β-Ala co-supplementation at other doses or durations of supplementation in combination with exercise or in situations where extreme muscle protein breakdown and loss of mass occur (e.g., bedrest, cachexia, failure-to-thrive).

  7. Resistance exercise attenuates skeletal muscle oxidative stress, systemic pro-inflammatory state, and cachexia in Walker-256 tumor-bearing rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padilha, Camila Souza; Borges, Fernando Henrique; Costa Mendes da Silva, Lilian Eslaine; Frajacomo, Fernando Tadeu Trevisan; Jordao, Alceu Afonso; Duarte, José Alberto; Cecchini, Rubens; Guarnier, Flávia Alessandra; Deminice, Rafael

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of resistance exercise training (RET) on oxidative stress, systemic inflammatory markers, and muscle wasting in Walker-256 tumor-bearing rats. Male (Wistar) rats were divided into 4 groups: sedentary controls (n = 9), tumor-bearing (n = 9), exercised (n = 9), and tumor-bearing exercised (n = 10). Exercised and tumor-bearing exercised rats were exposed to resistance exercise of climbing a ladder apparatus with weights tied to their tails for 6 weeks. The physical activity of control and tumor-bearing rats was confined to the space of the cage. After this period, tumor-bearing and tumor-bearing exercised animals were inoculated subcutaneously with Walker-256 tumor cells (11.0 × 10 7 cells in 0.5 mL of phosphate-buffered saline) while control and exercised rats were injected with vehicle. Following inoculation, rats maintained resistance exercise training (exercised and tumor-bearing exercised) or sedentary behavior (control and tumor-bearing) for 12 more days, after which they were euthanized. Results showed muscle wasting in the tumor-bearing group, with body weight loss, increased systemic leukocytes, and inflammatory interleukins as well as muscular oxidative stress and reduced mTOR signaling. In contrast, RET in the tumor-bearing exercised group was able to mitigate the reduced body weight and muscle wasting with the attenuation of muscle oxidative stress and systemic inflammatory markers. RET also prevented loss of muscle strength associated with tumor development. RET, however, did not prevent the muscle proteolysis signaling via FBXO32 gene messenger RNA expression in the tumor-bearing group. In conclusion, RET performed prior tumor implantation prevents cachexia development by attenuating tumor-induced systemic pro-inflammatory condition with muscle oxidative stress and muscle damage.

  8. Induction of amino acid transporters expression by endurance exercise in rat skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murakami, Taro; Yoshinaga, Mariko

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Regulation of amino acid transporter expression in working muscle remains unclear. •Expression of amino acid transporters for leucine were induced by a bout of exercise. •Requirement of leucine in muscle cells might regulate expression of its transporters. •This information is beneficial for understanding the muscle remodeling by exercise. -- Abstract: We here investigated whether an acute bout of endurance exercise would induce the expression of amino acid transporters that regulate leucine transport across plasma and lysosomal membranes in rat skeletal muscle. Rats ran on a motor-driven treadmill at a speed of 28 m/min for 90 min. Immediately after the exercise, we observed that expression of mRNAs encoding L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) and CD98 was induced in the gastrocnemius, soleus, and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles. Sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2 (SNAT2) mRNA was also induced by the exercise in those three muscles. Expression of proton-assisted amino acid transporter 1 (PAT1) mRNA was slightly but not significantly induced by a single bout of exercise in soleus and EDL muscles. Exercise-induced mRNA expression of these amino acid transporters appeared to be attenuated by repeated bouts of the exercise. These results suggested that the expression of amino acid transporters for leucine may be induced in response to an increase in the requirement for this amino acid in the cells of working skeletal muscles

  9. Validity of Estimation of Pelvic Floor Muscle Activity from Transperineal Ultrasound Imaging in Men.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan E Stafford

    Full Text Available To investigate the relationship between displacement of pelvic floor landmarks observed with transperineal ultrasound imaging and electromyography of the muscles hypothesised to cause the displacements.Three healthy men participated in this study, which included ultrasound imaging of the mid-urethra, urethra-vesical junction, ano-rectal junction and bulb of the penis. Fine-wire electromyography electrodes were inserted into the puborectalis and bulbocavernosus muscles and a transurethral catheter electrode recorded striated urethral sphincter electromyography. A nasogastric sensor recorded intra-abdominal pressure. Tasks included submaximal and maximal voluntary contractions, and Valsalva. The relationship between each of the parameters measured from ultrasound images and electromyography or intra-abdominal pressure amplitudes was described with nonlinear regression.Strong, non-linear relationships were calculated for each predicted landmark/muscle pair for submaximal contractions (R2-0.87-0.95. The relationships between mid-urethral displacement and striated urethral sphincter electromyography, and bulb of the penis displacement and bulbocavernosus electromyography were strong during maximal contractions (R2-0.74-0.88. Increased intra-abdominal pressure prevented shortening of puborectalis, which resulted in weak relationships between electromyography and anorectal and urethravesical junction displacement during all tasks.Displacement of landmarks in transperineal ultrasound imaging provides meaningful measures of activation of individual pelvic floor muscles in men during voluntary contractions. This method may aid assessment of muscle function or feedback for training.

  10. A DIGE proteomic analysis for high-intensity exercise-trained rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Wataru; Fujimoto, Eri; Higuchi, Mitsuru; Tabata, Izumi

    2010-09-01

    Exercise training induces various adaptations in skeletal muscles. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we conducted 2D-DIGE proteomic analysis, which has not yet been used for elucidating adaptations of skeletal muscle after high-intensity exercise training (HIT). For 5 days, rats performed HIT, which consisted of 14 20-s swimming exercise bouts carrying a weight (14% of the body weight), and 10-s pause between bouts. The 2D-DIGE analysis was conducted on epitrochlearis muscles excised 18 h after the final training exercise. Proteomic profiling revealed that out of 800 detected and matched spots, 13 proteins exhibited changed expression by HIT compared with sedentary rats. All proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF/MS. Furthermore, using western immunoblot analyses, significantly changed expressions of NDUFS1 and parvalbumin (PV) were validated in relation to HIT. In conclusion, the proteomic 2D-DIGE analysis following HIT-identified expressions of NDUFS1 and PV, previously unknown to have functions related to exercise-training adaptations.

  11. Endurance training increases the efficiency of rat skeletal muscle mitochondria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoladz, Jerzy A; Koziel, Agnieszka; Woyda-Ploszczyca, Andrzej; Celichowski, Jan; Jarmuszkiewicz, Wieslawa

    2016-10-01

    Endurance training enhances mitochondrial oxidative capacity, but its effect on mitochondria functioning is poorly understood. In the present study, the influence of an 8-week endurance training on the bioenergetic functioning of rat skeletal muscle mitochondria under different assay temperatures (25, 35, and 42 °C) was investigated. The study was performed on 24 adult 4-month-old male Wistar rats, which were randomly assigned to either a treadmill training group (n = 12) or a sedentary control group (n = 12). In skeletal muscles, endurance training stimulated mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative capacity. In isolated mitochondria, endurance training increased the phosphorylation rate and elevated levels of coenzyme Q. Moreover, a decrease in mitochondrial uncoupling, including uncoupling protein-mediated proton leak, was observed after training, which could explain the increased reactive oxygen species production (in nonphosphorylating mitochondria) and enhanced oxidative phosphorylation efficiency. At all studied temperatures, endurance training significantly augmented H2O2 production (and coenzyme Q reduction level) in nonphosphorylating mitochondria and decreased H2O2 production (and coenzyme Q reduction level) in phosphorylating mitochondria. Endurance training magnified the hyperthermia-induced increase in oxidative capacity and attenuated the hyperthermia-induced decline in oxidative phosphorylation efficiency and reactive oxygen species formation of nonphosphorylating mitochondria via proton leak enhancement. Thus, endurance training induces both quantitative and qualitative changes in muscle mitochondria that are important for cell signaling as well as for maintaining muscle energy homeostasis, especially at high temperatures.

  12. Smitin, a novel smooth muscle titin-like protein, interacts with myosin filaments in vivo and in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kyoungtae; Keller, Thomas C S

    2002-01-07

    Smooth muscle cells use an actin-myosin II-based contractile apparatus to produce force for a variety of physiological functions, including blood pressure regulation and gut peristalsis. The organization of the smooth muscle contractile apparatus resembles that of striated skeletal and cardiac muscle, but remains much more poorly understood. We have found that avian vascular and visceral smooth muscles contain a novel, megadalton protein, smitin, that is similar to striated muscle titin in molecular morphology, localization in a contractile apparatus, and ability to interact with myosin filaments. Smitin, like titin, is a long fibrous molecule with a globular domain on one end. Specific reactivities of an anti-smitin polyclonal antibody and an anti-titin monoclonal antibody suggest that smitin and titin are distinct proteins rather than differentially spliced isoforms encoded by the same gene. Smitin immunofluorescently colocalizes with myosin in chicken gizzard smooth muscle, and interacts with two configurations of smooth muscle myosin filaments in vitro. In physiological ionic strength conditions, smitin and smooth muscle myosin coassemble into irregular aggregates containing large sidepolar myosin filaments. In low ionic strength conditions, smitin and smooth muscle myosin form highly ordered structures containing linear and polygonal end-to-end and side-by-side arrays of small bipolar myosin filaments. We have used immunogold localization and sucrose density gradient cosedimentation analyses to confirm association of smitin with both the sidepolar and bipolar smooth muscle myosin filaments. These findings suggest that the titin-like protein smitin may play a central role in organizing myosin filaments in the contractile apparatus and perhaps in other structures in smooth muscle cells.

  13. Effects of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism on glutamine metabolism by skeletal muscle of the rat.

    OpenAIRE

    Parry-Billings, M; Dimitriadis, G D; Leighton, B; Bond, J; Bevan, S J; Opara, E; Newsholme, E A

    1990-01-01

    1. The effects of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism on the concentrations of glutamine and other amino acids in the muscle and plasma and on the rates of glutamine and alanine release from incubated isolated stripped soleus muscle of the rat were investigated. 2. Hyperthyroidism decreased the concentration of glutamine in soleus muscle but was without effect on that in the gastrocnemius muscle or in the plasma. Hyperthyroidism also increased markedly the rate of release of glutamine from the...

  14. Tissue specific phosphorylation of mitochondrial proteins isolated from rat liver, heart muscle, and skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bak, Steffen; León, Ileana R; Jensen, Ole Nørregaard

    2013-01-01

    -specific phosphorylation sites were identified in tissue-specific enzymes such as those encoded by HMGCS2, BDH1, PCK2, CPS1, and OTC in liver mitochondria, and CKMT2 and CPT1B in heart and skeletal muscle. Kinase prediction showed an important role for PKA and PKC in all tissues but also for proline-directed kinases......Phosphorylation of mitochondrial proteins in a variety of biological processes is increasingly being recognized and may contribute to the differences in function and energy demands observed in mitochondria from different tissues such as liver, heart, and skeletal muscle. Here, we used a combination...... of TiO2 phosphopeptide-enrichment, HILIC fractionation, and LC-MS/MS on isolated mitochondria to investigate the tissue-specific mitochondrial phosphoproteomes of rat liver, heart, and skeletal muscle. In total, we identified 899 phosphorylation sites in 354 different mitochondrial proteins including...

  15. Quantification of fibre type regionalisation : an analysis of lower hindlimb muscles in the rat

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wang, LC; Kernell, D

    Newly developed concepts and methods for the quantification of fibre type regionalisation were used for comparison between all muscles traversing the ankle of the rat lower hindlimb (n = 13). For each muscle, cross-sections from the proximodistal midlevel were stained for myofibrillar ATPase and

  16. Accumulation of ceramide in slow-twitch muscle contributes to the development of insulin resistance in the obese JCR:LA-cp rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fillmore, Natasha; Keung, Wendy; Kelly, Sandra E; Proctor, Spencer D; Lopaschuk, Gary D; Ussher, John R

    2015-06-01

    What is the central question of this study? The aim was to determine whether the accumulation of ceramide contributes to skeletal muscle insulin resistance in the JCR obese rat. What is the main finding and its importance? Our main new finding is that ceramides accumulate only in slow-twitch skeletal muscle in the JCR obese rat and that reducing ceramide content in this muscle type by inhibition of serine palmitoyl transferase-1 halts the progression of insulin resistance in this rat model predisposed to early development of type 2 diabetes. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing insulin signalling/sensitivity and lipid intermediate accumulation in different muscle fibre types. It has been postulated that insulin resistance results from the accumulation of cytosolic lipid metabolites (i.e. diacylglycerol/ceramide) that impede insulin signalling and impair glucose homeostasis. De novo ceramide synthesis is catalysed by serine palmitoyl transferase-1. Our aim was to determine whether de novo ceramide synthesis plays a role during development of insulin resistance in the JCR:LA-cp obese rat. Ten-week-old JCR:LA-cp obese rats were supplemented with either vehicle or the serine palmitoyl transferase-1 inhibitor l-cycloserine (360 mg l(-1) ) in their drinking water for a 2 week period, and glycaemia was assessed by meal tolerance testing. Treatment of JCR:LA-cp obese rats with l-cycloserine improved their plasma glucose and insulin levels during a meal tolerance test. Examination of muscle lipid metabolites and protein phosphorylation patterns revealed differential signatures in slow-twitch (soleus) versus fast-twitch muscle (gastrocnemius), in that ceramide levels were increased in soleus but not gastrocnemius muscles of JCR:LA-cp obese rats. Likewise, improved glycaemia in l-cycloserine-treated JCR:LA-cp obese rats was associated with enhanced Akt and pyruvate dehydrogenase signalling in soleus but not gastrocnemius muscles, probably as a result of l

  17. Content of selected amino acids in the gastrocnemius muscle during experimental hypothyroidism in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gołyński Marcin

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Thyroid hormones affect protein turnover, and in the case of hypothyroidism a decrease in protein synthesis and reduced release of certain amino acids from skeletal muscles are observed. Changes in the amino acid system of skeletal muscles may be responsible for the occurrence of muscle disorders. Material and Methods: The study measured the content of selected amino acids in the gastrocnemius muscle of Wistar rats during experimental hypothyroidism induced by oral administration of methimazole at a concentration of 0.05% in drinking water for 90 d. The rats were divided into four groups: E1 (n = 6 - experimental males, E2 (n = 6 - experimental females, C1 (n = 6 - control males, and C2 (n = 6 control females. Results: A statistically significant reduction occurred in leucine, isoleucine, and 1-methylhistidine levels in males, and 1-methylhistidine in females, in comparison to the control groups. Conclusion: The hypothyroidism-induced changes in amino acid content may be responsible for the occurrence of skeletal muscle function disorders.

  18. Metabolic changes of masseter muscle in experimental unilateral bite-raised rat determined by {sup 31}P-MRS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nishide, Naoto [Kyoto Prefectural Univ. of Medicine (Japan)

    1997-05-01

    Occlusal interference is known to alter the functional activity of masticatory muscle, but no alteration of the energy metabolism of masticatory muscle which has gone occlusal interference has been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the energy metabolism in rat masseter muscle during masticatory movements following unilateral bite-raising. A bite-raising splint (1 mm) was fixed on the unilateral upper molar of experimental rats, and after 2, 4 and 6 weeks, the rats were anesthetized and masticatory movements were induced by electrical stimulation applied to the masseter muscle (with a biting force of 40 g, a frequency of 5 Hz and a stimulation time of 32 min). {sup 31}P Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of the masseter muscle were recorded during a sequence of rest, stimulation and recovery periods, and the resonance signal area ratio of PCr and Pi ((PCr)/(PCr + Pi)) and the muscle pH were determined. After 4 and 6 weeks following the bite-raising, the masseter of the bite-raised side showed a decrease in the (PCr)/(PCr + Pi) ratio compared with a control group during stimulation (p<0.05). Neither the bite-raised side masseter at 2 weeks and the contralateral side at 4 weeks showed any differences compared with the control. The muscle pH during stimulation was similar in both the control and the bite-raised groups of rats. These findings suggest that the occlusal alteration induced by unilateral bite-raising reduces the masseter energy level during mastication. (author)

  19. Effects of temporal muscle detachment and coronoidotomy on facial growth in young rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Engelberg Fernandes Gomes

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This study analyzed the effects of unilateral detachment of the temporal muscle and coronoidotomy on facial growth in young rats. Thirty one-month-old Wistar rats were distributed into three groups: detachment, coronoidotomy and sham-operated. Under general anesthesia, unilateral detachment of the temporal muscle was performed for the detachment group, unilateral coronoidotomy was performed for the coronoidotomy group, and only surgical access was performed for the sham-operated group. The animals were sacrificed at three months of age. Their soft tissues were removed, and the mandible was disarticulated. Radiographic projections-axial views of the skulls and lateral views of hemimandibles-were taken. Cephalometric evaluations were performed, and the values obtained were submitted to statistical analyses. There was a significant homolateral difference in the length of the premaxilla, height of the mandibular ramus and body, and the length of the mandible in all three groups. However, comparisons among the groups revealed no significant differences between the detachment and coronoidotomy groups for most measurements. It was concluded that both experimental detachment of the temporal muscle and coronoidotomy during the growth period in rats induced asymmetry of the mandible and affected the premaxilla.

  20. Changes in contractile properties and action potentials of motor units in the rat medial gastrocnemius muscle during maturation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobrzynska, Z; Celichowski, J

    2016-02-01

    The early phase of development of muscles stops following the disappearance of embryonic and neonatal myosin and the elimination of polyneuronal innervation of muscle fibres with the formation of motor units (MUs), but later the muscle mass still considerably increases. It is unknown whether the three types are visible among newly formed MUs soon after the early postnatal period and whether their proportion is similar to that in adult muscle. Moreover, the processes responsible for MU-force regulation by changes in motoneuronal firing rate as well as properties of motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) during maturation are unknown. Three groups of Wistar rats were investigated - 1 month old, 2 months old and the adult, 9 months old. The basic contractile properties and action potentials of MUs in the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle were analysed. The three types of MUs were distinguishable in all age groups, but higher proportion of slow MUs was noticed in young rats (29%, 18% and 11% in 1, 2 and 9 months rats, respectively). The fatigue index for fast fatigable MUs in 1 month old rats was about 2 times higher than in 9 months old rats. The twitch time parameters of fast MUs were shortened during the maturation; for these units, the force-frequency curves in young rats were shifted towards lower frequencies, which suggested that fast motoneurons of young animals generate lower firing rates. Higher twitch-to-tetanus ratios noted for the three MU types in young rats suggested the smaller role of rate coding in force regulation processes, and the higher role of MU recruitment in young rats. No significant differences in MUAP parameters between two groups of young and adult animals were observed. Concluding, the maturation process evokes deeper changes in fast MUs than in slow ones.

  1. Lactate/H+ transport kinetics in rat skeletal muscle related to fibre type and changes in transport capacity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juel; Pilegaard

    1998-01-01

    muscles, muscles of old rats and rats that had been subjected to high-intensity training, endurance training, repeated exposure to hypoxia, and hypothyroid or hyperthyroid treatments. The lactate/H+ transport capacity of red muscles was greater than that of white muscles, and this difference...... and hypothyroidism was due to a decrease in Vmax. The denervation-induced decline in lactate/H+ transport capacity resulted from both an increased Km and a reduced Vmax. The present data show that muscle type differences and most changes in the lactate/H+ transport capacity are mediated by modifications in Vmax......, which is expected to represent the number of membrane transporter molecules. Km is unaffected by most treatments and appears to be independent of fibre type....

  2. Rigor force responses of permeabilized fibres from fast and slow skeletal muscles of aged rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plant, D R; Lynch, G S

    2001-09-01

    1. Ageing is generally associated with a decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength and a slowing of muscle contraction, factors that impact upon the quality of life for the elderly. The mechanisms underlying this age-related muscle weakness have not been fully resolved. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the decrease in muscle force as a consequence of age could be attributed partly to a decrease in the number of cross-bridges participating during contraction. 2. Given that the rigor force is proportional to the approximate total number of interacting sites between the actin and myosin filaments, we tested the null hypothesis that the rigor force of permeabilized muscle fibres from young and old rats would not be different. 3. Permeabilized fibres from the extensor digitorum longus (fast-twitch; EDL) and soleus (predominantly slow-twitch) muscles of young (6 months of age) and old (27 months of age) male F344 rats were activated in Ca2+-buffered solutions to determine force-pCa characteristics (where pCa = -log(10)[Ca2+]) and then in solutions lacking ATP and Ca2+ to determine rigor force levels. 4. The rigor forces for EDL and soleus muscle fibres were not different between young and old rats, indicating that the approximate total number of cross-bridges that can be formed between filaments did not decline with age. We conclude that the age-related decrease in force output is more likely attributed to a decrease in the force per cross-bridge and/or decreases in the efficiency of excitation-contraction coupling.

  3. [Relationship between PMI and fourier transform infrared spectral changes in muscle of rats after death caused by mechanical asphyxial].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shi-ying; Shao, Yu; Li, Zheng-dong; Liu, Ning-guo; Zou, Dong-hua; Qin, Zhi-qiang; Chen, Yi-jiu; Huang, Ping

    2012-06-01

    To observe the postmortem degradation process in rat myocardium and skeletal muscle using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and to provide a new method for estimating postmortem interval (PMI). Left ventricle and skeletal muscles of rats dying of mechanical asphyxiated were sampled at different PMIs. The changes of different chemical functional group in the myocardium and skeletal muscle samples were measured by FTIR spectroscopy. The different absorbance (A) ratios of peaks were calculated and the curve estimation analysis between absorbance ratios (x) and PMI (y) were performed to establish six mathematical models. FTIR spectral absorption peak of rat myocardium and skeletal muscle showed three changes: increase, decrease and stable. The cubic model function showed the strongest correlation coefficient. The A1080/A1396 ratio of skeletal muscle showed the strongest correlation coefficient (r = 0.832) with more accurate determination of PMI. FYIR spectroscopy can be potentially used as an effective method for estimating PMI in forensic practice using myocardium and skeletal muscle.

  4. Effect of endurance training on glucose transport capacity and glucose transporter expression in rat skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ploug, T; Stallknecht, B M; Pedersen, O

    1990-01-01

    exhaustive single exercise session the day before experiment both maximum insulin- and contraction-stimulated transport rates were increased in all muscle types in trained rats. Accordingly, the increased glucose transport capacity in trained muscle was not due to a residual effect of the last training...... session. Half-times for reversal of contraction-induced glucose transport were similar in trained and untrained muscles. The concentrations of mRNA for GLUT-1 (the erythrocyte-brain-Hep G2 glucose transporter) and GLUT-4 (the adipocyte-muscle glucose transporter) were increased approximately twofold......The effect of 10 wk endurance swim training on 3-O-methylglucose (3-MG) uptake (at 40 mM 3-MG) in skeletal muscle was studied in the perfused rat hindquarter. Training resulted in an increase of approximately 33% for maximum insulin-stimulated 3-MG transport in fast-twitch red fibers...

  5. Anesthesia with propofol induces insulin resistance systemically in skeletal and cardiac muscles and liver of rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yasuda, Yoshikazu; Fukushima, Yuji; Kaneki, Masao [Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114 (United States); Martyn, J.A. Jeevendra, E-mail: jmartyn@partners.org [Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114 (United States)

    2013-02-01

    Highlights: ► Propofol, as a model anesthetic drug, induced whole body insulin resistance. ► Propofol anesthesia decreased glucose infusion rate to maintain euglycemia. ► Propofol decreased insulin-mediated glucose uptake in skeletal and cardiac muscles. ► Propofol increased hepatic glucose output confirming hepatic insulin resistance. -- Abstract: Hyperglycemia together with hepatic and muscle insulin resistance are common features in critically ill patients, and these changes are associated with enhanced inflammatory response, increased susceptibility to infection, muscle wasting, and worsened prognosis. Tight blood glucose control by intensive insulin treatment may reduce the morbidity and mortality in intensive care units. Although some anesthetics have been shown to cause insulin resistance, it remains unknown how and in which tissues insulin resistance is induced by anesthetics. Moreover, the effects of propofol, a clinically relevant intravenous anesthetic, also used in the intensive care unit for sedation, on insulin sensitivity have not yet been investigated. Euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp study was performed in rats anesthetized with propofol and conscious unrestrained rats. To evaluate glucose uptake in tissues and hepatic glucose output [{sup 3}H]glucose and 2-deoxy[{sup 14}C]glucose were infused during the clamp study. Anesthesia with propofol induced a marked whole-body insulin resistance compared with conscious rats, as reflected by significantly decreased glucose infusion rate to maintain euglycemia. Insulin-stimulated tissue glucose uptake was decreased in skeletal muscle and heart, and hepatic glucose output was increased in propofol anesthetized rats. Anesthesia with propofol induces systemic insulin resistance along with decreases in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal and heart muscle and attenuation of the insulin-mediated suppression of hepatic glucose output in rats.

  6. Anesthesia with propofol induces insulin resistance systemically in skeletal and cardiac muscles and liver of rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yasuda, Yoshikazu; Fukushima, Yuji; Kaneki, Masao; Martyn, J.A. Jeevendra

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Propofol, as a model anesthetic drug, induced whole body insulin resistance. ► Propofol anesthesia decreased glucose infusion rate to maintain euglycemia. ► Propofol decreased insulin-mediated glucose uptake in skeletal and cardiac muscles. ► Propofol increased hepatic glucose output confirming hepatic insulin resistance. -- Abstract: Hyperglycemia together with hepatic and muscle insulin resistance are common features in critically ill patients, and these changes are associated with enhanced inflammatory response, increased susceptibility to infection, muscle wasting, and worsened prognosis. Tight blood glucose control by intensive insulin treatment may reduce the morbidity and mortality in intensive care units. Although some anesthetics have been shown to cause insulin resistance, it remains unknown how and in which tissues insulin resistance is induced by anesthetics. Moreover, the effects of propofol, a clinically relevant intravenous anesthetic, also used in the intensive care unit for sedation, on insulin sensitivity have not yet been investigated. Euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp study was performed in rats anesthetized with propofol and conscious unrestrained rats. To evaluate glucose uptake in tissues and hepatic glucose output [ 3 H]glucose and 2-deoxy[ 14 C]glucose were infused during the clamp study. Anesthesia with propofol induced a marked whole-body insulin resistance compared with conscious rats, as reflected by significantly decreased glucose infusion rate to maintain euglycemia. Insulin-stimulated tissue glucose uptake was decreased in skeletal muscle and heart, and hepatic glucose output was increased in propofol anesthetized rats. Anesthesia with propofol induces systemic insulin resistance along with decreases in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal and heart muscle and attenuation of the insulin-mediated suppression of hepatic glucose output in rats

  7. Ibuprofen Differentially Affects Supraspinatus Muscle and Tendon Adaptations to Exercise in a Rat Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rooney, Sarah Ilkhanipour; Baskin, Rachel; Torino, Daniel J; Vafa, Rameen P; Khandekar, Pooja S; Kuntz, Andrew F; Soslowsky, Louis J

    2016-09-01

    Previous studies have shown that ibuprofen is detrimental to tissue healing after acute injury; however, the effects of ibuprofen when combined with noninjurious exercise are debated. Administration of ibuprofen to rats undergoing a noninjurious treadmill exercise protocol will abolish the beneficial adaptations found with exercise but will have no effect on sedentary muscle and tendon properties. Controlled laboratory study. A total of 167 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into exercise or cage activity (sedentary) groups and acute (a single bout of exercise followed by 24 hours of rest) and chronic (2 or 8 weeks of repeated exercise) response times. Half of the rats were administered ibuprofen to investigate the effects of this drug over time when combined with different activity levels (exercise and sedentary). Supraspinatus tendons were used for mechanical testing and histologic assessment (organization, cell shape, cellularity), and supraspinatus muscles were used for morphologic (fiber cross-sectional area, centrally nucleated fibers) and fiber type analysis. Chronic intake of ibuprofen did not impair supraspinatus tendon organization or mechanical adaptations (stiffness, modulus, maximum load, maximum stress, dynamic modulus, or viscoelastic properties) to exercise. Tendon mechanical properties were not diminished and in some instances increased with ibuprofen. In contrast, total supraspinatus muscle fiber cross-sectional area decreased with ibuprofen at chronic response times, and some fiber type-specific changes were detected. Chronic administration of ibuprofen does not impair supraspinatus tendon mechanical properties in a rat model of exercise but does decrease supraspinatus muscle fiber cross-sectional area. This fundamental study adds to the growing literature on the effects of ibuprofen on musculoskeletal tissues and provides a solid foundation on which future work can build. The study findings suggest that ibuprofen does not detrimentally affect

  8. Ibuprofen Differentially Affects Supraspinatus Muscle and Tendon Adaptations to Exercise in a Rat Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rooney, Sarah Ilkhanipour; Baskin, Rachel; Torino, Daniel J.; Vafa, Rameen P.; Khandekar, Pooja S.; Kuntz, Andrew F.; Soslowsky, Louis J.

    2017-01-01

    Background Previous studies have shown that ibuprofen is detrimental to tissue healing following acute injury; however, the effects of ibuprofen when combined with non-injurious exercise are debated. Hypothesis We hypothesized that administration of ibuprofen to rats undergoing a non-injurious treadmill exercise protocol would abolish the beneficial adaptations found with exercise but have no effect on sedentary muscle and tendon properties. Study Design Controlled laboratory study Methods Rats were divided into exercise or cage activity (sedentary) groups and acute (a single bout of exercise followed by 24 hours of rest) and chronic (2 or 8 weeks of repeated exercise) time points. Half of the rats received ibuprofen to investigate the effects of this drug over time when combined with different activity levels (exercise and sedentary). Supraspinatus tendons were used for mechanical testing and histology (organization, cell shape, cellularity), and supraspinatus muscles were used for morphological (fiber CSA, centrally nucleated fibers) and fiber type analysis. Results Chronic intake of ibuprofen did not impair supraspinatus tendon organization or mechanical adaptations (stiffness, modulus, max load, max stress, dynamic modulus, or viscoelastic properties) to exercise. Tendon mechanical properties were not diminished and in some instances increased with ibuprofen. In contrast, total supraspinatus muscle fiber cross-sectional area decreased with ibuprofen at chronic time points, and some fiber type-specific changes were detected. Conclusions Chronic administration of ibuprofen does not impair supraspinatus tendon mechanical properties in a rat model of exercise but does decrease supraspinatus muscle fiber cross-sectional area. Clinically, these findings suggest that ibuprofen does not detrimentally affect regulation of supraspinatus tendon adaptions to exercise but does decrease muscle growth. Individuals should be advised on the risk of decreased muscle hypertrophy

  9. GENE RESPONSE OF THE GASTROCNEMIUS AND SOLEUS MUSCLES TO AN ACUTE AEROBIC RUN IN RATS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael J. McKenzie

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Genes can be activated or inhibited by signals within the tissues in response to an acute bout of exercise. It is unclear how a particular aerobic exercise bout may influence two muscles with similar actions to the activity. Therefore, the purposes of this investigation was to determine the gene response of selected genes involved in the "stress" response of the gastrocnemius (fast-twitch and soleus (slow-twitch muscles to a single two hour aerobic exercise bout in female Sprague-Dawley Rats at the 1 hour time point after the exercise. Exercised rats were run (n=8 for 2 hours at 20 m.min-1 and one hour after the completion of the bout had their soleus (S and gastrocnemius (G muscles removed. Age and timed matched sedentary control rats had both S and G muscles removed also. RNA was isolated from all muscles. Real-time PCR analysis was performed on the following genes: NFκB, TNFα, and Atf3. GAPDH was used as the housekeeping gene for both muscles. S muscle showed more genes altered (n = 52 vs G (n = 26. NFκB gene expression was 0.83 ± 0.14 in the exercised S but was + 1.36 ± 0.58 in the exercised G and was not significantly different between the muscles. TNFα was altered 1.30 ± 0. 34 in the exercised S and 1.36 ± 0.71 in the exercised G and was not significantly different between the muscles. The gene Atf3 was significantly altered at 4.97 ± 1.01 in the exercised S, while it was not significantly altered in the exercised G (0.70 ± 0.55. This study demonstrates that an acute bout of aerobic exercise can alter gene expression to a different extent in both the S and G muscles. It is highly likely that muscle recruitment was a factor which influenced the gene expression in theses muscles. It is interesting to note that some genes were similarly activated in these two muscles but other genes may demonstrate a varied response to the same exercise bout depending on the type of muscle

  10. The effect of a single dose of morphine on muscle fatigue indices in male rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sedigheh Amiresmaili

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aim: Endogenous opioids and addictive opiate drugs change many body functions. . Previous studies have referred to the effects of morphine on smooth and pulmonary muscles ., but the  effects of opioids on skeletal muscles is not known well. Thus, the current study aimed at assessing the effect of a single dose of morphine on muscle fatigue in male rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male Wistar rats weighing 220-270 g were randomly divided into four equal groups: control (the mice were kept in their cages and received food and water, morphine receiving group, fatigue group (the mice in this group were kept running on  a treadmill . for120 minutes at a rate of 20 meters per minute, and morphine plus fatigue group. At the end of the experiments, blood samples were obtained from the corner of their eyes and were sent to the laboratory for measurement of muscle fatigue indexes including lactate dehydrogenase (LDH and creatine phosphokinase (CPK. Results: Administration of morphine to the fatigue group decreased running time compared with the control group (P=0.009. Furthermore, administration of morphine to the fatigue group significantly increased serum levels of LDH (P=0.009 and CPK (P=0.008. Conclusion: The present study showed that administration of a single dose of morphine in rats increases muscle fatigue biomarkers (LDH, CPK.

  11. Nitric oxide and Na,K-ATPase activity in rat skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juel, Carsten

    2016-01-01

    Aim: It has been suggested that nitric oxide (NO) stimulates the Na,K-ATPase in cardiac myocytes. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate whether NO increases Na,K-ATPase activity in skeletal muscle and, if that is the case, to identify the underlying mechanism. Method: The study used...... isolated rat muscle, muscle homogenates and purified membranes as model systems. Na,K-ATPase activity was quantified from phosphate release due to ATP hydrolysis. Results: Exposure to the NO donor spermine NONOate (10 μm) increased the maximal Na,K-ATPase activity by 27% in isolated glycolytic muscles...... activity was depressed by oxidized glutathione. Conclusion: NO and cGMP stimulate the Na,K-ATPase in glycolytic skeletal muscle. Direct S-nitrosylation and interference with S-glutathionylation seem to be excluded. In addition, phosphorylation of phospholemman at serine 68 is not involved. Most likely...

  12. Extracellular creatine regulates creatine transport in rat and human muscle cells.

    OpenAIRE

    Loike, J D; Zalutsky, D L; Kaback, E; Miranda, A F; Silverstein, S C

    1988-01-01

    Muscle cells do not synthesize creatine; they take up exogenous creatine by specific Na+-dependent plasma membrane transporters. We found that extracellular creatine regulates the level of expression of these creatine transporters in L6 rat muscle cells. L6 myoblasts maintained for 24 hr in medium containing 1 mM creatine exhibited 1/3rd of the creatine transport activity of cells maintained for 24 hr in medium without creatine. Down-regulation of creatine transport was partially reversed whe...

  13. Increased Muscular 5α-Dihydrotestosterone in Response to Resistance Training Relates to Skeletal Muscle Mass and Glucose Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetic Rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naoki Horii

    Full Text Available Regular resistance exercise induces skeletal muscle hypertrophy and improvement of glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients. Administration of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA, a sex steroid hormone precursor, increases 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT synthesis and is associated with improvements in fasting blood glucose level and skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether increase in muscle DHT levels, induced by chronic resistance exercise, can contribute to skeletal muscle hypertrophy and concomitant improvement of muscular glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetic rats. Male 20-week-old type 2 diabetic rats (OLETF were randomly divided into 3 groups: sedentary control, resistance training (3 times a week on alternate days for 8 weeks, or resistance training with continuous infusion of a 5α-reductase inhibitor (n = 8 each group. Age-matched, healthy nondiabetic Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO rats (n = 8 were used as controls. The results indicated that OLETF rats showed significant decrease in muscular DHEA, free testosterone, DHT levels, and protein expression of steroidogenic enzymes, with loss of skeletal muscle mass and hyperglycemia, compared to that of LETO rats. However, 8-week resistance training in OLETF rats significantly increased the levels of muscle sex steroid hormones and protein expression of steroidogenic enzymes with a concomitant increase in skeletal muscle mass, improved fasting glucose level, and insulin sensitivity index. Moreover, resistance training accelerated glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4 translocation and protein kinase B and C-ζ/λ phosphorylation. Administering the 5α-reductase inhibitor in resistance-trained OLETF rats resulted in suppression of the exercise-induced effects on skeletal muscle mass, fasting glucose level, insulin sensitivity index, and GLUT-4 signaling, with a decline in muscular DHT levels. These findings suggest that resistance training

  14. Adenosine formation in contracting primary rat skeletal muscle cells and endothelial cells in culture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hellsten, Ylva; Frandsen, Ulrik

    1997-01-01

    1. The present study examined the capacity for adenosine formation, uptake and metabolism in contracting primary rat muscle cells and in microvascular endothelial cells in culture. 2. Strong and moderate electrical simulation of skeletal muscle cells led to a significantly greater increase....... 3. Addition of microvascular endothelial cells to the cultured skeletal muscle cells enhanced the contraction-induced accumulation of extracellular adenosine (P Skeletal muscle cells were...... in the extracellular adenosine concentration (421 +/- 91 and 235 +/- 30 nmol (g protein)-1, respectively; P muscle cells (161 +/- 20 nmol (g protein)-1). The ATP concentration was lower (18%; P contracted, but not in the moderately contracted muscle cells...

  15. Effect of one stretch a week applied to the immobilized soleus muscle on rat muscle fiber morphology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gomes A.R.S.

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available We determined the effect of stretching applied once a week to the soleus muscle immobilized in the shortened position on muscle fiber morphology. Twenty-six male Wistar rats weighing 269 ± 26 g were divided into three groups. Group I, the left soleus was immobilized in the shortened position for 3 weeks; group II, the soleus was immobilized in the shortened position and stretched once a week for 3 weeks; group III, the soleus was submitted only to stretching once a week for 3 weeks. The medial part of the soleus muscle was frozen for histology and muscle fiber area evaluation and the lateral part was used for the determination of number and length of serial sarcomeres. Soleus muscle submitted only to immobilization showed a reduction in weight (44 ± 6%, P = 0.002, in serial sarcomere number (23 ± 15% and in cross-sectional area of the fibers (37 ± 31%, P < 0.001 compared to the contralateral muscles. The muscle that was immobilized and stretched showed less muscle fiber atrophy than the muscles only immobilized (P < 0.05. Surprisingly, in the muscles submitted only to stretching, fiber area was decreased compared to the contralateral muscle (2548 ± 659 vs 2961 ± 806 µm², respectively, P < 0.05. In conclusion, stretching applied once a week for 40 min to the soleus muscle immobilized in the shortened position was not sufficient to prevent the reduction of muscle weight and of serial sarcomere number, but provided significant protection against muscle fiber atrophy. In contrast, stretching normal muscles once a week caused a reduction in muscle fiber area.

  16. Low-intensity aerobic exercise training: inhibition of skeletal muscle atrophy in high-fat-diet-induced ovariectomized rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hye Jin; Lee, Won Jun

    2017-09-30

    Postmenopausal women are highly susceptible to diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, or skeletal muscle atrophy and many people recognize the need for regular physical activity. Aerobic exercise training is known to improve the oxidative capacity and insulin sensitivity of skeletal muscles. This study aimed to investigate the role of low-intensity aerobic exercise training on skeletal muscle protein degradation or synthesis in the plantaris muscles of high-fat-fed ovariectomized rats. Ovariectomized female rats were divided into two groups: a high-fat diet-sedentary group (HFD), and a high-fat diet-aerobic exercise group (HFD+EX). The exercise group exercised aerobically on a treadmill 5 days/week for 8 weeks. The rats progressively ran 30 min/day at 15 m/min, up to 40 min/day at 18 m/min, 0% slope, in the last 4 weeks. Although aerobic exercise led to significantly increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation at Thr172, phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) substrate Thr389 S6K1 level did not decrease. Additionally, even though Akt activity did not increase at Ser473, the atrogin-1 level significantly decreased in the exercise group compared to the non-exercise group. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that high-fat-induced TSC2 protein expression was eliminated in response to aerobic exercise. These results suggest that aerobic exercise can inhibit skeletal muscle protein degradation, but it cannot increase protein synthesis in the plantaris muscle of high-fat-fed ovariectomized rats. Our findings have implications in understanding skeletal muscle mass maintenance with low intensity aerobic exercise in post-menopausal women. ©2017 The Korean Society for Exercise Nutrition

  17. A high-fructose diet induces changes in pp185 phosphorylation in muscle and liver of rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Ueno

    2000-12-01

    Full Text Available Insulin stimulates the tyrosine kinase activity of its receptor resulting in the tyrosine phosphorylation of pp185, which contains insulin receptor substrates IRS-1 and IRS-2. These early steps in insulin action are essential for the metabolic effects of insulin. Feeding animals a high-fructose diet results in insulin resistance. However, the exact molecular mechanism underlying this effect is unknown. In the present study, we determined the levels and phosphorylation status of the insulin receptor and pp185 (IRS-1/2 in liver and muscle of rats submitted to a high-fructose diet evaluated by immunoblotting with specific antibodies. Feeding fructose (28 days induced a discrete insulin resistance, as demonstrated by the insulin tolerance test. Plasma glucose and serum insulin and cholesterol levels of the two groups of rats, fructose-fed and control, were similar, whereas plasma triacylglycerol concentration was significantly increased in the rats submitted to the fructose diet (P<0.05. There were no changes in insulin receptor concentration in the liver or muscle of either group. However, insulin-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation was reduced to 72 ± 4% (P<0.05 in the liver of high-fructose rats. The IRS-1 protein levels were similar in both liver and muscle of the two groups of rats. In contrast, there was a significant decrease in insulin-induced pp185 (IRS-1/2 phosphorylation, to 83 ± 5% (P<0.05 in liver and to 77 ± 4% (P<0.05 in muscle of the high-fructose rats. These data suggest that changes in the early steps of insulin signal transduction may have an important role in the insulin resistance induced by high-fructose feeding.

  18. Changes in calmodulin concentration and cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in skeletal muscle of hyper- and hypothyroid rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mano, T; Iwase, K; Yoshimochi, I; Sawai, Y; Oda, N; Nishida, Y; Mokuno, T; Kotake, M; Nakai, A; Hayakawa, N

    1995-08-01

    Hyper- and hypothyroid states occasionally induce skeletal muscle dysfunction i.e. periodic paralysis and thyroid myopathy. The etiology of these diseases remains unclear, but several findings suggest that the catecholamine-beta-receptor-cAMP system or other messenger systems are disturbed in these diseases. In this context, we evaluated changes in the cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide metabolic enzyme, cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) and calmodulin concentrations in skeletal muscles of hyper- and hypothyroid rats. Activities of cyclic AMP-PDE were low in skeletal muscle both from hyper- and hypothyroid rats, and calmodulin concentration was high in hyperthyroid and low in hypothyroid rats, as compared with normal rats. DE-52 column chromatographic analysis showed that the cGMP hydrolytic activity in peak I and the cAMP hydrolytic activity in peak II were decreased in hypothyroid rats, whereas cAMP hydrolytic activity in peak III was unchanged. The cAMP hydrolytic activity in peak III was decreased in hyperthyroid rats, but the activities in peaks I and II were unchanged. These findings indicate that cAMP and calmodulin may have some role in skeletal muscle function in the hyperthyroid state, and that cAMP and calmodulin-dependent metabolism may be suppressed in the hypothyroid state.

  19. Insulin receptor binding and protein kinase activity in muscles of trained rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dohm, G.L.; Sinha, M.K.; Caro, J.F.

    1987-01-01

    Exercise has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity, and muscle is quantitatively the most important tissue of insulin action. Since the first step in insulin action is the binding to a membrane receptor, the authors postulated that exercise training would change insulin receptors in muscle and in this study they have investigated this hypothesis. Female rats initially weighing ∼ 100 g were trained by treadmill running for 2 h/day, 6 days/wk for 4 wk at 25 m/min (0 grade). Insulin receptors from vastus intermedius muscles were solubilized by homogenizing in a buffer containing 1% Triton X-100 and then partially purified by passing the soluble extract over a wheat germ agglutinin column. The 4 wk training regimen resulted in a 65% increase in citrate synthase activity in red vastus lateralis muscle, indicating an adaptation to exercise [ 125 I]. Insulin binding by the partially purified receptor preparations was approximately doubled in muscle of trained rats at all insulin concentrations, suggesting an increase in the number of receptors. Training did not alter insulin receptor structure as evidenced by electrophoretic mobility under reducing and nonreducing conditions. Basal insulin receptor protein kinase activity was higher in trained than untrained animals and this was likely due to the greater number of receptors. However, insulin stimulation of the protein kinase activity was depressed by training. These results demonstrate that endurance training does alter receptor number and function in muscle and these changes may be important in increasing insulin sensitivity after exercise training

  20. Effect of hypertensive rat plasma on ion transport of cultured vascular smooth muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magargal, W.W.; Overbeck, H.W.

    1986-01-01

    We layered fresh, unprocessed plasma from healthy rats with early (less than or equal to 7 days) or benign, chronic (greater than 3 wk) one-kidney, one-clip hypertension and from paired one-kidney normotensive control rats over confluent primary-cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Plasma from all rats increased cellular ouabain-sensitive 86 Rb + uptake and sodium content and decreased ouabain-insensitive 86 Rb + uptake compared with uptakes and content in the presence of balanced salt solution (P less than 0.01). Cells incubated in the presence of plasma from rats with early (P less than 0.02) or chronic hypertension (P less than 0.01) had significantly reduced ouabain-sensitive 86 Rb + uptake when compared with cells incubated in normotensive plasma, but their intracellular Na+ contents were not lower. We no longer detected this uptake difference when chronic hypertensives drank 0.9% NaCl instead of water. Plasma from hypertensive rats also altered ouabain-insensitive 86 Rb + uptake by the cultured cells. These findings of this new, reproducible, and specific assay system support the hypothesis that plasma factors inhibit the membrane sodium-potassium pump in vascular smooth muscle cells in this form of hypertension. The abnormality occurs in both early and chronic stages, but may not be related to sodium intake. The data also provide evidence for plasma factors in hypertension altering membrane K+ permeability

  1. Allergic Interstitial Nephritis Manifesting as a Striated Nephrogram

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irfan Moinuddin

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Allergic interstitial nephritis (AIN is an underdiagnosed cause of acute kidney injury (AKI. Guidelines suggest that AIN should be suspected in a patient who presents with an elevated serum creatinine and a urinalysis that shows white cells, white cell casts, or eosinophiluria. Drug-induced AIN is suspected if AKI is temporally related to the initiation of a new drug. However, patients with bland sediment and normal urinalysis can also have AIN. Currently, a definitive diagnosis of AIN is made by renal biopsy which is invasive and fraught with risks such as bleeding, infection, and hematoma. Additionally, it is frequently unclear when a kidney biopsy should be undertaken. We describe a biopsy proven case of allergic interstitial nephritis which manifested on contrast enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI as a striated nephrogram. Newer and more stable macrocyclic gadolinium contrast agents have a well-demonstrated safety profile. Additionally, in the presentation of AKI, gadolinium contrast agents are safe to administer in patients who demonstrate good urine output and a downtrending creatinine. We propose that the differential for a striated nephrogram may include AIN. In cases in which the suspicion for AIN is high, this diagnostic consideration may be further characterized by contrast enhanced MRI.

  2. Esterases in striated muscle from mice with the Chediak-Higashi syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirkeby, S; Moe, D

    1981-01-01

    In this paper a localized strong reaction for non-specific esterase forming cylindric structures is described within skeletal muscle fibres from the beige mouse. It seems from zymograms and protein electrophoresis that this esterase is membrane bound, highly reactive and present in rather small...

  3. Isoform-Specific Na,K-ATPase Alterations Precede Disuse-Induced Atrophy of Rat Soleus Muscle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Violetta V. Kravtsova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This study examines the isoform-specific effects of short-term hindlimb suspension (HS on the Na,K-ATPase in rat soleus muscle. Rats were exposed to 24–72 h of HS and we analyzed the consequences on soleus muscle mass and contractile parameters; excitability and the resting membrane potential (RMP of muscle fibers; the electrogenic activity, protein, and mRNA content of the α1 and α2 Na,K-ATPase; the functional activity and plasma membrane localization of the α2 Na,K-ATPase. Our results indicate that 24–72 h of HS specifically decreases the electrogenic activity of the Na,K-ATPase α2 isozyme and the RMP of soleus muscle fibers. This decrease occurs prior to muscle atrophy or any change in contractile parameters. The α2 mRNA and protein content increased after 24 h of HS and returned to initial levels at 72 h; however, even the increased content was not able to restore α2 enzyme activity in the disused soleus muscle. There was no change in the membrane localization of α2 Na,K-ATPase. The α1 Na,K-ATPase electrogenic activity, protein and mRNA content did not change. Our findings suggest that skeletal muscle use is absolutely required for α2 Na,K-ATPase transport activity and provide the first evidence that Na,K-ATPase alterations precede HS-induced muscle atrophy.

  4. Na+-K+-ATPase in rat skeletal muscle: muscle fiber-specific differences in exercise-induced changes in ion affinity and maximal activity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juel, Carsten

    2008-01-01

    It is unclear whether muscle activity reduces or increases Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase maximal in vitro activity in rat skeletal muscle, and it is not known whether muscle activity changes the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase ion affinity. The present study uses quantification of ATP hydrolysis to characterize muscle fiber...... membranes of glycolytic muscle, which abolished the fiber-type difference in Na(+) affinity. K(m) for K(+) (in the presence of Na(+)) was not influenced by running. Running only increased the maximal in vitro activity (V(max)) in total membranes from soleus, whereas V(max) remained constant in the three...... other muscles tested. In conclusion, muscle activity induces fiber type-specific changes both in Na(+) affinity and maximal in vitro activity of the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. The underlying mechanisms may involve translocation of subunits and increased association between PLM units and the alphabeta complex...

  5. Single molecular image of cytosolic free Ca2+ of skeletal muscle cells in rats pre- and post-exercise-induced fatigue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yi; Zhang, Heming; Zhao, Yanping; Liu, Zhiming

    2009-08-01

    A growing body of literature indicated the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration of skeletal muscle cells changes significantly during exercise-induced fatigue. But it is confusing whether cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration increase or decrease. Furthermore, current researches mainly adopt muscle tissue homogenate as experiment material, but the studies based on cellular and subcellular level is seldom. This study is aimed to establish rat skeletal muscle cell model of exercise-induced fatigue, and confirm the change of cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration of skeletal muscle cells in rats preand post- exercise-induced fatigue. In this research, six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: control group (n=3) and exercise-induced fatigue group (n=3). The former group were allowed to freely move and the latter were forced to loaded swimming to exhaustive. Three days later, all the rats were sacrificed, the muscle tissue from the same site of skeletal muscle were taken out and digested to cells. After primary culture of the two kinds of skeletal muscle cells from tissue, a fluorescent dye-Fluo-3 AM was used to label the cytosolic free Ca2+. The fluorescent of Ca2+ was recorded by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results indicated that, the Ca2+ fluorescence intensity of cells from the rat of exercise-induced fatigue group was significantly higher than those in control group. In conclusion, cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration of skeletal muscle cells has a close relation with exercise-induced fatigue, and the increase of cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration may be one of the important factors of exercise-induced fatigue.

  6. Insulin alleviates degradation of skeletal muscle protein by inhibiting the ubiquitin-proteasome system in septic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Qiyi; Li, Ning; Zhu, Weiming; Li, Weiqin; Tang, Shaoqiu; Yu, Wenkui; Gao, Tao; Zhang, Juanjuan; Li, Jieshou

    2011-06-03

    Hypercatabolism is common under septic conditions. Skeletal muscle is the main target organ for hypercatabolism, and this phenomenon is a vital factor in the deterioration of recovery in septic patients. In skeletal muscle, activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system plays an important role in hypercatabolism under septic status. Insulin is a vital anticatabolic hormone and previous evidence suggests that insulin administration inhibits various steps in the ubiquitin-proteasome system. However, whether insulin can alleviate the degradation of skeletal muscle protein by inhibiting the ubiquitin-proteasome system under septic condition is unclear. This paper confirmed that mRNA and protein levels of the ubiquitin-proteasome system were upregulated and molecular markers of skeletal muscle proteolysis (tyrosine and 3-methylhistidine) simultaneously increased in the skeletal muscle of septic rats. Septic rats were infused with insulin at a constant rate of 2.4 mU.kg-1.min-1 for 8 hours. Concentrations of mRNA and proteins of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and molecular markers of skeletal muscle proteolysis were mildly affected. When the insulin infusion dose increased to 4.8 mU.kg-1.min-1, mRNA for ubiquitin, E2-14 KDa, and the C2 subunit were all sharply downregulated. At the same time, the levels of ubiquitinated proteins, E2-14KDa, and the C2 subunit protein were significantly reduced. Tyrosine and 3-methylhistidine decreased significantly. We concluded that the ubiquitin-proteasome system is important skeletal muscle hypercatabolism in septic rats. Infusion of insulin can reverse the detrimental metabolism of skeletal muscle by inhibiting the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and the effect is proportional to the insulin infusion dose.

  7. No effect of NOS inhibition on skeletal muscle glucose uptake during in situ hindlimb contraction in healthy and diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Yet Hoi; Betik, Andrew C; Premilovac, Dino; Dwyer, Renee M; Keske, Michelle A; Rattigan, Stephen; McConell, Glenn K

    2015-05-15

    Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be involved in skeletal muscle glucose uptake during contraction/exercise, especially in individuals with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). To examine the potential mechanisms, we examined the effect of local NO synthase (NOS) inhibition on muscle glucose uptake and muscle capillary blood flow during contraction in healthy and T2D rats. T2D was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats using a combined high-fat diet (23% fat wt/wt for 4 wk) and low-dose streptozotocin injections (35 mg/kg). Anesthetized animals had one hindlimb stimulated to contract in situ for 30 min (2 Hz, 0.1 ms, 35 V) with the contralateral hindlimb rested. After 10 min, the NOS inhibitor, N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; 5 μM) or saline was continuously infused into the femoral artery of the contracting hindlimb until the end of contraction. Surprisingly, there was no increase in skeletal muscle NOS activity during contraction in either group. Local NOS inhibition had no effect on systemic blood pressure or muscle contraction force, but it did cause a significant attenuation of the increase in femoral artery blood flow in control and T2D rats. However, NOS inhibition did not attenuate the increase in muscle capillary recruitment during contraction in these rats. Muscle glucose uptake during contraction was significantly higher in T2D rats compared with controls but, unlike our previous findings in hooded Wistar rats, NOS inhibition had no effect on glucose uptake during contraction. In conclusion, NOS inhibition did not affect muscle glucose uptake during contraction in control or T2D Sprague-Dawley rats, and this may have been because there was no increase in NOS activity during contraction. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  8. the response of muscle cells during compensatory growth in rats

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    selle het teen die hoogste tempo vermenigvuldig, maar die toename in spierselgroolte was laag. ... Today much is known of the interplay of the factors which determine rate and degree of recovery from under- nutrition. Again, a ~alth of information is available on ... fluence of nutrition on muscle cell growth in rats and dis·.

  9. Efficacy of maslinic acid and fenbendazole on muscle larvae of Trichinella zimbabwensis in laboratory rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukaratirwa, S; Gcanga, L; Kamau, J

    2016-01-01

    Trichinellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by nematode species of the genus Trichinella. Anthelmintics targeting the intestinal adults and muscle-dwelling larvae of Trichinella spp. have been tested, with limited success. This study was aimed at determining the efficacy of maslinic acid and fenbendazole on muscle larvae of Trichinella zimbabwensis in laboratory rats. Forty-two Sprague-Dawley rats, with an average weight of 270 g and 180 g for males and females respectively, were infected with T. zimbabwensis larvae. Infected rats were randomly assigned to three groups which were subjected to single treatments with each of maslinic acid, fenbendazole and a combination of both on day 25 post-infection (pi), and three groups which were subjected to double treatments with each of these drugs and a combination on days 25 and 32 pi. The untreated control group received a placebo. In single-treatment groups, the efficacy of each treatment, measured by rate of reduction in muscle larvae, was significant (P0.05). We conclude that the efficacy of maslinic acid against larval stages of T. zimbabwensis in rats was comparable to that of fenbendazole, with no side-effects observed, making maslinic acid a promising anthelmintic against larval stages of Trichinella species.

  10. Effect of Propafenone on the Contractile Activity of Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Isolated in an Organ Chamber: Experimental Study in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Simões

    2002-03-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of propafenone on the contractile function of latissimus dorsi muscle isolated from rats in an organ chamber. METHODS: We studied 20 latissimus dorsi muscles of Wistar rats and divided them into 2 groups: group I (n=10, or control group - we studied the feasibility of muscle contractility; group II (n=10, in which the contralateral muscles were grouped - we analyzed the effect of propafenone on muscle contractility. After building a muscle ring, 8 periods of sequential 2-minute baths were performed, with intervals of preprogrammed electrical stimulation using a pacemaker of 50 stimuli/min. In group II, propafenone, at the concentration of 9.8 µg/mL, was added to the bath in period 2 and withdrawn in period 4. RESULTS: In group I, no significant depression in muscle contraction occurred up to period 5 (p>0.05. In group II, a significant depression occurred in all periods, except between the last 2 periods (p0.05. CONCLUSION: Propafenone had a depressing effect on the contractile function of latissimus dorsi muscle isolated from rats and studied in an organ chamber.

  11. Effects of nutritional supplementation with l-arginine on repair of injuries due to muscle strain: experimental study on rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lauren Izabel Medeiros Couto

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of oral supplementation with arginine on regeneration of injuries due to straining of the anterior tibial muscle of rats. METHODS: Twenty-four Wistar rats of weight 492.5 ± 50.45 g were used. Injuries were induced through straining the anterior tibial muscles. The rats were separated into three groups of eight rats each. In the untreated group (UTG, after induction of injuries, the rats were observed for 24 h. In the simulation group (SG and the arginine group (AG respectively, the rats received isotonic saline solution and arginine solution via direct gavage, over a seven-day period. At the end of the period, blood samples were collected for serum evaluations of creatine kinase (CK, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH, aspartate aminotransferase (AST and C-reactive protein (CRP. The right and left anterior tibial muscles were resected for histopathological evaluations on the muscle injuries, investigating edema, hemorrhage and disorganization or morphometric alteration of the muscle fibers. The tissue repair was investigated in terms of proliferation of adipose tissue, angiogenesis and collagen fibers. The ANOVA and Student's tmethods were used and p≤ 0.05 was taken to be statistically significant. RESULTS: In the serum evaluations, the AG showed lower CK assay values and higher AST values. In the histopathological evaluation, the UTG presented edema and hemorrhage compatible with injuries due to strain; the SG presented edema and hemorrhage with proliferation of adipose tissue and collagen fibers; and the AG presented not only the findings of the SG but also, especially, intense angiogenesis. CONCLUSION: Oral supplementation with arginine did not cause any significant metabolic alterations that would contraindicate its use and it induced angiogenesis during the repair of muscles injured due to strain.

  12. Insulin resistance in uremia: Insulin receptor kinase activity in liver and muscle from chronic uremic rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cecchin, F.; Ittoop, O.; Sinha, M.K.; Caro, J.F.

    1988-01-01

    The authors have studied the structure and function of the partially purified insulin receptors from liver and skeletal muscle in a rat model of severe chronic uremia. 125 I-insulin binding was higher in the liver from uremic rats when compared with ad libitum- and pair-fed controls. Furthermore, the ability of insulin to stimulate the autophosphorylation of the β-subunit and insulin receptor kinase activity using Glu 80 , Tyr 20 as exogenous phosphoacceptor was increased in the liver of the uremic animals. The structural characteristics of the receptors, as determined by electrophoretic mobilities of affinity labeled α-subunit and the phosphorylated β-subunit, were normal in uremia. 125 I-insulin binding and insulin receptor kinase activity were similar in the skeletal muscle from uremic and pair- and ad libitum-fed animals. Thus the data are supportive of the hypothesis that in liver and muscle of chronic uremic rats, insulin resistance is due to a defect(s) distal to the insulin receptor kinase

  13. Nitric oxide and Na,K-ATPase activity in rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juel, C

    2016-04-01

    It has been suggested that nitric oxide (NO) stimulates the Na,K-ATPase in cardiac myocytes. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate whether NO increases Na,K-ATPase activity in skeletal muscle and, if that is the case, to identify the underlying mechanism. The study used isolated rat muscle, muscle homogenates and purified membranes as model systems. Na,K-ATPase activity was quantified from phosphate release due to ATP hydrolysis. Exposure to the NO donor spermine NONOate (10 μm) increased the maximal Na,K-ATPase activity by 27% in isolated glycolytic muscles, but had no effect in oxidative muscles. Spermine NONOate increased the maximal Na,K-ATPase activity by 58% (P Na,K-ATPase α-isoform. Incubation with cGMP (1 mm) increased the maximal Na,K-ATPase activity in homogenates from glycolytic muscle by 16% (P Na,K-ATPase in glycolytic skeletal muscle. Direct S-nitrosylation and interference with S-glutathionylation seem to be excluded. In addition, phosphorylation of phospholemman at serine 68 is not involved. Most likely, the NO/cGMP/protein kinase G signalling pathway is involved. © 2015 Scandinavian Physiological Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Gestational Protein Restriction Impairs Glucose Disposal in the Gastrocnemius Muscles of Female Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blesson, Chellakkan S.; Chinnathambi, Vijayakumar; Kumar, Sathish

    2017-01-01

    Gestational low-protein (LP) diet causes hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in adult offspring, but the mechanism is not clearly understood. In this study, we explored the role of insulin signaling in gastrocnemius muscles of gestational LP-exposed female offspring. Pregnant rats were fed a control (20% protein) or an isocaloric LP (6%) diet from gestational day 4 until delivery. Normal diet was given to mothers after delivery and to pups after weaning until necropsy. Offspring were euthanized at 4 months, and gastrocnemius muscles were treated with insulin ex vivo for 30 minutes. Messenger RNA and protein levels of molecules involved in insulin signaling were assessed at 4 months. LP females were smaller at birth but showed rapid catchup growth by 4 weeks. Glucose tolerance test in LP offspring at 3 months showed elevated serum glucose levels (P insulin levels. In gastrocnemius muscles, LP rats showed reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 upon insulin stimulation due to the overexpression of tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2, but serine phosphorylation was unaffected. Furthermore, insulin-induced phosphorylation of Akt, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)–3α, and GSK-3β was diminished in LP rats, and they displayed an increased basal phosphorylation (inactive form) of glycogen synthase. Our study shows that gestational protein restriction causes peripheral insulin resistance by a series of phosphorylation defects in skeletal muscle in a mechanism involving insulin receptor substrate 1, SHP-2, Akt, GSK-3, and glycogen synthase causing dysfunctional GSK-3 signaling and increased stored glycogen, leading to distorted glucose homeostasis. PMID:28324067

  15. Compensatory hypertrophy of the teres minor muscle after large rotator cuff tear model in adult male rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichinose, Tsuyoshi; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Kobayashi, Tsutomu; Shitara, Hitoshi; Shimoyama, Daisuke; Iizuka, Haku; Koibuchi, Noriyuki; Takagishi, Kenji

    2016-02-01

    Rotator cuff tear (RCT) is a common musculoskeletal disorder in the elderly. The large RCT is often irreparable due to the retraction and degeneration of the rotator cuff muscle. The integrity of the teres minor (TM) muscle is thought to affect postoperative functional recovery in some surgical treatments. Hypertrophy of the TM is found in some patients with large RCTs; however, the process underlying this hypertrophy is still unclear. The objective of this study was to determine if compensatory hypertrophy of the TM muscle occurs in a large RCT rat model. Twelve Wistar rats underwent transection of the suprascapular nerve and the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons in the left shoulder. The rats were euthanized 4 weeks after the surgery, and the cuff muscles were collected and weighed. The cross-sectional area and the involvement of Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling were examined in the remaining TM muscle. The weight and cross-sectional area of the TM muscle was higher in the operated-on side than in the control side. The phosphorylated Akt/Akt protein ratio was not significantly different between these sides. The phosphorylated-mTOR/mTOR protein ratio was significantly higher on the operated-on side. Transection of the suprascapular nerve and the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons activates mTOR signaling in the TM muscle, which results in muscle hypertrophy. The Akt-signaling pathway may not be involved in this process. Nevertheless, activation of mTOR signaling in the TM muscle after RCT may be an effective therapeutic target of a large RCT. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Exercise training and return to a well-balanced diet activate the neuregulin 1/ErbB pathway in skeletal muscle of obese rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ennequin, Gaël; Boisseau, Nathalie; Caillaud, Kevin; Chavanelle, Vivien; Gerbaix, Maude; Metz, Lore; Etienne, Monique; Walrand, Stéphane; Masgrau, Aurélie; Guillet, Christelle; Courteix, Daniel; Niu, Airu; Li, Yi-Ping; Capel, Fréderic; Sirvent, Pascal

    2015-06-15

    Some studies suggest that neuregulin 1 (NRG1) could be involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle energy metabolism in rodents. Here we assessed whether unbalanced diet is associated with alterations of the NRG1 signalling pathway and whether exercise and diet might restore NRG1 signalling in skeletal muscle of obese rats. We show that diet-induced obesity does not impair NRG1 signalling in rat skeletal muscle. We also report that endurance training and a well-balanced diet activate the NRG1 signalling in skeletal muscle of obese rats, possibly via a new mechanism mediated by the protease ADAM17. These results suggest that some beneficial effects of physical activity and diet in obese rats could be partly explained by stimulation of the NRG1 signalling pathway. Some studies suggest that the signalling pathway of neuregulin 1 (NRG1), a protein involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism, could be altered by nutritional and exercise interventions. We hypothesized that diet-induced obesity could lead to alterations of the NRG1 signalling pathway and that chronic exercise could improve NRG1 signalling in rat skeletal muscle. To test this hypothesis, male Wistar rats received a high fat/high sucrose (HF/HS) diet for 16 weeks. At the end of this period, NRG1 and ErbB expression/activity in skeletal muscle was assessed. The obese rats then continued the HF/HS diet or were switched to a well-balanced diet. Moreover, in both groups, half of the animals also performed low intensity treadmill exercise training. After another 8 weeks, NRG1 and ErbB expression/activity in skeletal muscle were tested again. The 16 week HF/HS diet induced obesity, but did not significantly affect the NRG1/ErbB signalling pathway in rat skeletal muscle. Conversely, after the switch to a well-balanced diet, NRG1 cleavage ratio and ErbB4 amount were increased. Chronic exercise training also promoted NRG1 cleavage, resulting in increased ErbB4 phosphorylation. This result was

  17. THE NEPHROTOXICITY RISK IN RATS SUBJECTED TO HEAVY MUSCLE ACTIVITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gülsen Öner

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available When the body is exposed to insults, the kidneys exhibit adaptive changes termed renal cytoresistance, characterized by cholesterol accumulation in the membranes of the tubule cells. However, heavy muscle activity has not yet been accepted as one of the stressors that could lead to cytoresistance. In order to study the renal functional characteristics of animals exposed to heavy muscle activity, rats were subjected to exhaustive treadmill exercise for 5 days and their data was compared to those of sedentary controls. It was found that in exercised rats, blood lactate, muscle citrate synthase and proximal tubule peroxynitrite levels were all elevated, suggesting the presence of oxidative stress in the proximal tubule segments. However, mean arterial pressure, renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, fractional excretion of sodium and potassium, and organic anion excretion remained normal. Despite unchanged blood cholesterol levels, cholesterol loading in the proximal tubule segments, especially the free form, and decreased lactate dehydrogenase release from cytoresistant proximal tubule segments indicated the development of renal cytoresistance. However, this resistance did not seem to have protected the kidneys as expected because organic anion accumulation associated with glycosuria and proteinuria, in addition to the elevated urinary cholesterol levels, all imply the presence of an impaired glomerular permeability and reabsorption in the proximal tubule cells. Therefore, we suggest that in response to heavy muscle activity the tubular secretion may remain intact, although cytoresistance in the proximal tubule cells may affect the tubular reabsorptive functions and basolateral uptake of substances. Thus, this differential sensitivity in the cytoresistance should be taken into account during functional evaluation of the kidneys

  18. Autophagic signaling and proteolytic enzyme activity in cardiac and skeletal muscle of spontaneously hypertensive rats following chronic aerobic exercise.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elliott M McMillan

    Full Text Available Hypertension is a cardiovascular disease associated with deleterious effects in skeletal and cardiac muscle. Autophagy is a degradative process essential to muscle health. Acute exercise can alter autophagic signaling. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the effects of chronic endurance exercise on autophagy in skeletal and cardiac muscle of normotensive and hypertensive rats. Male Wistar Kyoto (WKY and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR were assigned to a sedentary condition or 6 weeks of treadmill running. White gastrocnemius (WG of hypertensive rats had higher (p<0.05 caspase-3 and proteasome activity, as well as elevated calpain activity. In addition, skeletal muscle of hypertensive animals had elevated (p<0.05 ATG7 and LC3I protein, LAMP2 mRNA, and cathepsin activity, indicative of enhanced autophagic signaling. Interestingly, chronic exercise training increased (p<0.05 Beclin-1, LC3, and p62 mRNA as well as proteasome activity, but reduced (p<0.05 Beclin-1 and ATG7 protein, as well as decreased (p<0.05 caspase-3, calpain, and cathepsin activity. Left ventricle (LV of hypertensive rats had reduced (p<0.05 AMPKα and LC3II protein, as well as elevated (p<0.05 p-AKT, p-p70S6K, LC3I and p62 protein, which collectively suggest reduced autophagic signaling. Exercise training had little effect on autophagy-related signaling factors in LV; however, exercise training increased (p<0.05 proteasome activity but reduced (p<0.05 caspase-3 and calpain activity. Our results suggest that autophagic signaling is altered in skeletal and cardiac muscle of hypertensive animals. Regular aerobic exercise can effectively alter the proteolytic environment in both cardiac and skeletal muscle, as well as influence several autophagy-related factors in skeletal muscle of normotensive and hypertensive rats.

  19. The distribution of advanced glycation end products and their receptor in the gastrointestinal tract in the rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Pengmin; Zhao, Jingbo; Gregersen, Hans

    2012-01-01

    To investigate the distribution of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGE) in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to provide a basis for further study of the association between AGE/RAGE and diabetic GI dysfunction. METHODS: The distribution of AGEs [N epsilon-(carboxymethyl)......To investigate the distribution of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGE) in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to provide a basis for further study of the association between AGE/RAGE and diabetic GI dysfunction. METHODS: The distribution of AGEs [N epsilon......-(carboxymethyl) lysine and N epsilon-(carboxyethyl) lysine] and RAGE were detected in the esopha-geal, gastric, duodenal, jejunal, ileal, colonic and rectal tissues of normal adult Wistar rats using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In the esophagus, AGEs and RAGE were mainly distributed in striated muscle cells...

  20. Histological study of human sublingual gland with special emphasis on intercalated and striated ducts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rana, R.; Minhas, L.A.; Mubarik, A.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To study the histomorphological characteristics of human sublingual gland, specially of intercalated and striated ducts. Study design: Descriptive study Place and duration of study: Army Medical College from Jan 2002 to Dec 2002 Materials and methods: Fifteen sublingual glands (right and left) from postmortem cases were obtained from District Headquarter Hospital Rawalpindi, within twelve hours of death. Five micrometer thick sections were made and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin (H and E). Morphology of intercalated and striated ducts was studied and their number was counted. Results: The mean number of intercalated ducts in the right gland 'a'and 'b' parts, and in the left gland 'a' and 'b' parts was 1.45+-0.14, 1.39+-.009, 1.31+-0.11 and 1.18+-0.10 respectively. The mean diameter of intercalated ducts in the same parts was 19.76+-0.44 micro m, 20.6+-0.53 micro m, 20.34+-0.49 micro m and 19.84+-0.98 micro m respectively. The mean number of striated ducts in the right gland ''a'' and ''b'' parts, and in the left gland ''a'' and ''b'' parts was 0.55+-.008, 0.57+-.008, 0.80+-0.14 and 0.80+-0.14 while mean diameter of striated ducts in the right gland ''a'' and ''b'' parts, and in the left gland ''a'' and ''b'' parts was 49.90+-4.70 micro m, 53.23+-2.50 micro m, 61.68+-3.93 micro m and 57.73+-2.85 micro m respectively. Conclusion: The difference between the mean number and diameter of the ducts of right and left glands was statistically insignificant. (author)

  1. Dissemination of Walker 256 carcinoma cells to rat skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ueoka, H.; Hayashi, K.; Namba, T.; Grob, D.

    1986-01-01

    After injection of 10 6 Walker 256 carcinoma cells labelled with 125 I-5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine into the tail vein, peak concentration in skeletal muscle was 46 cells/g at 60 minutes, which was lower than 169202, 1665, 555, 198 and 133 cells/g, respectively, at 30 or 60 minutes in lung, liver, spleen, kidney and heart. Because skeletal muscle constitutes 37.4% of body weight, the total number of tumor cells was 2323 cells, which was much greater than in spleen, kidney and heart with 238, 271, and 85 cells, respectively, and only less than in lung and liver, at 222857 and 11700 cells, respectively. The total number in skeletal muscle became greater than in liver at 4 hours and than in lung at 24 hours. Ten minutes after injection of 7.5 x 10 6 Walker 256 carcinoma cells into the abdominal aorta of rats, a mean of 31 colony-forming cells were recovered from the gastrocnemius, while 106 cells were recovered from the lung after injection into the tail vein. These results indicate that a large number of viable tumor cells can be arrested in skeletal muscle through circulation. The rare remote metastasis of malignancies into skeletal muscle despite constantly circulating tumor cells does not appear to be due to poor dissemination of tumor cells into muscle but due to unhospitable environment of skeletal muscle

  2. Expression of Na+/HCO3- co-transporter proteins (NBCs) in rat and human skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Jonas Møller; Kristensen, Michael; Juel, Carsten

    2004-01-01

    AIM: Sodium/bicarbonate co-transport (NBC) has been suggested to have a role in muscle pH regulation. We investigated the presence of NBC proteins in rat and human muscle samples and the fibre type distribution of the identified NBCs. METHODS AND RESULTS: Western blotting of muscle homogenates...... the T-tubules. The two NBCs localized in muscle have distinct fibre type distributions. CONCLUSIONS: Skeletal muscle possesses two variants of the sodium/bicarbonate co-transporter (NBC) isoforms, which have been called NBCe1 and NBCe2....... and sarcolemmal membranes (sarcolemmal giant vesicles) were used to screen for the presence of NBCs. Immunohistochemistry was used for the subcellular localization. The functional test revealed that approximately half of the pH recovery in sarcolemmal vesicles produced from rat muscle is mediated by bicarbonate...

  3. Coupling of albumin flux to volume flow in skin and muscles of anesthetized rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Renkin, E.M.; Gustafson-Sgro, M.; Sibley, L.

    1988-01-01

    Bovine serum albumin (BSA) labeled with 131 I or 125 I was injected intravenously in pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized rats, and tracer clearances into leg skin and muscles were measured over 30, 60, and 120 min. BSA labeled with the alternate tracer was used as vascular volume reference. Two minutes before injection of the tracer, a ligature was tied around one femoral vein to occlude outflow partially and raise capillary pressure in that leg. The unoccluded leg served as control. Skin and muscles of the occluded leg had variably and substantially higher water contents (delta W) than paired control tissues and slightly but consistently increased albumin clearances (CA). The delta CA/delta W, equivalent to the albumin concentration of capillary filtrate relative to plasma determined by linear regression, were as follows: leg skin 0.004 (95% confidence limits -0.001 to +0.009), muscle biceps femoris 0.005 (0.001-0.010), muscle gastrocnemius 0.011 (0.004-0.019), muscle tibialis anterior 0.016 (0.012-0.021). All these values are significantly less than 0.10, which corresponds to a reflection coefficient for serum albumin (sigma A) of 0.90. Convective coupling of albumin flux to volume flux in skin and muscles of intact, anesthetized rats is low, with sigma AS in the range 0.98 to greater than 0.99

  4. Muscle protein turnover in rats treated with corticosterone (CC) or/and nandrolone decanoate (ND) and fed an adequate or a low-protein diet

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santidrian, S.; Cuevillas, F.; Goena, M.; Larralde, J.

    1986-03-01

    In order to investigate the possible antagonistic effect between glucocorticoids and androgens on muscle protein turnover, the authors have measured the fractional rates of gastrocnemius muscle protein synthesis (k/sub s/) and degradation (k/sub d/) by the constant-intravenous-infusion method using L-//sup 14/C/-tyrosine in rats receiving via s.c. per 100 g b.wt. 10 mg of CC, or 2 mg of ND or CC+ND at the indicated doses, and fed either an 18% or 5% protein diets over a period of 5 days. As an additional index of protein synthesis, RNA activity (g of synthesized protein/day/g RNA) was determined as well. Results showed that as compared to vehicle-injected animals fed the adequate diet, CC-treated rats exhibited a reduction of muscle k/sub d/, while ND-treated rats had an outstanding increase of muscle k/sub s/. However, rats receiving CC+ND showed k/sub s/ and k/sub d/ values similar to those displayed by control animals. Nevertheless, when the steroids were injected to rats fed the low-protein diet, CC has a catabolic effect on muscle protein but by reducing k/sub s/, while the anabolic action of ND is still displayed but by a significant reduction of muscle k/sub d/. CC+ND given to these protein-deficient rats caused an increase in muscle k/sub s/ and a reduction in k/sub d/. These results might indicate that, at least in part, ND antagonizes the catabolic action of high doses of CC on muscle protein metabolism.

  5. Muscle protein turnover in rats treated with corticosterone (CC) or/and nandrolone decanoate (ND) and fed an adequate or a low-protein diet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santidrian, S.; Cuevillas, F.; Goena, M.; Larralde, J.

    1986-01-01

    In order to investigate the possible antagonistic effect between glucocorticoids and androgens on muscle protein turnover, the authors have measured the fractional rates of gastrocnemius muscle protein synthesis (k/sub s/) and degradation (k/sub d/) by the constant-intravenous-infusion method using L-/ 14 C/-tyrosine in rats receiving via s.c. per 100 g b.wt. 10 mg of CC, or 2 mg of ND or CC+ND at the indicated doses, and fed either an 18% or 5% protein diets over a period of 5 days. As an additional index of protein synthesis, RNA activity (g of synthesized protein/day/g RNA) was determined as well. Results showed that as compared to vehicle-injected animals fed the adequate diet, CC-treated rats exhibited a reduction of muscle k/sub d/, while ND-treated rats had an outstanding increase of muscle k/sub s/. However, rats receiving CC+ND showed k/sub s/ and k/sub d/ values similar to those displayed by control animals. Nevertheless, when the steroids were injected to rats fed the low-protein diet, CC has a catabolic effect on muscle protein but by reducing k/sub s/, while the anabolic action of ND is still displayed but by a significant reduction of muscle k/sub d/. CC+ND given to these protein-deficient rats caused an increase in muscle k/sub s/ and a reduction in k/sub d/. These results might indicate that, at least in part, ND antagonizes the catabolic action of high doses of CC on muscle protein metabolism

  6. Transient gestational and neonatal hypothyroidism-induced specific changes in androgen receptor expression in skeletal and cardiac muscles of adult rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annapoorna, K; Anbalagan, J; Neelamohan, R; Vengatesh, G; Stanley, J; Amudha, G; Aruldhas, M M

    2013-03-01

    The present study aims to identify the association between androgen status and metabolic activity in skeletal and cardiac muscles of adult rats with transient gestational/neonatal-onset hypothyroidism. Pregnant and lactating rats were made hypothyroid by exposing to 0.05% methimazole in drinking water; gestational exposure was from embryonic day 9-14 (group II) or 21 (group III), lactational exposure was from postnatal day 1-14 (group IV) or 29 (group V). Serum was collected for hormone assay. Androgen receptor status, Glu-4 expression, and enzyme activities were assessed in the skeletal and cardiac muscles. Serum testosterone and estradiol levels decreased in adult rats of groups II and III, whereas testosterone remained normal but estradiol increased in group IV and V, when compared to coeval control. Androgen receptor ligand binding activity increased in both muscle phenotypes with a consistent increase in the expression level of its mRNA and protein expressions except in the forelimb of adult rats with transient hypothyroidism (group II-V). Glut-4 expression remained normal in skeletal and cardiac muscle of experimental rats. Specific activity of hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase increased in both muscle phenotypes whereas, creatine kinase activity increased in skeletal muscles alone. It is concluded that transient gestational/lactational exposure to methimazole results in hypothyroidism during prepuberal life whereas it increases AR status and glycolytic activity in skeletal and cardiac muscles even at adulthood. Thus, the present study suggests that euthyroid status during prenatal and early postnatal life is essential to have optimal AR status and metabolic activity at adulthood. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  7. Different β-adrenergic receptor density in different rat skeletal muscle fibre types

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jensen, J.; Dahl, H.A.; Broers, O.

    1995-01-01

    The effects of adrenaline on skeletal muscle differ between fibre types. The aim of the present study was to investigate the β-adrenoceptor density, affinity and subtype in rat skeletal muscles with different fibre type composition. β-Adrenoceptors were determined in cryostat sections to avoid methodological problems with variable recovery, using the non-selective βadrenoceptor ligand [ 3 H]CGP-12177 and β 1 - and β 2 -selective cold ligands CGP 20712A and ICI 118,551. In the presence of protease inhibitors [ 3 H]CGP-12177 binding was stable, saturable, reversible, and displaceable. Scatchard analysis of binding saturation data was compatible with a single class of specific binding sites. Binding site density (B max ) was higher (P -1 ) than in adult extensor digitorum longus (4.74±0.39 fmol x mg protein -1 ), whereas the dissociation constants (K d ), 0.37±0.05 and 0.31±0.04 nM for soleus and extensor digitorum longus, respectively, were not significantly different. For young rats (5-6 weeks), B max was 11.21±0.33 and 5.45±0.11 fmol x mg protein -1 (P d was 0.27±0.02 and 0.24±0.04 nM for soleus and epitrochlearis, respectively. These results correspond to a receptor density of 2 and 1 pmol x g w.wt. -1 in muscles containing mainly type I and type II fibres, respectively. Displacement studies with CGP 20712A and ICI 118,551 were compatible with mainly β 2 -adrenoceptors, but 7-10% β 1 -adrenoceptors were present in both types of muscle. In conclusion, the receptor density is twice as high in muscles containing mainly type I muscle fibres compared to muscles containing mainly type II fibres, and this may explain some of the different effects of adrenaline between the two muscle fibre types. (au)

  8. Altered cross-bridge properties in skeletal muscle dystrophies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aziz eGuellich

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Force and motion generated by skeletal muscle ultimately depends on the cyclical interaction of actin with myosin. This mechanical process is regulated by intracellular Ca2+ through the thin filament-associated regulatory proteins i.e.; troponins and tropomyosin. Muscular dystrophies are a group of heterogeneous genetic affections characterized by progressive degeneration and weakness of the skeletal muscle as a consequence of loss of muscle tissue which directly reduces the number of potential myosin cross-bridges involved in force production. Mutations in genes responsible for skeletal muscle dystrophies have been shown to modify the function of contractile proteins and cross-bridge interactions. Altered gene expression or RNA splicing or post-translational modifications of contractile proteins such as those related to oxidative stress, may affect cross-bridge function by modifying key proteins of the excitation-contraction coupling. Micro-architectural change in myofilament is another mechanism of altered cross-bridge performance. In this review, we provide an overview about changes in cross-bridge performance in skeletal muscle dystrophies and discuss their ultimate impacts on striated muscle function.

  9. Capsaicin-sensitive muscle afferents modulate the monosynaptic reflex in response to muscle ischemia and fatigue in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Della Torre, G; Brunetti, O; Pettorossi, V E

    2002-01-01

    The role of muscle ischemia and fatigue in modulating the monosynaptic reflex was investigated in decerebrate and spinalized rats. Field potentials and fast motoneuron single units in the lateral gastrocnemious (LG) motor pool were evoked by dorsal root stimulation. Muscle ischemia was induced by occluding the LG vascular supply and muscle fatigue by prolonged tetanic electrical stimulation of the LG motor nerve. Under muscle ischemia the monosynaptic reflex was facilitated since the size of the early and late waves of the field potential and the excitability of the motoneuron units increased. This effect was abolished after L3-L6 dorsal rhizotomy, but it was unaffected after L3-L6 ventral rhizotomy. By contrast, the monosynaptic reflex was inhibited by muscle fatiguing stimulation, and this effect did not fully depend on the integrity of the dorsal root. However, when ischemia was combined with repetitive tetanic muscle stimulation the inhibitory effect of fatigue was significantly enhanced. Both the ischemia and fatigue effects were abolished by capsaicin injected into the LG muscle at a dose that blocked a large number of group III and IV muscle afferents. We concluded that muscle ischemia and fatigue activate different groups of muscle afferents that are both sensitive to capsaicin, but enter the spinal cord through different roots. They are responsible for opposite effects, when given separately: facilitation during ischemia and inhibition during fatigue; however, in combination, ischemia enhances the responsiveness of the afferent fibres to fatigue.

  10. Double muscle innervation using end-to-side neurorrhaphy in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisangela Jeronymo Stipp-Brambilla

    Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: One of the techniques used for treating facial paralysis is double muscle innervation using end-to-end neurorrhaphy with sectioning of healthy nerves. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether double muscle innervation by means of end-to-side neurorrhaphy could occur, with maintenance of muscle innervation. DESIGN AND SETTING: Experimental study developed at the Experimental Research Center, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Unesp. METHODS: One hundred rats were allocated to five groups as follows: G1, control group; G2, the peroneal nerve was sectioned; G3, the tibial nerve was transected and the proximal stump was end-to-side sutured to the intact peroneal nerve; G4, 120 days after the G3 surgery, the peroneal nerve was sectioned proximally to the neurorrhaphy; G5, 120 days after the G3 surgery, the peroneal and tibial nerves were sectioned proximally to the neurorrhaphy. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty days after the surgery, G3 did not show any change in tibial muscle weight or muscle fiber diameter, but the axonal fiber diameter in the peroneal nerve distal to the neurorrhaphy had decreased. Although G4 showed atrophy of the cranial tibial muscle 30 days after sectioning the peroneal nerve, the electrophysiological test results and axonal diameter measurement confirmed that muscle reinnervation had occurred. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that double muscle innervation did not occur through end-to-side neurorrhaphy; the tibial nerve was not able to maintain muscle innervation after the peroneal nerve had been sectioned, although muscle reinnervation was found to have occurred, 30 days after the peroneal nerve had been sectioned.

  11. Colchicine protects rat skeletal muscle from ischemia/reperfusion injury by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liangrong Wang

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s: Neutrophils play an important role in ischemia/reperfusion (IR induced skeletal muscle injury. Microtubules are required for neutrophil activation in response to various stimuli. This study aimed to investigate the effects of colchicine, a microtubule-disrupting agent, on skeletal muscle IR injury in a rat hindlimb ischemia model. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into three groups: IR group, colchicine treated-IR (CO group and sham operation (SM group. Rats of both the IR and CO groups were subjected to 3 hr of ischemia by clamping the right femoral artery followed by 2 hr of reperfusion. Colchicine (1 mg/kg was administrated intraperitoneally prior to hindlimb ischemia in the CO group. After 2 hr of reperfusion, we measured superoxide dismutase (SOD and myeloperoxidase (MPO activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α and interleukin (IL-1β levels in the muscle samples. Plasma creatinine kinase (CK and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH levels were measured. We also evaluated the histological damage score and wet/dry weight (W/D ratio. Results: The histological damage score, W/D ratio, MPO activity, MDA, TNF-α and IL-1β levels in muscle tissues were significantly increased, SOD activity was decreased, and plasma CK and LDH levels were remarkably elevated in both the IR and CO groups compared to the SM group (P

  12. The effects of altitude training on the AMPK-related glucose transport pathway in the red skeletal muscle of both lean and obese Zucker rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yu-Ching; Lee, Shin-Da; Kuo, Cha-Hua; Ho, Low-Tone

    2011-01-01

    The skeletal muscle AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-related glucose transport pathway is involved in glucose homeostasis. In this study, we examined whether obese control Zucker rats had abnormal expression of proteins in the LKB1-AMPK-AS160-GLUT4 pathway in red gastrocnemius muscle compared to that in lean (normal) control Zucker rats. We also compared the chronic training effects of exercise, hypoxia, and altitude training on this pathway in lean and obese rats. At sea level, lean and obese rats were divided into 4 groups for 6 weeks training as follows: 1) control; 2) exercise (progressive daily swimming-exercise training with comparable exercise signals between the two groups); 3) hypoxia (8 hours of daily 14% O2 exposure); and 4) exercise plus hypoxia (also called altitude training). Seven animals were used for each group. The obese rats in the control group had higher body weights, elevated fasting insulin and glucose levels, and higher baseline levels of muscle AMPK and AS160 phosphorylation compared with those of lean control rats. For obese Zucker rats in the exercise or hypoxia groups, the muscle AMPK phosphorylation level was significantly decreased compared with that of the control group. For obese Zucker rats in the altitude training group, the levels of AMPK, AS160 phosphorylation, fasting insulin, and fasting glucose were decreased concomitant with an approximate 50% increase in the muscle GLUT4 protein level compared with those of the control group. In lean rats, the altitude training efficiently lowered fasting glucose and insulin levels and increased muscle AMPK and AS160 phosphorylation as well as GLUT4 protein levels. Our results provide evidence that long-term altitude training may be a potentially effective nonpharmacological strategy for treating and preventing insulin resistance based on its effects on the skeletal muscle AMPK-AS160-GLUT4 pathway.

  13. Changes in the cholinergic system of rat sciatic nerve and skeletal muscle following suspension induced disuse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, R. C.; Misulis, K. E.; Dettbarn, W. D.

    1984-01-01

    Muscle disused induced changes in the cholinergic system of sciatic nerve, slow twitch soleus (SOL) and fast twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle were studied in rats. Rats with hindlimbs suspended for 2 to 3 weeks showed marked elevation in the activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in sciatic nerve (38%), in SOL (108%) and in EDL (67%). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in SOL increased by 163% without changing the molecular forms pattern of 4S, 10S, 12S, and 16S. No significant changes in activity and molecular forms pattern of AChE were seen in EDL or in AChE activity of sciatic nerve. Nicotinic receptor binding of 3H-acetylcholine was increased in both muscles. When measured after 3 weeks of hindlimb suspension the normal distribution of type 1 fibers in SOL was reduced and a corresponding increase in type IIa and IIb fibers is seen. In EDL no significant change in fiber proportion is observed. Muscle activity, such as loadbearing, appears to have a greater controlling influence on the characteristics of the slow twitch SOL muscle than upon the fast twitch EDL muscle.

  14. Effect of aqueous extract of saffron (crocus sativus L.) against gamma radiation-induced skeletal muscles damage in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Tahawy, N.A; Said, U.Z

    2010-01-01

    Muscular strength is important in sport as well as in daily activities. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative damage are the most important factors in radiation-induced acute damage to muscle tissue. Saffron, obtained from dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L. (Iridaceae), is a highly valued spice, commonly used in flavouring and food colouring in different parts of the world and is known to possess the richest source of carotenoids. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of an aqueous extract of saffron to protect against radiation-induced oxidative damage in rat's skeletal muscle. Saffron was supplemented orally, via gavages to rats at a dose of 80 mg/ kg body wt/ day for 2 week pre- and 1 week post-exposure to 5 Gy (one shot dose) of whole body gamma-irradiation. Animals were sacrificed 1, 2 and 3 weeks post radiation exposure. The results revealed that whole body gamma-irradiation of rats induce oxidative stress in skeletal muscles obvious by significant elevation in the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances associated with significant decreases in superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Also, radiation-induces skeletal muscles damage evidenced by significant decreases in the level of pyruvic acid, creatine phosphokinase, glutamate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities as well as significant increases in lactic acid, total iron, and copper and calcium levels. Saffron treated-irradiated rats showed significantly less severe damage and remarkable improvement in all the measured parameters, compared to irradiated rats. It could be concluded that saffron by attenuating radiation-induced oxidative stress might play a role in maintaining skeletal muscle integrity.

  15. The effects of running exercise on oxidative capacity and PGC-1α mRNA levels in the soleus muscle of rats with metabolic syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagatomo, Fumiko; Fujino, Hidemi; Kondo, Hiroyo; Kouzaki, Motoki; Gu, Ning; Takeda, Isao; Tsuda, Kinsuke; Ishihara, Akihiko

    2012-03-01

    Skeletal muscles in animals with metabolic syndrome exhibit reduced oxidative capacity. We investigated the effects of running exercise on fiber characteristics, oxidative capacity, and mRNA levels in the soleus muscles of rats with metabolic syndrome [SHR/NDmcr-cp (cp/cp); CP]. We divided 5-week-old CP rats into non-exercise (CP) and exercise (CP-Ex) groups. Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were used as the control group. CP-Ex rats were permitted voluntary exercise on running wheels for 10 weeks. Triglyceride levels were higher and adiponectin levels lower in the CP and CP-Ex groups than in the WKY group. However, triglyceride levels were lower and adiponectin levels higher in the CP-Ex group than in the CP group. The soleus muscles in CP-Ex rats contained only high-oxidative type I fibers, whereas those in WKY and CP rats contained type I, IIA, and IIC fibers. Muscle succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity was higher in the CP-Ex group than in the CP group; there was no difference in SDH activity between the WKY and CP-Ex groups. Muscle proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) mRNA levels were higher in the CP-Ex group than in the CP group; there was no difference in PGC-1α mRNA levels between the WKY and CP-Ex groups. In CP-Ex rats, longer running distance was associated with increased muscle SDH activity and PGC-1α mRNA levels. We concluded that running exercise restored decreased muscle oxidative capacity and PGC-1α mRNA levels and improved hypertriglyceridemia in rats with metabolic syndrome.

  16. Effects of acute exposure of heavy ion to spinal cord on the properties of motoneurons and muscle fibers in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishihara, Akihiko; Ohira, Yoshinobu; Kawano, Norifumi; Nagaoka, Shunji; Nojima, Kumie

    2003-01-01

    We investigate effects of localized exposure of heavy ion to the lumbar 4th to 6th segments of the rat spinal cord on the properties of motoneurons and the innervated muscle fibers without surgical treatments. Twenty 7-week-old male Wistar rats were exposed to 5 mm spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) carbon beam (290 MeV, linear energy transfer (LET)=130 keV/μm): Two doses (15 Gy or 20 Gy) were applied to each group of rats (n=5) in two different depths; one group was exposed only for ventral horn of the spinal cord while other for whole spinal cord. Five rats served as controls. The rats were exposed to carbon irons on October 26, 2002. We will sacrifice the rats soon after they show an abnormal behavior including posture and walking. Cell body size and oxidative enzyme activity of spinal motoneurons of the control and heavy-ion-exposed rats will be analyzed. In addition, cell size, oxidative enzyme activity, and expressions of myosin heavy chain isoforms of the gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris, extensor digitorum longus, and tibialis anterior muscle fibers will be also determined. This study is performed to test our hypothesis that atrophy and a decrease in cross-sectional area of motoneurons and muscle fibers which they innervate, as well as a decrease in oxidative activity of motoneurons and muscle fibers, will be induced due to exposure to heavy ion. (author)

  17. Protein degradation in skeletal muscle during experimental hyperthyroidism in rats and the effect of beta-blocking agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angerås, U; Hasselgren, P O

    1987-04-01

    beta-Blocking agents are increasingly used in the management of hyperthyroid patients. The effect of this treatment on increased muscle protein breakdown in the hyperthyroid state is not known. In the present study, experimental hyperthyroidism was induced in rats by daily ip injections of T3 (100 micrograms/100 g BW) during a 10-day period. Control animals received corresponding volumes of solvent. In groups of rats the selective beta-1-blocking agent metoprolol or the nonselective beta-blocker propranolol was infused by miniosmotic pumps implanted sc on the backs of the animals. Protein degradation was measured in incubated intact soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles by determining tyrosine release into the incubation medium. The protein degradation rate in incubated extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles was increased by 50-60% during T3 treatment. Metoprolol or propranolol did not influence muscle protein breakdown in either T3-treated or control animals. The results suggest that T3-induced increased muscle proteolysis is not mediated by beta-receptors, and muscle weakness and wasting in hyperthyroidism might not be affected by beta-blockers.

  18. THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT THYROID STATUS ON ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL AND MYOGRAPHICAL PARAMETERS OF SKELETAL MUSCLES CONTRACTION IN WHITE RATS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanishevskaya, T I; Anosov, I P

    In experiments on white rats the character of effect of experimental hyperthyroidism was studied on the skeletal muscle (m. tibialis anterior) of white rats. It is shown that at experimental hyperthyroidism (rectal temperature of 38,5±0,10С) a muscle acquires high functional capabilities. It is shown that the latent period of generation and the time of development of positive wave “М-respones” are (-32%) and (- 22%). The latent period of shortening of muscle diminishes (- 23%) at single contraction. During experimental thyrotoxicosis (rectal temperature of 39,4±0,2 0 С) we observed physiopathological changes in the functional state of skeletal muscle: the lengthening of the latent period of generation of “М-respones” (+21%), an increase in the time of development of positive wave (+54%) and of latent period of shortening of muscle (+14%). It is concluded that in experimental hyperthyroidism and thyrotoxicosis the functional state of skeletal muscle changed in different directions.

  19. Myostatin propeptide gene delivery by gene gun ameliorates muscle atrophy in a rat model of botulinum toxin-induced nerve denervation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Sen-Wei; Tung, Yu-Tang; Chen, Hsiao-Ling; Yang, Shang-Hsun; Liu, Chia-Yi; Lu, Michelle; Pai, Hui-Jing; Lin, Chi-Chen; Chen, Chuan-Mu

    2016-02-01

    Muscle atrophy is a common symptom after nerve denervation. Myostatin propeptide, a precursor of myostatin, has been documented to improve muscle growth. However, the mechanism underlying the muscle atrophy attenuation effects of myostatin propeptide in muscles and the changes in gene expression are not well established. We investigated the possible underlying mechanisms associated with myostatin propeptide gene delivery by gene gun in a rat denervation muscle atrophy model, and evaluated gene expression patterns. In a rat botulinum toxin-induced nerve denervation muscle atrophy model, we evaluated the effects of wild-type (MSPP) and mutant-type (MSPPD75A) of myostatin propeptide gene delivery, and observed changes in gene activation associated with the neuromuscular junction, muscle and nerve. Muscle mass and muscle fiber size was moderately increased in myostatin propeptide treated muscles (pmyostatin propeptide gene delivery, especially the mutant-type of MSPPD75A, attenuates muscle atrophy through myogenic regulatory factors and acetylcholine receptor regulation. Our data concluded that myostatin propeptide gene therapy may be a promising treatment for nerve denervation induced muscle atrophy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Inhibitors of the proteasome reduce the accelerated proteolysis in atrophying rat skeletal muscles.

    OpenAIRE

    Tawa, N E; Odessey, R; Goldberg, A L

    1997-01-01

    Several observations have suggested that the enhanced proteolysis and atrophy of skeletal muscle in various pathological states is due primarily to activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. To test this idea, we investigated whether peptide aldehyde inhibitors of the proteasome, N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal (LLN), or the more potent CBZ-leucyl-leucyl-leucinal (MG132) suppressed proteolysis in incubated rat skeletal muscles. These agents (e.g., MG132 at 10 microM) inhibited nonlyso...

  1. Striated Muscle as Implantation Site for Transplanted Pancreatic Islets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Espes

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Islet transplantation is an attractive treatment for selected patients with brittle type 1 diabetes. In the clinical setting, intraportal transplantation predominates. However, due to extensive early islet cell death, the quantity of islets needed to restore glucose homeostasis requires in general a minimum of two donors. Moreover, the deterioration of islet function over time results in few insulin-independent patients after five-year followup. Specific obstacles to the success of islet transplantation include site-specific concerns for the liver such as the instant blood mediated inflammatory reaction, islet lipotoxicity, low oxygen tension, and poor revascularization, impediments that have led to the developing interest for alternative implantation sites over recent years. Within preclinical settings, several alternative sites have now been investigated and proven favorable in various aspects. Muscle is considered a very promising site and has physiologically properties and technical advantages that could make it optimal for islet transplantation.

  2. Effects of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism on glutamine metabolism by skeletal muscle of the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parry-Billings, M; Dimitriadis, G D; Leighton, B; Bond, J; Bevan, S J; Opara, E; Newsholme, E A

    1990-01-01

    1. The effects of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism on the concentrations of glutamine and other amino acids in the muscle and plasma and on the rates of glutamine and alanine release from incubated isolated stripped soleus muscle of the rat were investigated. 2. Hyperthyroidism decreased the concentration of glutamine in soleus muscle but was without effect on that in the gastrocnemius muscle or in the plasma. Hyperthyroidism also increased markedly the rate of release of glutamine from the incubated soleus muscle. 3. Hypothyroidism decreased the concentrations of glutamine in the gastrocnemius muscle and plasma but was without effect on that in soleus muscle. Hypothyroidism also decreased markedly the rate of glutamine release from the incubated soleus muscle. 4. Thyroid status was found to have marked effects on the rate of glutamine release by skeletal muscle per se, and may be important in the control of this process in both physiological and pathological conditions. PMID:2268261

  3. Combined effect of space flight and radiation on skeletal muscles of rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ilyina-Kakueva, E.I.; Portugalov, V.V.

    1977-01-01

    Skeletal muscles of rats flown for 20.5 d aboard the biosatellite Cosmos-690 and irradiated with a dose of 800 rads on the 10th flight day were studied. The radiation exposure aggravated the severity of atrophic and dystrophic processes in m. soleus and atrophic process in m. gastrocnemius that developed under the conditions of weightlessness and hypokinesia. At the same time, an exposure to penetrating radiation did not affect the muscles where no flight-induced pathologies occurred. The radiation affected the pattern of reparation in those regions of the soleus muscle that developed pathology inflight, slowed down resorption of the connective tissue formed during the pathological process, and inhibited the course of the reparative process

  4. Post-injury stretch promotes recovery in a rat model of muscle damage induced by lengthening contractions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mori, Tomohiro; Agata, Nobuhide; Itoh, Yuta; Inoue-Miyazu, Masumi; Mizumura, Kazue; Sokabe, Masahiro; Taguchi, Toru; Kawakami, Keisuke

    2017-06-30

    We investigated the cellular mechanisms and therapeutic effect of post-injury stretch on the recovery process from muscle injury induced by lengthening contractions (LC). One day after LC, a single 15-min bout of muscle stretch was applied at an intensity of 3 mNm. The maximal isometric torque was measured before and at 2-21 days after LC. The myofiber size was analyzed at 21 days after LC. Developmental myosin heavy chain-immunoreactive (dMHC-ir) cells, a marker of regenerating myofibers, were observed in the early recovery stage (2-5 days after LC). We observed that LC-induced injury markedly decreased isometric torque and myofiber size, which recovered faster in rats that underwent stretch than in rats that did not. Regenerating myofiber with dMHC-ir cells was observed earlier in rats that underwent stretch. These results indicate that post-injury stretch may facilitate the regeneration and early formation of new myofibers, thereby promoting structural and functional recovery from LC-induced muscle injury.

  5. Effect of temperature on fatty acid metabolism in skeletal muscle mitochondria of untrained and endurance-trained rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoladz, Jerzy A; Koziel, Agnieszka; Broniarek, Izabela; Woyda-Ploszczyca, Andrzej M; Ogrodna, Karolina; Majerczak, Joanna; Celichowski, Jan; Szkutnik, Zbigniew; Jarmuszkiewicz, Wieslawa

    2017-01-01

    We studied the effects of various assay temperatures, representing hypothermia (25°C), normothermia (35°C), and hyperthermia (42°C), on the oxidation of lipid-derived fuels in rat skeletal muscle mitochondria of untrained and endurance-trained rats. Adult 4-month-old male Wistar rats were assigned to a training group (rats trained on a treadmill for 8 weeks) or a sedentary control group. In skeletal muscle mitochondria of both control and trained rats, an increase in the assay temperature from 25°C to 42°C was accompanied by a consistent increase in the oxidation of palmitoylcarnitine and glycerol-3-phosphate. Moreover, endurance training increased mitochondrial capacity to oxidize the lipid-derived fuels at all studied temperatures. The endurance training-induced increase in mitochondrial capacity to oxidize fatty acids was accompanied by an enhancement of mitochondrial biogenesis, as shown by the elevated expression levels of Nrf2, PGC1α, and mitochondrial marker and by the elevated expression levels of mitochondrial proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism, such as fatty acid transporter CD36, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (ACADS). We conclude that hyperthermia enhances but hypothermia attenuates the rate of the oxidation of fatty acids and glycerol-3-phosphate in rat skeletal muscle mitochondria isolated from both untrained and trained rats. Moreover, our results indicate that endurance training up-regulates mitochondrial biogenesis markers, lipid-sustained oxidative capacity, and CD36 and CPT1A proteins involved in fatty acid transport, possibly via PGC1α and Nrf2 signaling pathways.

  6. Chronic treatment with fluoxetine and sertraline prevents forced swimming test-induced hypercontractility of rat detrusor muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilge, Sirri; Bozkurt, Ayhan; Bas, Duygu B; Aksoz, Elif; Savli, Evren; Ilkaya, Fatih; Kesim, Yuksel

    2008-01-01

    Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) reuptake inhibitors represent important targets for the development of new treatments for detrusor overactivity and urinary incontinence. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of the forced swimming test (FST) on the contractile response of isolated rat detrusor muscle and to examine the effects of in vivo treatments of fluoxetine and sertraline on altered detrusor muscle contractility. Fluoxetine (20 mg/kg ip) and sertraline (10 mg/kg ip) were administered once a day for 14 days. Rats were exposed to the FST on the 15th day. After the test, detrusor muscles were removed and placed in organ baths, and the contraction responses induced by carbachol, potassium chloride (KCl) and electrical field stimulation (EFS) were recorded. The contractile responses of detrusor muscle strips to carbachol and electrical field stimulation were found to be increased at all carbachol doses and frequencies, respectively. FST also increased the contractile responses to KCl, which is used to test the differences in postreceptor-mediated contractions. The hypercontractile responses of detrusor strips to carbachol, EFS and KCl were abolished by treatment with both fluoxetine and sertraline. These treatments also decreased the immobility duration in the FST consistent with an antidepressant-like effect in this test. The results of this study provide the first evidence that FST increases contractility of the rat detrusor muscle, and this hypercontractility was abolished by chronic treatments of fluoxetine and sertraline at antidepressant doses by decreasing the postreceptor-mediated events.

  7. AMP deaminase histochemical activity and immunofluorescent isozyme localization in rat skeletal muscle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, J. L.; Sabina, R. L.; Ogasawara, N.; Riley, D. A.

    1992-01-01

    The cellular distribution of AMP deaminase (AMPda) isozymes was documented for rat soleus and plantaris muscles, utilizing immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoprecipitation methods. AMPda is a ubiquitous enzyme existing as three distinct isozymes, A, B and C, which were initially purified from skeletal muscle, liver (and kidney), and heart, respectively. AMPda-A is primarily concentrated subsarcolemmally and intermyofibrillarly within muscle cells, while isozymes B and C are concentrated within non-myofiber elements of muscle tissue. AMPda-B is principally associated with connective tissues surrounding neural elements and the muscle spindle capsule, and AMPda-C is predominantly associated with circulatory elements, such as arterial and venous walls, capillary endothelium, and red blood cells. These specific localizations, combined with documented differences in kinetic properties, suggest multiple functional roles for the AMPda isozymes or temporal segregation of similar AMPda functions. Linkage of the AMPda substrate with adenosine production pathways at the AMP level and the localization of isozyme-C in vascular tissue suggest a regulatory role in the microcirculation.

  8. Electrical muscle stimulation elevates intramuscular BDNF and GDNF mRNA following peripheral nerve injury and repair in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willand, Michael P; Rosa, Elyse; Michalski, Bernadeta; Zhang, Jennifer J; Gordon, Tessa; Fahnestock, Margaret; Borschel, Gregory H

    2016-10-15

    Despite advances in surgery, patients with nerve injuries frequently have functional deficits. We previously demonstrated in a rat model that daily electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) following peripheral nerve injury and repair enhances reinnervation, detectable as early as two weeks post-injury. In this study, we explain the enhanced early reinnervation observed with electrical stimulation. In two groups of rats, the tibial nerve was transected and immediately repaired. Gastrocnemius muscles were implanted with intramuscular electrodes for sham or muscle stimulation. Muscles were stimulated daily, eliciting 600 contractions for one hour/day, repeated five days per week. Sixteen days following nerve injury, muscles were assessed for functional reinnervation by motor unit number estimation methods using electromyographic recording. In a separate cohort of rats, surgical and electrical stimulation procedures were identical but muscles and distal nerve stumps were harvested for molecular analysis. We observed that stimulated muscles had significantly higher motor unit number counts. Intramuscular levels of brain-derived and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF and GDNF) mRNA were significantly upregulated in muscles that underwent daily electrical stimulation compared to those without stimulation. The corresponding levels of trophic factor mRNA within the distal stump were not different from one another, indicating that the intramuscular electrical stimulus does not modulate Schwann cell-derived trophic factor transcription. Stimulation over a three-month period maintained elevated muscle-derived GDNF but not BDNF mRNA. In conclusion, EMS elevates intramuscular trophic factor mRNA levels which may explain how EMS enhances neural regeneration following nerve injury. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Estrogen supplementation failed to attenuate biochemical indices of neutrophil infiltration or damage in rat skeletal muscles following ischemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiidus, Peter M; Deller, Mirada; Bombardier, Eric; Gül, Mustafa; Liu, X Linda

    2005-01-01

    This study examined the effects of estrogen supplementation on markers of neutrophil infiltration and damage in skeletal muscle of rats following ischemia. Male and female gonad-intact rats, with or without 14 days of estrogen supplementation were subjected to two hours of hind-limb ischemia and sacrificed at 24, 48 or 72 hours post-ischemia. Control animals were sacrificed without ischemia. Plantaris and red and white gastrocneimus muscles were removed and assayed for myeloperoxidase (MPO), a marker of neutrophil infiltration, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and beta-glucuronidase (betaGLU), as markers of muscle damage. Significant elevations of MPO, G6PD and betaGLU activities were observed at various time points post-ischemia. No systematic differences between genders were noted in any of the measures. Estrogen supplementation in both male and female animals failed to significantly attenuate post-ischemia increases in MPO, G6PD and betaGLU activities in any of the muscles studied and in some cases accentuated activities of some of these measures. Unlike previous findings following exercise in skeletal muscle, this study failed to demonstrate estrogen-induced attenuation of indices of neutrophil infiltration or damage in skeletal muscles of rats up to 72 hours following ischemia. This demonstrates that estrogen may not consistently attenuate neutrophil infiltration and that a number of variables including damage modality, tissue or estrogen level may influence this.

  10. Estrogen supplementation failed to attenuate biochemical indices of neutrophil infiltration or damage in rat skeletal muscles following ischemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PETER M TIIDUS

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the effects of estrogen supplementation on markers of neutrophil infiltration and damage in skeletal muscle of rats following ischemia. Male and female gonad-intact rats, with or without 14 days of estrogen supplementation were subjected to two hours of hind-limb ischemia and sacrificed at 24, 48 or 72 hours post-ischemia. Control animals were sacrificed without ischemia. Plantaris and red and white gastrocneimus muscles were removed and assayed for myeloperoxidase (MPO, a marker of neutrophil infiltration, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD and ß-glucuronidase (GLU, as markers of muscle damage. Significant elevations of MPO, G6PD and GLU activities were observed at various time points post-ischemia. No systematic differences between genders were noted in any of the measures. Estrogen supplementation in both male and female animals failed to significantly attenuate post-ischemia increases in MPO, G6PD and GLU activities in any of the muscles studied and in some cases accentuated activities of some of these measures. Unlike previous findings following exercise in skeletal muscle, this study failed to demonstrate estrogen-induced attenuation of indices of neutrophil infiltration or damage in skeletal muscles of rats up to 72 hours following ischemia. This demonstrates that estrogen may not consistently attenuate neutrophil infiltration and that a number of variables including damage modality, tissue or estrogen level may influence this.

  11. Isolated abscess in superior rectus muscle in a child

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushank Ashok Bhalerao

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Pyomyositis is a primary bacterial infection of striated muscles nearly always caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Development of the intramuscular abscess involving the extra-ocular muscles (EOMs remains an extremely rare process. We herein present a case of isolated EOM pyomyositis involving superior rectus muscle in a 2-year male child who was referred with complaints of swelling in left eye (LE and inability to open LE since last 1-month. Orbital computed tomography (CT scan showed a well-defined, hypo-dense, peripheral rim-enhancing lesion in relation to left superior rectus muscle suggestive of left superior rectus abscess. The abscess was drained through skin approach. We concluded that pyomyositis of EOM should be considered in any patient presenting with acute onset of orbital inflammation and characteristic CT or magnetic resonance imaging features. Management consists of incision and drainage coupled with antibiotic therapy.

  12. Intermittent whole-body vibration attenuates a reduction in the number of the capillaries in unloaded rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaneguchi, Akinori; Ozawa, Junya; Kawamata, Seiichi; Kurose, Tomoyuki; Yamaoka, Kaoru

    2014-09-26

    Whole-body vibration has been suggested for the prevention of muscle mass loss and muscle wasting as an attractive measure for disuse atrophy. This study examined the effects of daily intermittent whole-body vibration and weight bearing during hindlimb suspension on capillary number and muscle atrophy in rat skeletal muscles. Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control (CONT), hindlimb suspension (HS), HS + weight bearing (WB), and HS + whole-body vibration (VIB) (n = 15 each). Hindlimb suspension was applied for 2 weeks in HS, HS + WB, and HS + VIB groups. During suspension, rats in HS + VIB group were placed daily on a vibrating whole-body vibration platform for 20 min. In HS + WB group, suspension was interrupted for 20 min/day, allowing weight bearing. Untreated rats were used as controls. Soleus muscle wet weights and muscle fiber cross-sectional areas (CSA) significantly decreased in HS, HS + WB, and HS + VIB groups compared with CONT group. Both muscle weights and CSA were significantly greater in HS + WB and HS + VIB groups compared with HS group. Capillary numbers (represented by capillary-to-muscle fiber ratio) were significantly smaller in all hindlimb suspension-treated groups compared with CONT group. However, a reduction in capillary number by unloading hindlimbs was partially prevented by whole-body vibration. These findings were supported by examining mRNA for angiogenic-related factors. Expression levels of a pro-angiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-A mRNA, were significantly lower in all hindlimb suspension-treated groups compared with CONT group. There were no differences among hindlimb suspension-treated groups. Expression levels of an anti-angiogenic factor, CD36 (receptor for thrombospondin-1) mRNA, were significantly higher in all hindlimb suspension-treated groups compared with CONT group. Among the hindlimb suspension-treated groups, expression of CD

  13. Sodium pump activity and calcium relaxation in vascular smooth muscle of deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soltis, E.E.; Field, F.P.

    1986-01-01

    The Na + -K + pump activity was determined in femoral arterial smooth muscle from deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats using potassium relaxation and ouabain-sensitive 86 Rb uptake as indices. The membrane-stabilizing effect of calcium and its relation to Na + -K + pump activity also were examined. Femoral arteries from DOCA-salt rats exhibited a greater relaxation in response to potassium addition after contraction with norepinephrine in a low potassium (0.6 mM) Krebs solution. The concentration of potassium required to produce a 50% relaxation was significantly less in DOCA-salt rats. Ouabain-sensitive 86 Rb uptake was significantly greater at 3, 10, and 20 minutes of 86 Rb incubation in femoral arteries from DOCA-salt rats. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between the uptake of 86 Rb and time of incubation in both control and DOCA-salt rats. A significant difference in the slopes of the regression lines showed that the rate of uptake was greater in DOCA-salt rats. No difference was observed in ouabain-insensitive 86 Rb uptake. A dose-dependent relaxation in response to increasing concentrations of calcium following contraction to norepinephrine was observed in femoral arteries from control and DOCA-salt rats. The relaxation was directly dependent on the level of extracellular potassium and was blocked by ouabain. Femoral arteries from DOCA-salt rats relaxed to a significantly greater extent in response to calcium at each level of potassium when compared with controls. These results provide further evidence for an increase in Na + -K + pump activity in vascular smooth muscle from DOCA-salt hypertensive rats

  14. Influence of N-acetylcysteine on oxidative stress in slow-twitch soleus muscle of heart failure rats

    OpenAIRE

    Martinez, Paula Felippe [UNESP; Bonomo, Camila [UNESP; Guizoni, Daniele Mendes [UNESP; Oliveira Junior, Silvio Assis [UNESP; Damatto, Ricardo Luiz [UNESP; Cezar, Marcelo Diarcadia Mariano [UNESP; Lima, Aline Regina Ruiz [UNESP; Pagan, Luana Urbano [UNESP; Seiva, Fabio Rodrigues; Fernandes, Denise Castro; Laurindo, Francisco Rafael Martins; Novelli, Ethel Lourenzi Barbosa [UNESP; Matsubara, Luiz Shiguero [UNESP; Zornoff, Leonardo Antonio Mamede [UNESP; Okoshi, Katashi [UNESP

    2015-01-01

    Background: Chronic heart failure is characterized by decreased exercise capacity with early exacerbation of fatigue and dyspnea. Intrinsic skeletal muscle abnormalities can play a role in exercise intolerance. Causal or contributing factors responsible for muscle alterations have not been completely defined. This study evaluated skeletal muscle oxidative stress and NADPH oxidase activity in rats with myocardial infarction (MI) induced heart failure. Methods and Results: Four months after MI,...

  15. Sex-Specific Skeletal Muscle Fatigability and Decreased Mitochondrial Oxidative Capacity in Adult Rats Exposed to Postnatal Hyperoxia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura H. Tetri

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Premature birth affects more than 10% of live births, and is characterized by relative hyperoxia exposure in an immature host. Long-term consequences of preterm birth include decreased aerobic capacity, decreased muscular strength and endurance, and increased prevalence of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Postnatal hyperoxia exposure in rodents is a well-established model of chronic lung disease of prematurity, and also recapitulates the pulmonary vascular, cardiovascular, and renal phenotype of premature birth. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether postnatal hyperoxia exposure in rats could recapitulate the skeletal and metabolic phenotype of premature birth, and to characterize the subcellular metabolic changes associated with postnatal hyperoxia exposure, with a secondary aim to evaluate sex differences in this model. Compared to control rats, male rats exposed to 14 days of postnatal hyperoxia then aged to 1 year demonstrated higher skeletal muscle fatigability, lower muscle mitochondrial oxidative capacity, more mitochondrial damage, and higher glycolytic enzyme expression. These differences were not present in female rats with the same postnatal hyperoxia exposure. This study demonstrates detrimental mitochondrial and muscular outcomes in the adult male rat exposed to postnatal hyperoxia. Given that young adults born premature also demonstrate skeletal muscle dysfunction, future studies are merited to determine whether this dysfunction as well as reduced aerobic capacity is due to reduced mitochondrial oxidative capacity and metabolic dysfunction.

  16. Musculus gastrocnemius tetanus kinetics in alcohol-intoxicated rats with experimentally-induced hindlimb vascular ischemia under conditions of low-frequence muscle fatigue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. A. Melnychuk

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Alcohol intoxication and ischemic injury of skeletal muscles often accompany each other. It is shown that patients hospitalized with chronic alcoholism develop muscle fatigue. Skeletal muscle dysfunction in alcohol-dependent patients is caused by ethanol-associated myofibrillar atrophy and metabolic disbalance, while compression-ischemic lesions result from unconsciousness of the patient, in case of taking the critical alcohol dose. Therefore, the aim of this study is to discover typical m. gastrocnemius (cap. med. tetanic kinetics changes in alcohol intoxicated rats with experimentally induced vascular ischemia of hindlimb muscles under conditions of low-frequency progressive muscle fatigue. Experiments were carried out on 10 young male Wistar rats (149.5 ± 5.8 g kept under standard vivarium conditions and diet. The investigation was conducted in two phases: chronic (30 days and acute (3 hours experiment. All surgical procedures were carried out aseptically under general anesthesia. Ishemic m. gastrocnemius (cap. med. tetanic kinetic changes and force productivity in alcohol intoxicated rats were investigated in the isometric mode, with direct electrical stimulation. The fatigue of m. gastrocnemius (cap. med. was evaluated by three characteristic criteria: the first sag effect, the secondary force rise, the second sag effect. There have been 10 similar experiments: 5 series in each study group with 10 tetanic runs in each series. The highest amplitude of the native m. gastrocnemius (cap. med. tetanus relative to isoline was taken as 100% force response. The same pattern of m. gastrocnemius (cap. med. low-frequency fatigue development was found in both rat groups under study. It is evidenced by the absence of substantial m. gastrocnemius (cap. med. tetanus kinetics differences in alcohol intoxicated rats, compared with non-alcohol intoxicated rats during fatigue test. However, the appreciable m. gastrocnemius (cap. med. tetanic force reduction

  17. Na+-K+ pump location and translocation during muscle contraction  in rat skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Michael; Rasmussen, Martin Krøyer; Juel, Carsten

    2008-01-01

    the translocation. Electrical stimulation and biotin labeling of rat muscle revealed a 40% and 18% increase in the amounts of the Na+-K+ pump a2 subunit and caveolin-3 (Cav-3), respectively, in the sarcolemma. Exercise induced a 36% and 19% increase in the relative amounts of the a2 subunit and Cav-3, respectively...

  18. Increased cellular proliferation in rat skeletal muscle and tendon in response to exercise

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skovgaard, Dorthe; Bayer, Monika L; Mackey, Abigail

    2010-01-01

    PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate exercise-induced cellular proliferation in rat skeletal muscle/tendon with the use of 3'-[F-18]fluoro-3'deoxythymidine (FLT) and to quantitatively study concomitant changes in the proliferation-associated factor, Ki67. PROCEDURES: Wistar rats (...... = 13) performed 3 days of treadmill running. Cellular proliferation was investigated 3 days before and 48 h after the running exercise with the use of FLT and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Results were compared to a sedentary control group (n = 10). Image......-derived results were supported by a correlation in calf muscle to Ki67 (protein and mRNA level), while this coherence was not found in tendon. CONCLUSION: FLT-PET seems to be a promising tool for imaging of exercise-induced cellular proliferation in musculo-tendinous tissue....

  19. Impact of dietary nitrate supplementation via beetroot juice on exercising muscle vascular control in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson, Scott K; Hirai, Daniel M; Copp, Steven W; Holdsworth, Clark T; Allen, Jason D; Jones, Andrew M; Musch, Timothy I; Poole, David C

    2013-01-15

    Dietary nitrate (NO(3)(-)) supplementation, via its reduction to nitrite (NO(2)(-)) and subsequent conversion to nitric oxide (NO) and other reactive nitrogen intermediates, reduces blood pressure and the O(2) cost of submaximal exercise in humans. Despite these observations, the effects of dietary NO(3)(-) supplementation on skeletal muscle vascular control during locomotory exercise remain unknown. We tested the hypotheses that dietary NO(3)(-) supplementation via beetroot juice (BR) would reduce mean arterial pressure (MAP) and increase hindlimb muscle blood flow in the exercising rat. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (3-6 months) were administered either NO(3)(-) (via beetroot juice; 1 mmol kg(-1) day(-1), BR n = 8) or untreated (control, n = 11) tap water for 5 days. MAP and hindlimb skeletal muscle blood flow and vascular conductance (radiolabelled microsphere infusions) were measured during submaximal treadmill running (20 m min(-1), 5% grade). BR resulted in significantly lower exercising MAP (control: 137 ± 3, BR: 127 ± 4 mmHg, P exercising hindlimb skeletal muscle blood flow (control: 108 ± 8, BR: 150 ± 11 ml min(-1) (100 g)(-1), P exercise predominantly in fast-twitch type II muscles, and provide a potential mechanism by which NO(3)(-) supplementation improves metabolic control.

  20. Exhaustive Training Increases Uncoupling Protein 2 Expression and Decreases Bcl-2/Bax Ratio in Rat Skeletal Muscle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W. Y. Liu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This work investigates the effects of oxidative stress due to exhaustive training on uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2 and Bcl-2/Bax in rat skeletal muscles. A total of 18 Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into three groups: the control group (CON, the trained control group (TC, and the exhaustive trained group (ET. Malondialdehyde (MDA, superoxide dismutase (SOD, xanthine oxidase (XOD, ATPase, UCP2, and Bcl-2/Bax ratio in red gastrocnemius muscles were measured. Exhaustive training induced ROS increase in red gastrocnemius muscles, which led to a decrease in the cell antiapoptotic ability (Bcl-2/Bax ratio. An increase in UCP2 expression can reduce ROS production and affect mitochondrial energy production. Thus, oxidative stress plays a significant role in overtraining.

  1. Partial fast-to-slow conversion of regenerating rat fast-twitch muscle by chronic low-frequency stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pette, Dirk; Sketelj, Janez; Skorjanc, Dejan; Leisner, Elmi; Traub, Irmtrud; Bajrović, Fajko

    2002-01-01

    Chronic low-frequency stimulation (CLFS) of rat fast-twitch muscles induces sequential transitions in myosin heavy chain (MHC) expression from MHCIIb --> MHCIId/x --> MHCIIa. However, the 'final' step of the fast-to-slow transition, i.e., the upregulation of MHCI, has been observed only after extremely long stimulation periods. Assuming that fibre degeneration/regeneration might be involved in the upregulation of slow myosin, we investigated the effects of CLFS on extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles regenerating after bupivacaine-induced fibre necrosis. Normal, non-regenerating muscles responded to both 30- and 60-day CLFS with fast MHC isoform transitions (MHCIIb --> MHCIId --> MHCIIa) and only slight increases in MHCI. CLFS of regenerating EDL muscles caused similar transitions among the fast isoforms but, in addition, caused significant increases in MHCI (to approximately 30% relative concentration). Stimulation periods of 30 and 60 days induced similar changes in the regenerating bupivacaine-treated muscles, indicating that the upregulation of slow myosin was restricted to regenerating fibres, but only during an early stage of regeneration. These results suggest that satellite cells and/or regenerating fast rat muscle fibres are capable of switching directly to a slow program under the influence of CLFS and, therefore, appear to be more malleable than adult fibres.

  2. In Vivo Real-Time Imaging of Exogenous HGF-Triggered Cell Migration in Rat Intact Soleus Muscles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishido, Minenori; Kasuga, Norikatsu

    2012-01-01

    The transplantation of myogenic cells is a potentially effective therapy for muscular dystrophy. However, this therapy has achieved little success because the diffusion of transplanted myogenic cells is limited. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is one of the primary triggers to induce myogenic cell migration in vitro. However, to our knowledge, whether exogenous HGF can trigger the migration of myogenic cells (i.e. satellite cells) in intact skeletal muscles in vivo has not been reported. We previously reported a novel in vivo real-time imaging method in rat skeletal muscles. Therefore, the present study examined the relationship between exogenous HGF treatment and cell migration in rat intact soleus muscles using this imaging method. As a result, it was indicated that the cell migration velocity was enhanced in response to increasing exogenous HGF concentration in skeletal muscles. Furthermore, the expression of MyoD was induced in satellite cells in response to HGF treatment. We first demonstrated in vivo real-time imaging of cell migration triggered by exogenous HGF in intact soleus muscles. The experimental method used in the present study will be a useful tool to understand further the regulatory mechanism of HGF-induced satellite cell migration in skeletal muscles in vivo

  3. Effects of hyperbaric oxygen at 1.25 atmospheres absolute with normal air on macrophage number and infiltration during rat skeletal muscle regeneration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naoto Fujita

    Full Text Available Use of mild hyperbaric oxygen less than 2 atmospheres absolute (2026.54 hPa with normal air is emerging as a common complementary treatment for severe muscle injury. Although hyperbaric oxygen at over 2 atmospheres absolute with 100% O2 promotes healing of skeletal muscle injury, it is not clear whether mild hyperbaric oxygen is equally effective. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of hyperbaric oxygen at 1.25 atmospheres absolute (1266.59 hPa with normal air on muscle regeneration. The tibialis anterior muscle of male Wistar rats was injured by injection of bupivacaine hydrochloride, and rats were randomly assigned to a hyperbaric oxygen experimental group or to a non-hyperbaric oxygen control group. Immediately after the injection, rats were exposed to hyperbaric oxygen, and the treatment was continued for 28 days. The cross-sectional area of centrally nucleated muscle fibers was significantly larger in rats exposed to hyperbaric oxygen than in controls 5 and 7 days after injury. The number of CD68- or CD68- and CD206-positive cells was significantly higher in rats exposed to hyperbaric oxygen than in controls 24 h after injury. Additionally, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-10 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in rats exposed to hyperbaric oxygen than in controls 24 h after injury. The number of Pax7- and MyoD- or MyoD- and myogenin-positive nuclei per mm2 and the expression levels of these proteins were significantly higher in rats exposed to hyperbaric oxygen than in controls 5 days after injury. These results suggest that mild hyperbaric oxygen promotes skeletal muscle regeneration in the early phase after injury, possibly due to reduced hypoxic conditions leading to accelerated macrophage infiltration and phenotype transition. In conclusion, mild hyperbaric oxygen less than 2 atmospheres absolute with normal air is an appropriate support therapy for severe muscle injuries.

  4. Digital dissection of the masticatory muscles of the naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber (Mammalia, Rodentia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip G. Cox

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber, of the family Bathyergidae is a subterranean rodent that feeds on underground roots and tubers and digs extensive tunnel systems with its incisors. It is a highly unusual mammal with regard to its social structure, longevity, pain insensitivity and cancer resistance, all of which have made it the subject of a great deal of research in recent years. Yet, much of the basic anatomy of this species remains undocumented. In this paper, we describe the morphology of the jaw-closing musculature of the naked mole-rat, as revealed by contrast-enhanced micro-computed tomography. This technique uses an iodine stain to enable the imaging of soft tissues with microCT. The iodine-enhanced scans were used to create 3D reconstructions of the naked mole-rat masticatory muscles from which muscle masses were calculated. The jaw-closing musculature of Heterocephalus glaber is relatively very large compared to other rodents and is dominated by the superficial masseter, the deep masseter and the temporalis. The temporalis in particular is large for a rodent, covering the entirety of the braincase and much of the rear part of the orbit. The morphology of the masseter complex described here differs from two other published descriptions of bathyergid masticatory muscles, but is more similar to the arrangement seen in other rodent families. The zygomaticomandibularis (ZM muscle does not protrude through the infraorbital foramen on to the rostrum and thus the naked mole-rat should be considered protrogomorphous rather than hystricomorphous, and the morphology is consistent with secondarily lost hystricomorphy as has been previously suggested for Bathyergidae. Overall, the morphology of the masticatory musculature indicates a species with a high bite force and a wide gape–both important adaptations for a life dominated by digging with the incisors.

  5. Impact of high intensity exercise on muscle morphology in EAE rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wens, I; Dalgas, U; Verboven, K

    2015-01-01

    paralysis (experiment 2, n=40), isokinetic foot extensor strength, cross sectional area (CSA) of tibialis anterior (TA), extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus (SOL) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were assessed. EAE reduced muscle fiber CSA of TA, EDL and SOL. In general, exercise......The impact of high-intensity exercise on disease progression and muscle contractile properties in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) remains unclear. Control (CON) and EAE rats were divided into sedentary and exercise groups. Before onset (experiment 1, n=40) and after hindquarter...... was not able to affect CSA, whereas it delayed hindquarter paralysis peak. CON muscle work peaked and declined, while it remained stable in EAE. BDNF-responses were not affected by EAE or exercise. In conclusion, EAE affected CSA-properties of TA, EDL and SOL, which could, partly, explain the absence of peak...

  6. Hyperexcitability to electrical stimulation and accelerated muscle fatiguability of taut bands in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yong-Hui; Yin, Ming-Jing; Fan, Zhen-Zhen; Arendt-Nielsen, Lars; Ge, Hong-You; Yue, Shou-Wei

    2014-04-01

    Myofascial trigger points contribute significantly to musculoskeletal pain and motor dysfunction and may be associated with accelerated muscle fatiguability. The aim of this study was to investigate the electrically induced force and fatigue characteristics of muscle taut bands in rats. Muscle taut bands were dissected out and subjected to trains of electrical stimulation. The electrical threshold intensity for muscle contraction and maximum contraction force (MCF), electrical intensity dependent fatigue and electrical frequency dependent fatigue characteristics were assessed in three different sessions (n=10 each) and compared with non-taut bands in the biceps femoris muscle. The threshold intensity for muscle contraction and MCF at the 10th, 15th and 20th intensity dependent fatigue stimuli of taut bands were significantly lower than those of non-taut bands (all pbands were significantly lower than those at the 1st and 5th stimuli (all pbands than for non-taut bands (both pband itself was more excitable to electrical stimulation and significantly less fatigue resistant than normal muscle fibres.

  7. Neurotransmitter implications in descending motility of longitudinal and circular muscles in rat colon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zornitsa V. Gorcheva

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. The role of neurotransmitter systems in the motor activity of longitudinal or circular muscles in autonomic regulation of the motility of the colon by the nervous system is unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate the neurotransmitter implications in descending motility of longitudinal and circular muscles in rat colon. Methods. Electrically-induced (2, 5 or 10 Hz, 0.8 ms, 40 V, 20 s local or descending motor responses of longitudinal and circular muscles in isolated preparations and drugs were used to define the neurotransmitters’ role in colonic motility. Results. The spontaneous activity of the distal part of preparations manifested as high-amplitude irregular contractions more expressed in the longitudinal muscles. The electrically-induced local responses differed considerably in the two muscles: in longitudinal muscle there were frequency-dependent contractions, while initial relaxation followed by contraction was observed in circular muscle. The descending motor response resembled the pattern of the local responses, but the amplitudes were significantly less expressed, as compared to the respective local responses.

  8. Sildenafil citrate protects skeletal muscle of ischemia-reperfusion injury: immunohistochemical study in rat model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dinani Matoso Fialho de Oliveira Armstrong

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of sildenafil citrate (SC on skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion (IR injury in rats. METHODS: Adult male Wistar rats were randomized into three groups: vehicle-treated control (CTG, sildenafil citrate-treated (SCG, and sham group (SG. CTG and SCG had femoral artery occluded for 6 hours. Saline or 1 mg/kg of SC was given 5.5 hours after occlusion. SG had a similar procedure without artery occlusion. Soleus muscle samples were acquired 4 or 24h after the reperfusion. Immunohistochemistry caspase-3 analysis was used to estimate apoptosis using the apoptotic ratio (computed as positive/negative cells. Wilcoxon rank-sum or Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to assess differences among groups. RESULTS: Eighteen animals were included in the 4h reperfusion groups and 21 animals in the 24h reperfusion groups. The mean apoptotic ratio was 0.18±0.1 for the total cohort; 0.14±0.06 for the 4h reperfusion groups and 0.19±0.08 for the 24h groups (p<0.05. The SCG had lower caspase-3 ratio compared to the control groups at the 24h reperfusion time point (p<0.05. CONCLUSION: Sildenafil citrate administration after the onset of the ischemic injury reduces IR-induced cellular damage in skeletal muscle in this rat hindlimb ischemia model.

  9. Effect of temperature on fatty acid metabolism in skeletal muscle mitochondria of untrained and endurance-trained rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jerzy A Zoladz

    Full Text Available We studied the effects of various assay temperatures, representing hypothermia (25°C, normothermia (35°C, and hyperthermia (42°C, on the oxidation of lipid-derived fuels in rat skeletal muscle mitochondria of untrained and endurance-trained rats. Adult 4-month-old male Wistar rats were assigned to a training group (rats trained on a treadmill for 8 weeks or a sedentary control group. In skeletal muscle mitochondria of both control and trained rats, an increase in the assay temperature from 25°C to 42°C was accompanied by a consistent increase in the oxidation of palmitoylcarnitine and glycerol-3-phosphate. Moreover, endurance training increased mitochondrial capacity to oxidize the lipid-derived fuels at all studied temperatures. The endurance training-induced increase in mitochondrial capacity to oxidize fatty acids was accompanied by an enhancement of mitochondrial biogenesis, as shown by the elevated expression levels of Nrf2, PGC1α, and mitochondrial marker and by the elevated expression levels of mitochondrial proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism, such as fatty acid transporter CD36, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A, and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (ACADS. We conclude that hyperthermia enhances but hypothermia attenuates the rate of the oxidation of fatty acids and glycerol-3-phosphate in rat skeletal muscle mitochondria isolated from both untrained and trained rats. Moreover, our results indicate that endurance training up-regulates mitochondrial biogenesis markers, lipid-sustained oxidative capacity, and CD36 and CPT1A proteins involved in fatty acid transport, possibly via PGC1α and Nrf2 signaling pathways.

  10. [Experimental occlusal interference induces the expression of protein gene products and substance P in masseter muscles of rats].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Ye; Li, Kai; Fu, Kai-yuan; Xie, Qiu-fei

    2010-02-18

    To investigate the peripheral mechanism by studying the histological changes of masseter muscles using HE stains and substance P (SP) and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) immunohistochemical stains. Fifteen male Sprague-Dawley were randomly assigned into occlusal interference group (n=12) and control group (n=3). In occlusal interference group, 0.4 mm thick crowns were bonded to the rats' first molar of the maxillary. In the control group, rats were anesthetized and mouths were forced open for about 5 min but restorations were not applied. 1, 5, 10, and 21 d after 0.4 mm occlusal alteration treatment, mechanical pain thresholds of bilateral masseter muscles were quantitatively measured by modified electronic anesthesiometer in control group and occlusal interference group. The rats were euthanized by transcardiac perfusion after deep anesthetization at different time points. The paraffin sections of masseter muscles were made and processed for HE, SP, and PGP9.5 immunohistochemical staining. Decreased head withdrawal threshold to mechanical pressure was detected in masseter muscles on both sides following occlusal interference. Histological stains of masseter muscles presented intact following occlusal interference, and no inflammatory cells were observed in both sides. Intensely stained PGP9.5 was observed at 1 d in occlusal interference groups and maintained until the end of the experiment. SP expression was the most obviously increased at 5 d in both sides and gradually decreased to the level of control. Experimental occlusal interference-induced masticatory muscle pain is associated with peripheral sensitization of nociceptive neurons rather than muscle damage and inflammation.

  11. Attenuated increase in maximal force of rat medial gastrocnemius muscle after concurrent peak power and endurance training

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Furrer, R.; Jaspers, R.T.; Baggerman, H.L.; Bravenboer, N.; Lips, P.; de Haan, A.

    2013-01-01

    Improvement of muscle peak power and oxidative capacity are generally presumed to be mutually exclusive. However, this may not be valid by using fibre type-specific recruitment. Since rat medial gastrocnemius muscle (GM) is composed of high and low oxidative compartments which are recruited task

  12. Effects of acute exposure of heavy ion to spinal cord on the properties of motoneurons and muscle fibers in rats. The 2nd report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishihara, Akihiko; Ohira, Yoshinobu; Kawano, Fuminori; Xiao Dong Wang; Nagaoka, Shunji; Nojima, Kumie

    2004-01-01

    We examined the effects of acute exposure of heavy ion on the properties of motoneurons and their innervating muscle fibers. A 40 Gy dose of heavy ion was applied to the lumbar 4th to 6th segments of the spinal cord in five 8-week-old male rats. Five male rats served as controls. Both the control and heavy-ion-exposed rats were sacrificed one month after exposure to heavy ion. The number, cell body size, and oxidative enzyme activity of motoneurons innervating the soleus and plantaris muscles were analyzed. In addition, cell size, oxidative enzyme activity, and expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in the soleus and plantaris muscles were analyzed. There were no changes in the number of motoneurons between the control and heavy-ion-exposed rats. On the other hand, cell body sizes were decreased and oxidative enzyme activities were disappeared in motoneurons of the heavy-ion-exposed rats. There were no changes in the cell size, oxidative enzyme activity, or expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms of the muscles between the control and heavy-ion-exposed rats. It is concluded that a 40 Gy dose of heavy ion affects the properties of spinal motoneurons, although there were no influences on the properties of muscle fibers which they innervate. (author)

  13. Metformin ameliorates diabetes but does not normalize the decreased GLUT 4 content in skeletal muscle of obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Handberg, A; Kayser, L; Høyer, P E

    1993-01-01

    We studied the expression of the glucose transporter GLUT 4 in the soleus and red gastrocnemius muscles from obese, diabetic (fa/fa) Zucker rats compared to their lean littermates (Fa/-), with and without treatment with the antidiabetic drug metformin. In the untreated groups of rats, the GLUT 4...... content in a crude membrane fraction of both the soleus and the red gastrocnemius muscles were significantly lower in the obese (fa/fa) rats (3.46 +/- 0.28 vs. 6.04 +/- 0.41, p ... the same rats were confirmed by quantitative immunofluorescence microscopy, and the results were significantly correlated with the results obtained from quantitative immunoblotting (rho = 0.70, p fa/fa rats could contribute to the well-established insulin...

  14. Mechanisms Explaining Muscle Fatigue and Muscle Pain in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): a Review of Recent Findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerwyn, Morris; Maes, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Here, we review potential causes of muscle dysfunction seen in many patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) such as the effects of oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS) and mitochondrial impairments together with reduced heat shock protein production and a range of metabolic abnormalities. Several studies published in the last few years have highlighted the existence of chronic O&NS, inflammation, impaired mitochondrial function and reduced heat shock protein production in many patients with ME/CFS. These studies have also highlighted the detrimental effects of chronically elevated O&NS on muscle functions such as reducing the time to muscle fatigue during exercise and impairing muscle contractility. Mechanisms have also been revealed by which chronic O&NS and or impaired heat shock production may impair muscle repair following exercise and indeed the adaptive responses in the striated muscle to acute and chronic increases in physical activity. The presence of chronic O&NS, low-grade inflammation and impaired heat shock protein production may well explain the objective findings of increased muscle fatigue, impaired contractility and multiple dimensions of exercise intolerance in many patients with ME/CFS.

  15. Effect of triiodothyronine on the maxilla and masseter muscles of the rat stomatognathic system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.V. Mariúba

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available The maxilla and masseter muscles are components of the stomatognathic system involved in chewing, which is frequently affected by physical forces such as gravity, and by dental, orthodontic and orthopedic procedures. Thyroid hormones (TH are known to regulate the expression of genes that control bone mass and the oxidative properties of muscles; however, little is known about the effects of TH on the stomatognathic system. This study investigated this issue by evaluating: i osteoprotegerin (OPG and osteopontine (OPN mRNA expression in the maxilla and ii myoglobin (Mb mRNA and protein expression, as well as fiber composition of the masseter. Male Wistar rats (~250 g were divided into thyroidectomized (Tx and sham-operated (SO groups (N = 24/group treated with T3 or saline (0.9% for 15 days. Thyroidectomy increased OPG (~40% and OPN (~75% mRNA expression, while T3 treatment reduced OPG (~40% and OPN (~75% in Tx, and both (~50% in SO rats. Masseter Mb mRNA expression and fiber type composition remained unchanged, despite the induction of hypo- and hyperthyroidism. However, Mb content was decreased in Tx rats even after T3 treatment. Since OPG and OPN are key proteins involved in the osteoclastogenesis inhibition and bone mineralization, respectively, and that Mb functions as a muscle store of O2 allowing muscles to be more resistant to fatigue, the present data indicate that TH also interfere with maxilla remodeling and the oxidative properties of the masseter, influencing the function of the stomatognathic system, which may require attention during dental, orthodontic and orthopedic procedures in patients with thyroid diseases.

  16. Diffusion tensor imaging and T2 mapping in early denervated skeletal muscle in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ha, Dong-Ho; Choi, Sunseob; Kang, Eun-Ju; Park, Hwan Tae

    2015-09-01

    To evaluate the temporal changes of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices, T2 values, and visual signal intensity on various fat suppression techniques in the early state of denervated skeletal muscle in a rat model. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval was obtained. Sciatic nerves of eight rats were transected for irreversible neurotmesis model. We examined normal lower leg and denervated muscles at 3 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks on a 3 Tesla MR. fractional anisotropy (FA), mean apparent diffusion coefficient (mADC), and T2 values were measured by using DTI and T2 mapping scan. We subjectively classified the signal intensity change on various fat suppression images into the following three grades: negative, suspicious, and definite change. Wilcoxon-sign rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for the comparison of FA, mADC, T2 values. McNemar's test was used for comparing signal intensity change among fat suppression techniques. FA values of denervated muscles at 3 days (0.35 ± 0.06), 1 week (0.29 ± 0.04), and 2 weeks (0.34 ± 0.05) were significantly (P  0.05) change. T2 values were significantly increased at 1 week (38.11 ± 6.42 ms, P = 0.017) and markedly increased at 2 weeks (46.53 ± 5.17 ms, P = 0.012). The grade of visual signal intensity change on chemical shift selective fat saturation, STIR and IDEAL images were identical in all cases (P = 1.000). FA and T2 values can demonstrate the early temporal changes in denervated rat skeletal muscle. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. The Effect of 8 Weeks High-intensity Interval Training on Myostatin and Follistatin Gene Expression in Gastrocnemius Muscle of the Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soheil Biglari

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of 8 weeks High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT on the expression of two muscle growth regulating genes (myostatin and follistatin in gastrocnemius muscle of healthy male rats. Materials and Methods: 16 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups in the same number: control and HIIT. HIIT program was underwent 40 min each session, three sessions in a week for eight weeks. Each exercise training session consisted of 5 min warm-up and cool-down at 40-50 % VO2max, 30 min interval running including 4 min high-intensity (85-90% VO2max and 2 min active recovery (at 50-60% VO2max. Rats in control group did not do any exercise training program. 48 h after the last training session, rats` gastrocnemius muscle was extracted and the expression of myostatin and follistatin genes was determined by Real Time-PCR. For statistical data analysis, independent t-test was used. Results: The expression of myostatin was significantly reduced 68% in HIIT group in comparison with the control group (p0.05. Gastrocnemius muscle weight was significantly increased 23% in the HIIT group compared to the control group (p<0.05. Conclusion: Results indicated that HIIT lead to significant reduction in the expression of myostatin gene and increase in the weight of gastrocnemius muscle in rats.

  18. Effect of L-Carnitine on Skeletal Muscle Lipids and Oxidative Stress in Rats Fed High-Fructose Diet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Panchamoorthy Rajasekar

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available There is evidence that high-fructose diet induces insulin resistance, alterations in lipid metabolism, and oxidative stress in rat tissues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine (CAR on lipid accumulation and peroxidative damage in skeletal muscle of rats fed high-fructose diet. Fructose-fed animals (60 g/100 g diet displayed decreased glucose/insulin (G/I ratio and insulin sensitivity index (ISI0,120 indicating the development of insulin resistance. Rats showed alterations in the levels of triglycerides, free fatty acids, cholesterol, and phospholipids in skeletal muscle. The condition was associated with oxidative stress as evidenced by the accumulation of lipid peroxidation products, protein carbonyls, and aldehydes along with depletion of both enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidants. Simultaneous intraperitoneal administration of CAR (300 mg/kg/day to fructose-fed rats alleviated the effects of fructose. These rats showed near-normal levels of the parameters studied. The effects of CAR in this model suggest that CAR supplementation may have some benefits in patients suffering from insulin resistance.

  19. Streptozotocin diabetes attenuates the effects of nondepolarizing neuromuscular relaxants on rat muscles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Lina; Chen, Dan; Li, Shitong

    2014-12-01

    The hypothesis of this study was that diabetes-induced desensitization of rat soleus (SOL) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) to non-depolarizing muscle relaxants (NDMRs) depends on the stage of diabetes and on the kind of NDMRs. We tested the different magnitude of resistance to vecuronium, cisatracurium, and rocuronium at different stages of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes by the EDL sciatic nerve-muscle preparations, and the SOL sciatic nerve-muscle preparations from rats after 4 and 16 weeks of STZ treatment. The concentration-twitch tension curves were significantly shifted from those of the control group to the right in the diabetic groups. Concentration giving 50% of maximal inhibition (IC50) was larger in the diabetic groups for all the NDMRs. For rocuronium and cisatracurium in both SOL and EDL, IC50 was significantly larger in diabetic 16 weeks group than those in the diabetic 4 weeks group. For SOL/EDL, the IC50 ratios were significantly largest in the diabetic 16 weeks group, second largest in the diabetic 4 weeks group, and smallest for the control group. Diabetes-induced desensitization to NDMRs depended on the stage of diabetes and on the different kind of muscles observed while was independent on different kind of NDMRs. The resistance to NDMRs was stronger in the later stage of diabetes (16 versus 4 weeks after STZ treatment). Additionally, when monitoring in SOL, diabetes attenuated the actions of neuromuscular blockade more intensely than that in EDL. Nonetheless, the hyposensitivity to NDMRs in diabetes was not relevant for the kind of NDMRs.

  20. Fatty acid induced changes in gene expression in cultured L6 rat muscle cells : An in vitro model on high dietary fat-induced insulin resistance in red gastrocnemius rat muscle in vivo

    OpenAIRE

    Breivik, Børge

    2004-01-01

    ABSTRACT Type 2 diabetes is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality and the disease is reaching epidemic proportions in the developed world. A core defect in type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. Previous global gene expression experiments conducted at the Garvan Medical Research Institute has shown that 3 weeks high fat feeding induced increased expression of stress related genes in rat muscle. These stress-related genes could be involved in the devel...

  1. Fiber type effects on contraction-stimulated glucose uptake and GLUT4 abundance in single fibers from rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castorena, Carlos M; Arias, Edward B; Sharma, Naveen; Bogan, Jonathan S; Cartee, Gregory D

    2015-02-01

    To fully understand skeletal muscle at the cellular level, it is essential to evaluate single muscle fibers. Accordingly, the major goals of this study were to determine if there are fiber type-related differences in single fibers from rat skeletal muscle for: 1) contraction-stimulated glucose uptake and/or 2) the abundance of GLUT4 and other metabolically relevant proteins. Paired epitrochlearis muscles isolated from Wistar rats were either electrically stimulated to contract (E-Stim) or remained resting (No E-Stim). Single fibers isolated from muscles incubated with 2-deoxy-d-[(3)H]glucose (2-DG) were used to determine fiber type [myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform protein expression], 2-DG uptake, and abundance of metabolically relevant proteins, including the GLUT4 glucose transporter. E-Stim, relative to No E-Stim, fibers had greater (P contraction-stimulated glucose uptake. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  2. Thyroid hormone uptake and T4 derived T3 formation in different skeletal muscle types of normal and hyperthyroid rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hardeveld, C. van; Kassenaar, A.A.H.

    1978-01-01

    In this study hind-limb perfusion was used to investigate conversion of T 4 to T 3 in skeletal muscle tissue. For this purpose the rats were depleted of thyroid hormones by thyroid ablation with 0.75 mCi 131 I and were perfused 2 weeks later, when the skeletal muscle tissue consumed oxygen at a normal rate due to one subcutaneous dose of 10 μg T 3 /100 g b. w. 3 days before the perfusion experiments were started. T 4 * of high specific activity (> 2000 μCi/μg) was added to the perfusate. In the muscle (mixed type) a mean T 4 → T 3 conversion of 2% (range 0.5-3.9) was found after 120 min of perfusion. T 3 generation from T 4 in skeletal muscle did not correspond with T 3 muscle uptake. This observation makes a significant overestimation of T 3 by selective uptake of a small contamination of T 3 * in the T 4 * preparation highly improbable. In red muscle the T 4 and T 3 uptake was about 50 % higher than in white muscle. The observed Tetracsup(c) and T 3 sup(c) were significantly higher in red than in white muscle. The uptake of thyroid hormones by both muscle types was not changed in hyperthyroid rats. The Tetrac and T 3 formation from T 4 , however, was increased in red muscles of hyperthyroid rats. The results show that thyroid hormone metabolism can vary markedly depending upon the type of muscle studied and they present a basis for a better understanding of clinical and biochemical evidence for a different susceptibility of red and white muscle fibers to thyroid hormones. (Abbreviations: *= 125 I; **= 131 I; T 3 sup(c)=T 4 derived T 3 ; Tetracsup(c)=T 4 derived Tetrac) (author)

  3. Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Generate Muscle Cells and Repair Muscle Degeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dezawa, Mari; Ishikawa, Hiroto; Itokazu, Yutaka; Yoshihara, Tomoyuki; Hoshino, Mikio; Takeda, Shin-ichi; Ide, Chizuka; Nabeshima, Yo-ichi

    2005-07-01

    Bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) have great potential as therapeutic agents. We report a method for inducing skeletal muscle lineage cells from human and rat general adherent MSCs with an efficiency of 89%. Induced cells differentiated into muscle fibers upon transplantation into degenerated muscles of rats and mdx-nude mice. The induced population contained Pax7-positive cells that contributed to subsequent regeneration of muscle upon repetitive damage without additional transplantation of cells. These MSCs represent a more ready supply of myogenic cells than do the rare myogenic stem cells normally found in muscle and bone marrow.

  4. Growth hormone mitigates loss of periosteal bone formation and muscle mass in disuse osteopenic rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grubbe, M-C; Thomsen, Jesper Skovhus; Nyengaard, J R

    2014-01-01

    Growth hormone (GH) is a potent anabolic agent capable of increasing both bone and muscle mass. The aim was to investigate whether GH could counteract disuse-induced loss of bone and muscle mass in a rat model. Paralysis was induced by injecting 4 IU Botox (BTX) into the muscles of the right hind...... of periosteal BFR/BS (2-fold increase vs. BTX, Pmuscle mass (+29% vs. BTX, Pmuscle CSA (+11%, P=0.064). In conclusion, GH mitigates disuse......BMD, -13%, Pmuscle mass (-69%, Pmuscle cell cross sectional area (CSA) (-73%, P

  5. Maintenance of DNA repair capacity in differentiating rat muscle cells in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koval, T.M.; Kaufman, S.J.

    1981-01-01

    Unscheduled DNA synthesis was measured at several times during the differentiation of cultured rat skeletal muscle cells in response to exposures to 254 nm UV light. There was no change in the amount of repair DNA synthesis as the cells fuse and differentiate from postmitotic prefusion myoblasts to multinucleated contracting myotubes. (author)

  6. Low fish oil intake improves insulin sensitivity, lipid profile and muscle metabolism on insulin resistant MSG-obese rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamazaki, Ricardo K; Brito, Gleisson A P; Coelho, Isabela; Pequitto, Danielle C T; Yamaguchi, Adriana A; Borghetti, Gina; Schiessel, Dalton Luiz; Kryczyk, Marcelo; Machado, Juliano; Rocha, Ricelli E R; Aikawa, Julia; Iagher, Fabiola; Naliwaiko, Katya; Tanhoffer, Ricardo A; Nunes, Everson A; Fernandes, Luiz Claudio

    2011-04-28

    Obesity is commonly associated with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The purpose of this study was to determinate the effect of a lower dose of fish oil supplementation on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and muscle metabolism in obese rats. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (4 mg/g body weight) was injected in neonatal Wistar male rats. Three-month-old rats were divided in normal-weight control group (C), coconut fat-treated normal weight group (CO), fish oil-treated normal weight group (FO), obese control group (Ob), coconut fat-treated obese group (ObCO) and fish oil-treated obese group (ObFO). Obese insulin-resistant rats were supplemented with fish oil or coconut fat (1 g/kg/day) for 4 weeks. Insulin sensitivity, fasting blood biochemicals parameters, and skeletal muscle glucose metabolism were analyzed. Obese animals (Ob) presented higher Index Lee and 2.5 fold epididymal and retroperitoneal adipose tissue than C. Insulin sensitivity test (Kitt) showed that fish oil supplementation was able to maintain insulin sensitivity of obese rats (ObFO) similar to C. There were no changes in glucose and HDL-cholesterol levels amongst groups. Yet, ObFO revealed lower levels of total cholesterol (TC; 30%) and triacylglycerol (TG; 33%) compared to Ob. Finally, since exposed to insulin, ObFO skeletal muscle revealed an increase of 10% in lactate production, 38% in glycogen synthesis and 39% in oxidation of glucose compared to Ob. Low dose of fish oil supplementation (1 g/kg/day) was able to reduce TC and TG levels, in addition to improved systemic and muscle insulin sensitivity. These results lend credence to the benefits of n-3 fatty acids upon the deleterious effects of insulin resistance mechanisms.

  7. Gestational Undernourishment Modifies the Composition of Skeletal Muscle Transverse Tubule Membranes and the Mechanical Properties of Muscles in Newborn Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Tonathiu Ramírez-Oseguera

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Backgroud/Aims: Skeletal muscle (SM constitutes more than 40% of the body weight in adulthood. Transports dietary glucose mainly through the insulin-dependent glucose transporter (Glut-4 located in the Transverse tubule membrane system (TT. The TT development ends shortly after birth. The TT membrane hosts the proteins involved in excitation-contraction coupling and glucose uptake. Glycaemic regulation through movement is a key function of fully developed skeletal muscle. In this study, we aimed to characterize the effect of gestational undernourishment (GUN in rats GLUT-4 expression and on the protein/lipid content of the TT membranes. We also examined the effect of GUN on the mechanical properties of muscles as an indication of the metabolic condition of the SM at birth. Methods: Isolated TT membrane from SM of GUN rats were used to study lipid/protein content and protein stability by differential scanning calorimetry. The effect of GUN on the SM mechanical properties was determined in isolated Extensor Digitorum Longus (EDL muscle. Results: We demonstrate that compared to control, GUN in the new-born produces; i decreases body weight; ii diminution in SM mass; iii decreases the formation of TT membranes; iv expresses TT membrane proteins with higher thermal stability. The TT membrane expression of GLUT-4 in GUN offspring was twice that of controls. The isolated EDL of GUN offspring was 20% stronger as measured by contractile force and more resistant to fatigue relative to controls. Conclusion; These results provide the first evidence of adaptive changes of the SM in new-borns exposed to severe gestational food restriction. The effects of GUN on muscle at birth are the first step toward detrimental SM metabolic function, contributing to the physiopathology of metabolic diseases in adulthood.

  8. Gestational undernourishment modifies the composition of skeletal muscle transverse tubule membranes and the mechanical properties of muscles in newborn rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez-Oseguera, Ricardo Tonathiu; Jiménez-Garduño, Aura Matilde; Alvarez, Rocío; Heine, Katharina; Pinzón-Estrada, Enrique; Torres-Saldaña, Ismael; Ortega, Alicia

    2013-01-01

    [corrected] Skeletal muscle (SM) constitutes more than 40% of the body weight in adulthood. Transports dietary glucose mainly through the insulin-dependent glucose transporter (Glut-4) located in the Transverse tubule membrane system (TT). The TT development ends shortly after birth. The TT membrane hosts the proteins involved in excitation-contraction coupling and glucose uptake. Glycaemic regulation through movement is a key function of fully developed skeletal muscle. In this study, we aimed to characterize the effect of gestational undernourishment (GUN) in rats GLUT-4 expression and on the protein/lipid content of the TT membranes. We also examined the effect of GUN on the mechanical properties of muscles as an indication of the metabolic condition of the SM at birth. Isolated TT membrane from SM of GUN rats were used to study lipid/protein content and protein stability by differential scanning calorimetry. The effect of GUN on the SM mechanical properties was determined in isolated Extensor Digitorum Longus (EDL) muscle. We demonstrate that compared to control, GUN in the new-born produces; i) decreases body weight; ii) diminution in SM mass; iii) decreases the formation of TT membranes; iv) expresses TT membrane proteins with higher thermal stability. The TT membrane expression of GLUT-4 in GUN offspring was twice that of controls. The isolated EDL of GUN offspring was 20% stronger as measured by contractile force and more resistant to fatigue relative to controls. These results provide the first evidence of adaptive changes of the SM in new-borns exposed to severe gestational food restriction. The effects of GUN on muscle at birth are the first step toward detrimental SM metabolic function, contributing to the physiopathology of metabolic diseases in adulthood. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel

  9. Exercise training and return to a well-balanced diet activate the neuregulin 1/ErbB pathway in skeletal muscle of obese rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ennequin, Gaël; Boisseau, Nathalie; Caillaud, Kevin; Chavanelle, Vivien; Gerbaix, Maude; Metz, Lore; Etienne, Monique; Walrand, Stéphane; Masgrau, Aurélie; Guillet, Christelle; Courteix, Daniel; Niu, Airu; Li, Yi-Ping; Capel, Fréderic; Sirvent, Pascal

    2015-01-01

    Some studies suggest that the signalling pathway of neuregulin 1 (NRG1), a protein involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism, could be altered by nutritional and exercise interventions. We hypothesized that diet-induced obesity could lead to alterations of the NRG1 signalling pathway and that chronic exercise could improve NRG1 signalling in rat skeletal muscle. To test this hypothesis, male Wistar rats received a high fat/high sucrose (HF/HS) diet for 16 weeks. At the end of this period, NRG1 and ErbB expression/activity in skeletal muscle was assessed. The obese rats then continued the HF/HS diet or were switched to a well-balanced diet. Moreover, in both groups, half of the animals also performed low intensity treadmill exercise training. After another 8 weeks, NRG1 and ErbB expression/activity in skeletal muscle were tested again. The 16 week HF/HS diet induced obesity, but did not significantly affect the NRG1/ErbB signalling pathway in rat skeletal muscle. Conversely, after the switch to a well-balanced diet, NRG1 cleavage ratio and ErbB4 amount were increased. Chronic exercise training also promoted NRG1 cleavage, resulting in increased ErbB4 phosphorylation. This result was associated with increased protein expression and phosphorylation ratio of the metalloprotease ADAM17, which is involved in NRG1 shedding. Similarly, in vitro stretch-induced activation of ADAM17 in rat myoblasts induced NRG1 cleavage and ErbB4 activation. These results show that low intensity endurance training and well-balanced diet activate the NRG1-ErbB4 pathway, possibly via the metalloprotease ADAM17, in skeletal muscle of diet-induced obese rats. PMID:25820551

  10. De novo synthesis of purine nucleotides in different fiber types of rat skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tullson, P.C.; John-Alder, H.; Hood, D.A.; Terjung, R.L.

    1986-01-01

    The contribution of de novo purine nucleotide synthesis to nucleotide metabolism in skeletal muscles is not known. The authors have determined rates of de novo synthesis in soleus (slow-twitch red), red gastrocnemius (fast-twitch red), and white gastrocnemius (fast-twitch white) using the perfused rat hindquarter. 14 C glycine incorporation into ATP was linear after 1 and 2 hours of perfusion with 0.2 mM added glycine. The intracellular (I) and extracellular (E) specific activity of 14 C glycine was determined by HPLC of phenylisothiocyanate derivatives of neutralized PCA extracts. The rates of de novo synthesis when expressed relative to muscle ATP content show slow and fast-twitch red muscles to be similar and about twice as great as fast-twitch white muscles. This could represent a greater turnover of the adenine nucleotide pool in more oxidative red muscle types

  11. Imaging of human sodium-iodide symporter gene expression mediated by recombinant adenovirus in skeletal muscle of living rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Hyun Suk; Park, Seong-Wook [Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology), Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-dong, Songpa-gu, 138-736, Seoul (Korea); Lee, Heuiran; Kim, Sung Jin [Department of Microbiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea); Lee, Won Woo [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam (Korea); Department of Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea); Yang, You-Jung; Moon, Dae Hyuk [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea)

    2004-09-01

    We evaluated the feasibility of non-invasive imaging of recombinant adenovirus-mediated human sodium-iodide symporter (hNIS) gene expression by {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} scintigraphy in skeletal muscle of rats. Replication-defective recombinant adenovirus encoding hNIS gene [Rad-CMV-hNIS 5 x 10{sup 7}, 2 x 10{sup 8} or 1 x 10{sup 9} plaque forming units (pfu)] or {beta}-galactosidase gene (Rad-CMV-LacZ 1 x 10{sup 9} pfu) was injected into the right biceps femoris muscle of rats (n=5-6 for each group). Three days after gene transfer, scintigraphy was performed using a gamma camera 30 min after injection of {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} (1.85 MBq). An additional two rats injected with 1 x 10{sup 9} pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS underwent {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} scintigraphy with sodium perchlorate. After the imaging studies, rats were sacrificed for assessment of the biodistribution of {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} and measurement of hNIS mRNA expression. In all the rats injected with 1 x 10{sup 9} pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS, hNIS expression was successfully imaged by {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} scintigraphy, while rats injected with Rad-CMV-LacZ or lower doses of Rad-CMV-hNIS failed to show uptake. The biodistribution studies indicated that a significantly different amount of {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} was retained in the liver (p<0.001) and the right muscle (p<0.05), with the highest uptake in rats injected with 1 x 10{sup 9} pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS. The muscular hNIS mRNA level quantified by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was significantly higher in rats injected with 1 x 10{sup 9} pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS (p<0.05), with a positive correlation with the imaging counts (r=0.810, p<0.05) and the biodistribution (r=0.847, p<0.001). Hot spots in rats injected with 1 x 10{sup 9} pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS were specifically inhibited by sodium perchlorate. This study illustrated that {sup 99m}TcO{sub 4}{sup -} scintigraphy can monitor Rad-CMV-hNIS-mediated gene expression in

  12. Skeletal muscle metabolism in hypokinetic rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tischler, Marc E.

    1993-01-01

    This grant focused on the mechanisms of metabolic changes associated with unweighting atrophy and reduced growth of hind limb muscles of juvenile rats. Metabolic studies included a number of different areas. Amino acid metabolic studies placed particular emphasis on glutamine and branched-chain amino acid metabolism. These studies were an outgrowth of understanding stress effects and the role of glucocorticoids in these animals. Investigations on protein metabolism were largely concerned with selective loss of myofibrillar proteins and the role of muscle proteolysis. These investigations lead to finding important differences from denervation and atrophy and to define the roles of cytosolic versus lysosomal proteolysis in these atrophy models. A major outgrowth of these studies was demonstrating an ability to prevent atrophy of the unweighted muscle for at least 24 hours. A large amount of work concentrated on carbohydrate metabolism and its regulation by insulin and catecholamines. Measurements focused on glucose transport, glycogen metabolism, and glucose oxidation. The grant was used to develop an important new in situ approach for studying protein metabolism, glucose transport, and hormonal effects which involves intramuscular injection of various agents for up to 24 hours. Another important consequence of this project was the development and flight of Physiological-Anatomical Rodent Experiment-1 (PARE-1), which was launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in September 1991. Detailed descriptions of these studies can be found in the 30 peer-reviewed publications, 15 non-reviewed publications, 4 reviews and 33 abstracts (total 82 publications) which were or are scheduled to be published as a result of this project. A listing of these publications grouped by area (i.e. amino acid metabolism, protein metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and space flight studies) are included.

  13. Time course of training-induced microcirculatory changes and of vegf expression in skeletal muscles of spontaneously hypertensive female rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.L. Amaral

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Exercise-induced vessel changes modulate arterial pressure (AP in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF is important for angiogenesis of skeletal muscle. The present study evaluated the time course of VEGF and angiogenesis after short- and long-term exercise training of female SHR and Wistar Kyoto (WKY rats, 8-9 weeks (200-250 g. Rats were allocated to daily training or remained sedentary for 3 days (N = 23 or 13 weeks (N = 23. After training, the carotid artery was catheterized for AP measurements. Locomotor (tibialis anterior and gracilis and non-locomotor skeletal muscles (temporalis were harvested and prepared for histologic and protein expression analyses. Training increased treadmill performance by all groups (SHR = 28%, WKY = 64%, 3 days and (SHR = 141%, WKY = 122%, 13 weeks. SHR had higher values of AP than WKY (174 ± 4 vs 111 ± 2 mmHg that were not altered by training. Three days of running increased VEGF expression (SHR = 28%, WKY = 36% simultaneously with an increase in capillary-to-fiber ratio in gracilis muscle (SHR = 19%, WKY = 15%. In contrast, 13 weeks of training increased gracilis capillary-to-fiber ratio (SHR = 18%, WKY = 19%, without simultaneous changes in VEGF expression. Training did not change VEGF expression and capillarity of temporalis muscle. We conclude that training stimulates time- and tissue-dependent VEGF protein expression, independent of pressure levels. VEGF triggers angiogenesis in locomotor skeletal muscle shortly after the exercise starts, but is not involved in the maintenance of capillarity after long-term exercise in female rats.

  14. Continuous Aerobic Training in Individualized Intensity Avoids Spontaneous Physical Activity Decline and Improves MCT1 Expression in Oxidative Muscle of Swimming Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scariot, Pedro P M; Manchado-Gobatto, Fúlvia de Barros; Torsoni, Adriana S; Dos Reis, Ivan G M; Beck, Wladimir R; Gobatto, Claudio A

    2016-01-01

    Although aerobic training has been shown to affect the lactate transport of skeletal muscle, there is no information concerning the effect of continuous aerobic training on spontaneous physical activity (SPA). Because every movement in daily life (i.e., SPA) is generated by skeletal muscle, we think that it is possible that an improvement of SPA could affect the physiological properties of muscle with regard to lactate transport. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 12 weeks of continuous aerobic training in individualized intensity on SPA of rats and their gene expressions of monocarboxylate transporters (MCT) 1 and 4 in soleus (oxidative) and white gastrocnemius (glycolytic) muscles. We also analyzed the effect of continuous aerobic training on aerobic and anaerobic parameters using the lactate minimum test (LMT). Sixty-day-old rats were randomly divided into three groups: a baseline group in which rats were evaluated prior to initiation of the study; a control group (Co) in which rats were kept without any treatment during 12 weeks; and a chronic exercise group (Tr) in which rats swam for 40 min/day, 5 days/week at 80% of anaerobic threshold during 12 weeks. After the experimental period, SPA of rats was measured using a gravimetric method. Rats had their expression of MCTs determined by RT-PCR analysis. In essence, aerobic training is effective in maintaining SPA, but did not prevent the decline of aerobic capacity and anaerobic performance, leading us to propose that the decline of SPA is not fully attributed to a deterioration of physical properties. Changes in SPA were concomitant with changes in MCT1 expression in the soleus muscle of trained rats, suggestive of an additional adaptive response toward increased lactate clearance. This result is in line with our observation showing a better equilibrium on lactate production-remotion during the continuous exercise (LMT). We propose an approach to combat the decline of SPA of rats in their home

  15. Stress Softening Behavior in the Mucosa-Submucosa and Muscle Layers in Normal and Diabetic Rat Esophagus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jiang, Hongbo; Liao, Donghua; Zhao, Jingbo

    2015-01-01

    Background & aims: Stress softening is a feature of mechanical preconditioning in soft tissue. Previously, we demonstrated that esophageal stress softening is reversible by muscle activation with KCl. Since the esophagus consists of muscle and mucosa-submucosa layers, the aim was to study...... the stress softening behavior in these layers in normal and diabetic rat esophagus and how diabetes affect the reversibility of esophageal stress softening.Methods: Ten Wistar rats were injected with STZ and the average blood glucose level reached 25 mmol/L after 8 weeks. Ten rats were used as the normal......M KCl was added for maximum contraction for 3min. KCl was washed out to permit relaxation and contractions were eliminated by immersion into Ca2+-free solution. After 1h rest, the tubes were exposed to five repeated ramp distensions conformed to the aforesaid two series. Stress-strain curves were used...

  16. Alcohol-induced decrease in muscle protein synthesis associated with increased binding of mTOR and raptor: Comparable effects in young and mature rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vary Thomas C

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Acute alcohol (EtOH intoxication decreases muscle protein synthesis via inhibition of mTOR-dependent translation initiation. However, these studies have been performed in relatively young rapidly growing rats in which muscle protein accretion is more sensitive to growth factor and nutrient stimulation. Furthermore, some in vivo-produced effects of EtOH vary in an age-dependent manner. The hypothesis tested in the present study was that young rats will show a more pronounced decrement in muscle protein synthesis than older mature rats in response to acute EtOH intoxication. Methods Male F344 rats were studied at approximately 3 (young or 12 (mature months of age. Young rats were injected intraperitoneally with 75 mmol/kg of EtOH, and mature rats injected with either 75 or 90 mmol/kg EtOH. Time-matched saline-injected control rats were included for both age groups. Gastrocnemius protein synthesis and the activity of the mTOR pathway were assessed 2.5 h after EtOH using [3H]-labeled phenylalanine and the phosphorylation of various protein factors known to regulate peptide-chain initiation. Results Blood alcohol levels (BALs were lower in mature rats compared to young rats after administration of 75 mmol/kg EtOH (154 ± 23 vs 265 ± 24 mg/dL. However, injection of 90 mmol/kg EtOH in mature rats produced BALs comparable to that of young rats (281 ± 33 mg/dL. EtOH decreased muscle protein synthesis similarly in both young and high-dose EtOH-treated mature rats. The EtOH-induced changes in both groups were associated with a concomitant reduction in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation, and redistribution of eIF4E between the active eIF4E·eIF4G and inactive eIF4E·4EBP1 complex. Moreover, EtOH increased the binding of mTOR with raptor in a manner which appeared to be AMPK- and TSC-independent. In contrast, although muscle protein synthesis was unchanged in mature rats given low-dose EtOH, compared to control values, the phosphorylation of rpS6

  17. Squalene Modulates Radiation-Induced Structural, Ultrastructural And Biochemical Changes In Cardiac Muscles Of Male Albino Rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    REZK, R.G.; YACOUB, S.F.; ABDEL AZIZ, N.

    2009-01-01

    The failing heart represents an enormous clinical problem and is a major cause of death throughout the world. Hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress have been shown to contribute to heart failure. Squalene is a remarkable bioactive substance that belongs to a class of antioxidants called isoprenoids, which neutralize the harmful effect of excessive free radicals production in the body.The present study was designed to determine the possible protective effect of squalene against oxidative cardiac muscle damage induced by gamma irradiation.Rats were treated daily by gavage with 0.4 ml/kg squalene for 42 days before whole body gamma irradiation at a dose of 4 Gy and continued until animals were sacrificed 3 days post irradiation.Histological examination of cardiac muscles sections by using light and electron microscopes showed that exposure of rats to ionizing radiation has provoked a severe architecture damage such as necrotic nuclei, nuclei located at the periphery, alteration in chromatin distribution, ruptured cell and mitochondrial membranes, cristae of mitochondria disappeared, sticking mitochondria and ruptured myofibers. Structural and ultra-structural changes were associated with severe oxidative stress. Significant increase of lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde) (MDA) along with reduction in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalse (CAT), and glutathione content (GSH), were recorded.Treatment of rats with squalene has significantly attenuated the radiation-induced oxidative damage and histopathological changes in cardiac muscle which was substantiated by a significant amelioration in the activity of plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and aspartate transaminase (AST). Furthermore, administration of squalene to rats has adjusted the radiation-induced increase in plasma triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). Based on these results, it

  18. Expression of developmental myosin and morphological characteristics in adult rat skeletal muscle following exercise-induced injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, H K; Plyley, M J; Rodgers, C D; McKee, N H

    1999-07-01

    The extent and stability of the expression of developmental isoforms of myosin heavy chain (MHCd), and their association with cellular morphology, were determined in adult rat skeletal muscle fibres following injury induced by eccentrically-biased exercise. Adult female Wistar rats [274 (10) g] were either assigned as non-exercised controls or subjected to 30 min of treadmill exercise (grade, -16 degrees; speed, 15 m x min(-1)), and then sacrificed following 1, 2, 4, 7, or 12 days of recovery (n = 5-6 per group). Histologically and immunohistologically stained serial, transverse cryosections of the soleus (S), vastus intermedius (VI), and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were examined using light microscopy and digital imaging. Fibres staining positively for MHCd (MHCd+) were seldom detected in the TA. In the VI and S, higher proportions of MHCd+ fibres (0.8% and 2.5%, respectively) were observed in rats at 4 and 7 days post-exercise, in comparison to all other groups combined (0.2%, 1.2%; P < or = 0.01). In S, MHCd+ fibres were observed less frequently by 12 days (0.7%) than at 7 days (2.6%) following exercise. The majority (85.1%) of the MHCd+ fibres had morphological characteristics indicative of either damage, degeneration, repair or regeneration. Most of the MHCd+ fibres also expressed adult slow, and/or fast myosin heavy chain. Quantitatively, the MHCd+ fibres were smaller (< 2500 microm2) and more angular than fibres not expressing MHCd. Thus, there was a transient increase in a small, but distinct population of MHCd+ fibres following unaccustomed, functional exercise in adult rat S and VI muscles. The observed close coupling of MHCd expression with morphological changes within muscle fibres suggests that these characteristics have a common, initial exercise-induced injury-related stimulus.

  19. Nitric oxide agents impair insulin-mediated signal transduction in rat skeletal muscle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ragoobirsingh Dalip

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Evidence demonstrates that exogenously administered nitric oxide (NO can induce insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. We have investigated the modulatory effects of two NO donors, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-D, L-penicillamine (SNAP and S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO on the early events in insulin signaling in rat skeletal myocytes. Results Skeletal muscle cells from 6–8 week old Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with SNAP or GSNO (25 ng/ml in the presence or absence of glucose (25 mM and insulin (100 nM. Cellular insulin receptor-β levels and tyrosine phosphorylation in IRS-1 were significantly reduced, while serine phosphorylation in IRS-1 was significantly increased in these cells, when compared to the insulin-stimulated control. Reversal to near normal levels was achieved using the NO scavenger, 2-(4-carboxyphenyl-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide (carboxy-PTIO. Conclusion These data suggest that NO is a potent modulator of insulin-mediated signal transduction and may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

  20. β–Hydroxy β–Methylbutyrate Improves Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Atrophy by Modulating the Muscle Degradation Pathway in SD Rat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Yeon Ja; Park, Min Hi; Jang, Eun Ji; Park, Chan Hum; Yoon, Changshin; Kim, Nam Deuk; Kim, Mi Kyung; Chung, Hae Young

    2014-01-01

    Skeletal muscle atrophy results from various conditions including high levels of glucocorticoids, and β–hydroxy β–methylbutyrate (HMB; a metabolite of leucine) is a potent therapeutical supplement used to treat various muscle disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated that HMB inhibits dexamethasone-induced atrophy in cultured myotubes, but its effect on dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy has not been determined in vivo. In the present study, we investigated the effect of HMB on dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy in rats. Treatment with dexamethasone weakened grip strengths and increased muscle damage as determined by increased serum creatine kinase levels and by histological analysis. Dexamethasone treatment also reduced both soleus and gastrocnemius muscle masses. However, HMB supplementation significantly prevented reductions in grip strengths, reduced muscle damage, and prevented muscle mass and protein concentration decrease in soleus muscle. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that dexamethasone markedly increased levels of MuRF1 protein, which causes the ubiquitination and degradation of MyHC. Indeed, dexamethasone treatment decreased MyHC protein expression and increased the ubiquitinated-MyHC to MyHC ratio. However, HMB supplementation caused the down-regulations of MuRF1 protein and of ubiquitinated-MyHC. Furthermore, additional experiments provided evidence that HMB supplementation inhibited the nuclear translocation of FOXO1 induced by dexamethasone, and showed increased MyoD expression in the nuclear fractions of soleus muscles. These findings suggest that HMB supplementation attenuates dexamethasone-induced muscle wasting by regulating FOXO1 transcription factor and subsequent MuRF1 expression. Accordingly, our results suggest that HMB supplementation could be used to prevent steroid myopathy. PMID:25032690

  1. Effects of high-intensity swimming training on GLUT-4 and glucose transport activity in rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terada, S; Yokozeki, T; Kawanaka, K; Ogawa, K; Higuchi, M; Ezaki, O; Tabata, I

    2001-06-01

    This study was performed to assess the effects of short-term, extremely high-intensity intermittent exercise training on the GLUT-4 content of rat skeletal muscle. Three- to four-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats with an initial body weight ranging from 45 to 55 g were used for this study. These rats were randomly assigned to an 8-day period of high-intensity intermittent exercise training (HIT), relatively high-intensity intermittent prolonged exercise training (RHT), or low-intensity prolonged exercise training (LIT). Age-matched sedentary rats were used as a control. In the HIT group, the rats repeated fourteen 20-s swimming bouts with a weight equivalent to 14, 15, and 16% of body weight for the first 2, the next 4, and the last 2 days, respectively. Between exercise bouts, a 10-s pause was allowed. RHT consisted of five 17-min swimming bouts with a 3-min rest between bouts. During the first bout, the rat swam without weight, whereas during the following four bouts, the rat was attached to a weight equivalent to 4 and 5% of its body weight for the first 5 days and the following 3 days, respectively. Rats in the LIT group swam 6 h/day for 8 days in two 3-h bouts separated by 45 min of rest. In the first experiment, the HIT, LIT, and control rats were compared. GLUT-4 content in the epitrochlearis muscle in the HIT and LIT groups after training was significantly higher than that in the control rats by 83 and 91%, respectively. Furthermore, glucose transport activity, stimulated maximally by both insulin (2 mU/ml) (HIT: 48%, LIT: 75%) and contractions (25 10-s tetani) (HIT: 55%, LIT: 69%), was higher in the training groups than in the control rats. However, no significant differences in GLUT-4 content or in maximal glucose transport activity in response to both insulin and contractions were observed between the two training groups. The second experiment demonstrated that GLUT-4 content after HIT did not differ from that after RHT (66% higher in trained rats than

  2. Regenerative Potential of D-δ-Tocotrienol Rich Fraction on Crushed Skeletal Muscle of Diabetic Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bijo Elsy

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Delayed muscle growth and regeneration of skeletal muscle in diabetics is believed to be due to diabetic myopathy because of alteration in the skeletal muscle homeostatis. Since vitamin E is a natural antioxidant and is also important for the integrity of sarcolemma, the present study was designed to explore the muscle regenerative potency of d-δ-tocotrienol-rich fraction (d-δ-TRF on crushed skeletal muscle in healthy and diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Diabetes was induced through single subcutaneous injection of alloxan (100 mg/kg. Twenty-four albino rats were divided into four groups; healthy control, diabetic control, healthy treated, and diabetic treated. Treated groups received injections orally, daily (200 mg/kg for 3 weeks. A horizontal skin incision was made on the shaved right mid-thigh region, by splitting the fascia between gluteus maximus and tensor fascia lata, and gluteus maximus was crushed with Kocher’s forceps. Skin wound was closed with an absorbable suture. The crushed muscle changes were studied by assessing the histopathological features, histomorphological measurements, and biochemical analyses on 3rd week following induction of injury. One-way “ANOVA” followed by Tukey’s test and Student t-test were used for statistical analysis of data. Results: Results obtained through various methods indicate that the d-δ-TRF treated groups have controlled glycemic status, improved antioxidant capacity, faster revascularization, re-innervation, regeneration of myofibers, and connective tissue remodeling. Conclusion: It is, therefore, concluded that the d-δ-TRF is a beneficial nutritional adjuvant for skeletal muscles’ structural and functional recovery after crushed injury in both healthy and diabetics. [J Interdiscip Histopathol 2017; 5(2.000: 36-42

  3. Age-associated disruption of molecular clock expression in skeletal muscle of the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mitsunori Miyazaki

    Full Text Available It is well known that spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR develop muscle pathologies with hypertension and heart failure, though the mechanism remains poorly understood. Woon et al. (2007 linked the circadian clock gene Bmal1 to hypertension and metabolic dysfunction in the SHR. Building on these findings, we compared the expression pattern of several core-clock genes in the gastrocnemius muscle of aged SHR (80 weeks; overt heart failure compared to aged-matched control WKY strain. Heart failure was associated with marked effects on the expression of Bmal1, Clock and Rora in addition to several non-circadian genes important in regulating skeletal muscle phenotype including Mck, Ttn and Mef2c. We next performed circadian time-course collections at a young age (8 weeks; pre-hypertensive and adult age (22 weeks; hypertensive to determine if clock gene expression was disrupted in gastrocnemius, heart and liver tissues prior to or after the rats became hypertensive. We found that hypertensive/hypertrophic SHR showed a dampening of peak Bmal1 and Rev-erb expression in the liver, and the clock-controlled gene Pgc1α in the gastrocnemius. In addition, the core-clock gene Clock and the muscle-specific, clock-controlled gene Myod1, no longer maintained a circadian pattern of expression in gastrocnemius from the hypertensive SHR. These findings provide a framework to suggest a mechanism whereby chronic heart failure leads to skeletal muscle pathologies; prolonged dysregulation of the molecular clock in skeletal muscle results in altered Clock, Pgc1α and Myod1 expression which in turn leads to the mis-regulation of target genes important for mechanical and metabolic function of skeletal muscle.

  4. The lumbrical muscle: a novel in situ system to evaluate adult skeletal muscle proteolysis and anticatabolic drugs for therapeutic purposes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergantin, Leandro Bueno; Figueiredo, Leonardo Bruno; Godinho, Rosely Oliveira

    2011-12-01

    The molecular regulation of skeletal muscle proteolysis and the pharmacological screening of anticatabolic drugs have been addressed by measuring tyrosine release from prepubertal rat skeletal muscles, which are thin enough to allow adequate in vitro diffusion of oxygen and substrates. However, the use of muscle at accelerated prepubertal growth has limited the analysis of adult muscle proteolysis or that associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Here we established the adult rat lumbrical muscle (4/hindpaw; 8/rat) as a new in situ experimental model for dynamic measurement of skeletal muscle proteolysis. By incubating lumbrical muscles attached to their individual metatarsal bones in Tyrode solution, we showed that the muscle proteolysis rate of adult and aged rats (3-4 to 24 mo old) is 45-25% of that in prepubertal animals (1 mo old), which makes questionable the usual extrapolation of proteolysis from prepubertal to adult/senile muscles. While acute mechanical injury or 1- to 7-day denervation increased tyrosine release from adult lumbrical muscle by up to 60%, it was reduced by 20-28% after 2-h incubation with β-adrenoceptor agonists, forskolin or phosphodiesterase inhibitor IBMX. Using inhibitors of 26S-proteasome (MG132), lysosome (methylamine), or calpain (E64/leupeptin) systems, we showed that ubiquitin-proteasome is accountable for 40-50% of total lumbrical proteolysis of adult, middle-aged, and aged rats. In conclusion, the lumbrical model allows the analysis of muscle proteolysis rate from prepubertal to senile rats. By permitting eight simultaneous matched measurements per rat, the new model improves similar protocols performed in paired extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles from prepubertal rats, optimizing the pharmacological screening of drugs for anticatabolic purposes.

  5. Fibre type composition of soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles in normal female inbred Lewis rats

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Soukup, Tomáš; Zachařová, Gisela; Smerdu, V.

    2002-01-01

    Roč. 104, č. 4 (2002), s. 399-405 ISSN 0065-1281 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA304/00/1653 Grant - others:CZ - SI Czech-Slovenian Intergovernmental S&T Co-operation(XC) - Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922 Keywords : inbred Lewis rats * skeletal muscles * soleus and EDL muscles Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 0.867, year: 2002

  6. Vanilloid receptor expressed in the sarcoplasmic reticulum of rat skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xin Hong; Tanaka, Hideyuki; Yamaguchi, Maki; Takemori, Shigeru; Nakamura, Akio; Kohama, Kazuhiro

    2005-01-01

    Vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1) was cloned as a capsaicin receptor from neuronal cells of dorsal root ganglia. VR1 was subsequently found in a few non-neuronal tissues, including skeletal muscle [Onozawa et al., Tissue distribution of capsaicin receptor in the various organs of rats, Proc. Jpn. Acad. Ser. B 76 (2000) 68-72]. We confirmed the expression of VR1 in muscle cells using the RT-PCR method and Western blot analysis. Immunostaining studies with a confocal microscope and an electron microscope indicated that VR1 was present in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), a store of Ca 2+ . The SR releases Ca 2+ to cause a contraction when a muscle is excited. However, SR still releases a small amount of Ca 2+ under relaxed conditions. We found that this leakage was enhanced by capsaicin and was antagonized by capsazepine, a capsaicin blocker, indicating that leakage of Ca 2+ occurs through a channel composed of VR1

  7. Glycogen supercompensation in rat soleus muscle during recovery from nonweight bearing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henriksen, Erik J.; Kirby, Christopher R.; Tischler, Marc E.

    1989-01-01

    Events leading to the normalization of the glycogen metabolism in the soleus muscle of rat, altered by 72-h three days of hind-limb suspension, were investigated during the 72-h recovery period when the animals were allowed to bear weight on all four limbs. Relative importance of the factors affecting glycogen metabolism in skeletal muscle during the recovery period was also examined. Glycogen concentration was found to decrease within 15 min and up to 2 h of recovery, while muscle glucose 6-phosphate, and the fractional activities of glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen synthase increased. From 2 to 4 h, when the glycogen synthase activity remained elevated and the phosphorylase activity declined, glycogen concentration increased, until it reached maximum values at about 24 h, after which it started to decrease, reaching control values by 72 h. At 12 and 24 h, the inverse relationship between glycogen concentration and the synthase activity ratio was lost, indicating that the reloading transiently uncoupled glycogen control of this enzyme.

  8. Leucine Supplementation in a Chronically Protein-Restricted Diet Enhances Muscle Weight and Postprandial Protein Synthesis of Skeletal Muscle by Promoting the mTOR Pathway in Adult Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Zhang

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Low protein intake causes a decrease in protein deposition in most animal tissues. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether leucine supplementation would increase the synthesis rate of protein and muscle weight in adult rats, which chronically consume only 58.8% of their protein requirements. Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of three dietary treatments including a 20% casein diet (CON, a 10% casein + 0.44% alanine diet (R, and a 10% casein + 0.87% leucine diet (RL. After a 10 d dietary treatment, plasma amino acid levels were measured after feeding, the gastrocnemius muscles and soleus muscles were harvested and weighed, and the fractional synthesis rate (FSR and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR signaling proteins in skeletal muscle were measured. Regarding the plasma amino acid level, the RL group had the highest concentration of leucine (P < 0.05 and the lowest concentration of isoleucine (P < 0.05 among the three groups, and the CON group had a lower concentration of valine (P < 0.05 than the R and RL groups. Compared with the R and RL groups, the CON group diet significantly increased (P < 0.05 feed intake, protein synthesis rate, and the phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1, and decreased the weight of abdominal adipose. Compared with the R group, the RL group significantly increased in gastrocnemius muscle weight, protein synthesis rate, and phosphorylation of both ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1 and 4E-BP1. In conclusion, when protein is chronically restricted in adult rat diets, leucine supplementation moderately improves body weight gain and increases muscle protein synthesis through mTOR activation.

  9. Catalase-positive microperoxisomes in rat soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscle fiber types

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, Danny A.; Bain, James L. W.; Ellis, Stanley

    1988-01-01

    The size, distribution, and content of catalase-reactive microperoxisomes were investigated cytochemically in three types of muscle fibers from the soleus and the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) of male rats. Muscle fibers were classified on the basis of the mitochondrial content and distribution, the Z-band widths, and the size and shape of myofibrils as the slow-twitch oxidative (SO), the fast-twitch oxidative glycolytic (FOG), and the fast-twitch glycolytic (FG) fibers. It was found that both the EDL and soleus SO fibers possessed the largest microperoxisomes. A comparison of microperoxisome number per muscle fiber area or the microperoxisome area per fiber area revealed following ranking, starting from the largest number and the area-ratio values: soleus SO, EDL SO, EDL FOG, and EDL FG.

  10. Wortmannin inhibits both insulin- and contraction-stimulated glucose uptake and transport in rat skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wojtaszewski, Jørgen; Hansen, B F; Ursø, Birgitte

    1996-01-01

    The role of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase for insulin- and contraction-stimulated muscle glucose transport was investigated in rat skeletal muscle perfused with a cell-free perfusate. The insulin receptor substrate-1-associated PI 3-kinase activity was increased sixfold upon insulin...... stimulation but was unaffected by contractions. In addition, the insulin-stimulated PI 3-kinase activity and muscle glucose uptake and transport in individual muscles were dose-dependently inhibited by wortmannin with one-half maximal inhibition values of approximately 10 nM and total inhibition at 1 micro......M. This concentration of wortmannin also decreased the contraction-stimulated glucose transport and uptake by approximately 30-70% without confounding effects on contractility or on muscle ATP and phosphocreatine concentrations. At higher concentrations (3 and 10 microM), wortmannin completely blocked the contraction...

  11. Chronic massive rotator cuff tear in rats: in vivo evaluation of muscle force and three-dimensional histologic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ditsios, Konstantinos; Boutsiadis, Achilleas; Kapoukranidou, Dorothea; Chatzisotiriou, Athanasios; Kalpidis, Ioannis; Albani, Maria; Christodoulou, Anastasios

    2014-12-01

    Massive rotator cuff tear repair is frequently complicated by unsatisfactory clinical results due to possible tendon retraction, muscle atrophy, and fatty degeneration. The objective of this study was the development of a chronic massive tear in a rat model and the evaluation of the muscle force in vivo and of the histologic changes in a 3- dimensional manner. To simulate massive rotator cuff tears, both the supraspinatus (SS) and the infraspinatus (IS) tendons were surgically detached from the right humerus of 15 male adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Twelve weeks postoperatively, all animals underwent isometric tension recordings of both the SS and IS muscles. Histologic analysis and image deconvolution processing were performed to estimate the presence and the distribution of atrophy in 3 dimensions. An overall 30% and 35% reduction in muscle force of the SS and IS muscles, respectively, was observed compared with the left uninjured shoulder (P muscle groups. These results show that functional impairment of SS and IS muscles after chronic massive tendon tears could be attributed to the decrease in muscle force production during their repair on the greater tuberosity and, second, to the comparatively greater degeneration of their dorsal part. Copyright © 2014 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Low fish oil intake improves insulin sensitivity, lipid profile and muscle metabolism on insulin resistant MSG-obese rats

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    Iagher Fabiola

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Obesity is commonly associated with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The purpose of this study was to determinate the effect of a lower dose of fish oil supplementation on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and muscle metabolism in obese rats. Methods Monosodium glutamate (MSG (4 mg/g body weight was injected in neonatal Wistar male rats. Three-month-old rats were divided in normal-weight control group (C, coconut fat-treated normal weight group (CO, fish oil-treated normal weight group (FO, obese control group (Ob, coconut fat-treated obese group (ObCO and fish oil-treated obese group (ObFO. Obese insulin-resistant rats were supplemented with fish oil or coconut fat (1 g/kg/day for 4 weeks. Insulin sensitivity, fasting blood biochemicals parameters, and skeletal muscle glucose metabolism were analyzed. Results Obese animals (Ob presented higher Index Lee and 2.5 fold epididymal and retroperitoneal adipose tissue than C. Insulin sensitivity test (Kitt showed that fish oil supplementation was able to maintain insulin sensitivity of obese rats (ObFO similar to C. There were no changes in glucose and HDL-cholesterol levels amongst groups. Yet, ObFO revealed lower levels of total cholesterol (TC; 30% and triacylglycerol (TG; 33% compared to Ob. Finally, since exposed to insulin, ObFO skeletal muscle revealed an increase of 10% in lactate production, 38% in glycogen synthesis and 39% in oxidation of glucose compared to Ob. Conclusions Low dose of fish oil supplementation (1 g/kg/day was able to reduce TC and TG levels, in addition to improved systemic and muscle insulin sensitivity. These results lend credence to the benefits of n-3 fatty acids upon the deleterious effects of insulin resistance mechanisms.

  13. Changes in mitochondrial perilipin 3 and perilipin 5 protein content in rat skeletal muscle following endurance training and acute stimulated contraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, S V; Turnbull, P C; MacPherson, R E K; LeBlanc, P J; Ward, W E; Peters, S J

    2015-04-01

    What is the central question of this study? The aim was to determine whether mitochondrial protein content of perilipin 3 (PLIN3) and perilipin 5 (PLIN5) is increased following endurance training and whether mitochondrial PLIN5 protein is increased to a greater extent in endurance-trained rats when compared with sedentary rats following acute contraction. What is the main finding and its importance? Mitochondrial PLIN3 but not PLIN5 protein was increased in endurance-trained compared with sedentary rats, suggesting a mitochondrial role for PLIN3 due to chronic exercise. Contrary to our hypothesis, acute mitochondrial PLIN5 protein was similar in both sedentary and endurance-trained rats. Endurance training results in an increased association between skeletal muscle lipid droplets and mitochondria. This association is likely to be important for the expected increase in intramuscular fatty acid oxidation that occurs with endurance training. The perilipin family of lipid droplet proteins, PLIN(2-5), are thought to play a role in skeletal muscle lipolysis. Recently, results from our laboratory demonstrated that skeletal muscle mitochondria contain PLIN3 and PLIN5 protein. Furthermore, 30 min of stimulated contraction induces an increased mitochondrial PLIN5 content. To determine whether mitochondrial content of PLIN3 and PLIN5 is altered with endurance training, Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into sedentary or endurance-trained groups for 8 weeks of treadmill running followed by an acute (30 min) sciatic nerve stimulation to induce lipolysis. Mitochondrial PLIN3 protein was ∼1.5-fold higher in red gastrocnemius of endurance-trained rats compared with sedentary animals, with no change in mitochondrial PLIN5 protein. In addition, there was an increase in plantaris intramuscular lipid storage. Acute electrically stimulated contraction in red gastrocnemius from sedentary and endurance-trained rats resulted in a similar increase of mitochondrial PLIN5 between

  14. Metabolism of branched-chain amino acids in leg muscles from tail-cast suspended intact and adrenalectomized rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaspers, Stephen R.; Henriksen, Erik; Jacob, Stephan; Tischler, Marc E.

    1989-01-01

    The effects of muscle unloading, adrenalectomy, and cortisol treatment on the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids in the soleus and extensor digitorum longus of tail-cast suspended rats were investigated using C-14-labeled lucine, isoleucine, and valine in incubation studies. It was found that, compared to not suspended controls, the degradation of branched-chain amino acids in hind limb muscles was accelerated in tail-cast suspended rats. Adrenalectomy was found to abolish the aminotransferase flux and to diminish the dehydrogenase flux in the soleus. The data also suggest that cortisol treatment increases the rate of metabolism of branched-chain amino acids at the dehydrogenase step.

  15. Cryotherapy Reduces Inflammatory Response Without Altering Muscle Regeneration Process and Extracellular Matrix Remodeling of Rat Muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira Ramos, Gracielle; Pinheiro, Clara Maria; Messa, Sabrina Peviani; Delfino, Gabriel Borges; Marqueti, Rita de Cássia; Salvini, Tania de Fátima; Durigan, Joao Luiz Quagliotti

    2016-01-04

    The application of cryotherapy is widely used in sports medicine today. Cooling could minimize secondary hypoxic injury through the reduction of cellular metabolism and injury area. Conflicting results have also suggested cryotherapy could delay and impair the regeneration process. There are no definitive findings about the effects of cryotherapy on the process of muscle regeneration. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a clinical-like cryotherapy on inflammation, regeneration and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling on the Tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of rats 3, 7 and 14 days post-injury. It was observed that the intermittent application of cryotherapy (three 30-minute sessions, every 2 h) in the first 48 h post-injury decreased inflammatory processes (mRNA levels of TNF-α, NF-κB, TGF-β and MMP-9 and macrophage percentage). Cryotherapy did not alter regeneration markers such as injury area, desmin and Myod expression. Despite regulating Collagen I and III and their growth factors, cryotherapy did not alter collagen deposition. In summary, clinical-like cryotherapy reduces the inflammatory process through the decrease of macrophage infiltration and the accumulation of the inflammatory key markers without influencing muscle injury area and ECM remodeling.

  16. Response of macrophages in rat skeletal muscle after eccentric exercise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Qun; Wang, Shu-Chen; Yu, Xin-Kai; Chao, Wei-Wei

    2018-04-01

    Macrophages are known to be important for healing numerous injured tissues depending on their functional phenotypes in response to different stimuli. The objective of this study was to reveal macrophage phenotypic changes involved in exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury and regeneration. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats experienced one session of downhill running (16° decline, 16 m/min) for 90 min. After exercise the blood and soleus muscles were collected at 0 h, 6 h, 12 h, 1 d, 2 d, 3 d, 1 w and 2 w after exercise, separately. It was showed that CD68 + M1 macrophages mainly infiltrated into muscle necrotic sites at 1-3 d, while CD163 + M2 macrophages were present in muscles from 0 h to 2 weeks after exercise. Using transmission electron microscopy, we observed activated satellite cells 1 d after exercise. Th1-associated transcripts of iNOS and Ccl2 were inhibited post exercise, while COX-2 mRNA was dramatically increased 12 h after running (p < 0.01). M2 phenotype marker Arg-1 increased 12 h and 3 d (p < 0.05, p < 0.01) after exercise, and Clec10a and Mrc2 were up-regulated in muscles 12 h following exercise (p < 0.05, p < 0.05). The data demonstrate the dynamic patterns of macrophage phenotype in skeletal muscle upon eccentric exercise stimuli, and M1 and M2 phenotypes perform different functions during exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury and recovery. Copyright © 2018 Daping Hospital and the Research Institute of Surgery of the Third Military Medical University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. MRI in occipital lobe infarcts: classification by involvement of the striate cortex

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kitajima, M. [Department of Radiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Kumamoto (Japan)]|[Department of Radiology, Kumamoto Rousai Hospital, Kumamoto (Japan); Korogi, Y.; Takahashi, M. [Department of Radiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Kumamoto (Japan); Kido, T.; Ikeda, O.; Morishita, S. [Department of Radiology, Kumamoto Rousai Hospital, Kumamoto (Japan)

    1998-11-01

    We reviewed the MRI studies of 25 patients with occipital lobe infarcts to clarify the distribution of infarcts in the posterior cerebral arterial territory, focussing on their relationship to the striate cortex. Visual field defects and MRI findings were also correlated in 16 patients. On coronal and/or sagittal images, the distribution of the infarct and its relationship to the striate cortex were classified. Involvement of the cortex of both upper and lower lips of the calcarine fissure was observed in 10 patients, and involvement of the lower lip alone in 15. The upper cortical lesions were always accompanied by lower cortical lesions. The visual field defects were complete hemianopia in nine patients, superior quadrantanopia in six and hemianopia with a preserved temporal crescent in one. All patients with superior quadrantanopia had involvement of the lower cortex alone; there were no cases of inferior quadrantanopia. The characteristic vascular anatomy, and poor development of the collateral circulation in the lower cortical area, may explain the vulnerability of this area to infarcts. (orig.) With 6 figs., 21 refs.

  18. Effects of hypothyroidism on the sensitivity of glycolysis and glycogen synthesis to insulin in the soleus muscle of the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dimitriadis, G D; Leighton, B; Parry-Billings, M; West, D; Newsholme, E A

    1989-01-01

    1. The effects of hypothyroidism on the sensitivity of glycolysis and glycogen synthesis to insulin were investigated in the isolated, incubated soleus muscle of the rat. 2. Hypothyroidism, which was induced by administration of propylthiouracil to the rats, decreased fasting plasma levels of free fatty acids and increased plasma levels of glucose but did not significantly change plasma levels of insulin. 3. The sensitivity of the rates of glycogen synthesis to insulin was increased at physiological, but decreased at supraphysiological, concentrations of insulin. 4. The rates of glycolysis in the hypothyroid muscles were decreased at all insulin concentrations studied and the EC50 for insulin was increased more than 8-fold; the latter indicates decreased sensitivity of this process to insulin. However, at physiological concentrations of insulin, the rates of glucose phosphorylation in the soleus muscles of hypothyroid rats were not different from controls. This suggests that hypothyroidism affects glucose metabolism in muscle not by affecting glucose transport but by decreasing the rate of glucose 6-phosphate conversion to lactate and increasing the rate of conversion of glucose 6-phosphate to glycogen. 5. The rates of glucose oxidation were decreased in the hypothyroid muscles at all insulin concentrations. PMID:2649073

  19. Artificial muscle: facts and fiction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaub, Marcus C

    2011-12-19

    Mechanical devices are sought to support insufficient or paralysed striated muscles including the failing heart. Nickel-titanium alloys (nitinol) present the following two properties: (i) super-elasticity, and (ii) the potential to assume different crystal structures depending on temperature and/or stress. Starting from the martensite state nitinol is able to resume the austenite form (state of low potential energy and high entropy) even against an external resistance. This one-way shape change is deployed in self-expanding vascular stents. Heating induces the force generating transformation from martensite to the austenite state while cooling induces relaxation back to the martensite state. This two-way shape change oscillating between the two states may be used in cyclically contracting support devices of silicon-coated nitinol wires. Such a contractile device sutured to the right atrium has been tested in vitro in a bench model and in vivo in sheep. The contraction properties of natural muscles, specifically of the myocardium, and the tight correlation with ATP production by oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria is briefly outlined. Force development by the nitinol device cannot be smoothly regulated as in natural muscle. Its mechanical impact is forced onto the natural muscle regardless of the actual condition with regard to metabolism and Ca2+-homeostasis. The development of artificial muscle on the basis of nitinol wires is still in its infancy. The nitinol artificial muscle will have to prove its viability in the various clinical settings.

  20. Attenuated fatigue in slow twitch skeletal muscle during isotonic exercise in rats with chronic heart failure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morten Munkvik

    Full Text Available During isometric contractions, slow twitch soleus muscles (SOL from rats with chronic heart failure (chf are more fatigable than those of sham animals. However, a muscle normally shortens during activity and fatigue development is highly task dependent. Therefore, we examined the development of skeletal muscle fatigue during shortening (isotonic contractions in chf and sham-operated rats. Six weeks following coronary artery ligation, infarcted animals were classified as failing (chf if left ventricle end diastolic pressure was >15 mmHg. During isoflurane anaesthesia, SOL with intact blood supply was stimulated (1s on 1s off at 30 Hz for 15 min and allowed to shorten isotonically against a constant afterload. Muscle temperature was maintained at 37°C. In resting muscle, maximum isometric force (F(max and the concentrations of ATP and CrP were not different in the two groups. During stimulation, F(max and the concentrations declined in parallel sham and chf. Fatigue, which was evident as reduced shortening during stimulation, was also not different in the two groups. The isometric force decline was fitted to a bi-exponential decay equation. Both time constants increased transiently and returned to initial values after approximately 200 s of the fatigue protocol. This resulted in a transient rise in baseline tension between stimulations, although this effect which was less prominent in chf than sham. Myosin light chain 2s phosphorylation declined in both groups after 100 s of isotonic contractions, and remained at this level throughout 15 min of stimulation. In spite of higher energy demand during isotonic than isometric contractions, both shortening capacity and rate of isometric force decline were as well or better preserved in fatigued SOL from chf rats than in sham. This observation is in striking contrast to previous reports which have employed isometric contractions to induce fatigue.

  1. Leucine-rich diet alters the eukaryotic translation initiation factors expression in skeletal muscle of tumour-bearing rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mello Maria

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cancer-cachexia induces a variety of metabolic disorders on protein turnorver, decreasing protein synthesis and increasing protein degradation. Controversly, insulin, other hormones, and branched-chain amino acids, especially leucine, stimulate protein synthesis and modulate the activity of translation initiation factors involved in protein synthesis. Since the tumour effects are more pronounced when associated with pregnancy, ehancing muscle-wasting proteolysis, in this study, the influence of a leucine-rich diet on the protein synthesis caused by cancer were investigated. Methods Pregnant rats with or without Walker 256 tumour were distributed into six groups. During 20 days of experiment, three groups were fed with a control diet: C – pregnant control, W – tumour-bearing, and P – pair-fed, which received the same amount of food as ingested by the W group; three other groups of pregnant rats were fed a leucine-rich diet: L – pregnant leucine, WL – tumour-bearing, and PL – pair-fed, which received the same amount of food as ingested by the WL group. Results The gastrocnemius muscle of WL rats showed increased incorporation of leucine in protein compared to W rats; the leucine-rich diet also prevented the decrease in plasma insulin normally seen in W. The expression of translation initiation factors increased when tumour-bearing rats fed leucine-rich diet, with increase of ~35% for eIF2α and eIF5, ~17% for eIF4E and 20% for eIF4G; the expression of protein kinase S6K1 and protein kinase C was also highly enhanced. Conclusion The results suggest that a leucine-rich diet increased the protein synthesis in skeletal muscle in tumour-bearing rats possibly through the activation of eIF factors and/or the S6kinase pathway.

  2. Leucine-rich diet alters the eukaryotic translation initiation factors expression in skeletal muscle of tumour-bearing rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ventrucci, Gislaine; Mello, Maria Alice R; Gomes-Marcondes, Maria Cristina C

    2007-01-01

    Cancer-cachexia induces a variety of metabolic disorders on protein turnorver, decreasing protein synthesis and increasing protein degradation. Controversly, insulin, other hormones, and branched-chain amino acids, especially leucine, stimulate protein synthesis and modulate the activity of translation initiation factors involved in protein synthesis. Since the tumour effects are more pronounced when associated with pregnancy, ehancing muscle-wasting proteolysis, in this study, the influence of a leucine-rich diet on the protein synthesis caused by cancer were investigated. Pregnant rats with or without Walker 256 tumour were distributed into six groups. During 20 days of experiment, three groups were fed with a control diet: C – pregnant control, W – tumour-bearing, and P – pair-fed, which received the same amount of food as ingested by the W group; three other groups of pregnant rats were fed a leucine-rich diet: L – pregnant leucine, WL – tumour-bearing, and PL – pair-fed, which received the same amount of food as ingested by the WL group. The gastrocnemius muscle of WL rats showed increased incorporation of leucine in protein compared to W rats; the leucine-rich diet also prevented the decrease in plasma insulin normally seen in W. The expression of translation initiation factors increased when tumour-bearing rats fed leucine-rich diet, with increase of ~35% for eIF2α and eIF5, ~17% for eIF4E and 20% for eIF4G; the expression of protein kinase S6K1 and protein kinase C was also highly enhanced. The results suggest that a leucine-rich diet increased the protein synthesis in skeletal muscle in tumour-bearing rats possibly through the activation of eIF factors and/or the S6kinase pathway

  3. Leucine-rich diet alters the eukaryotic translation initiation factors expression in skeletal muscle of tumour-bearing rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ventrucci, Gislaine [Laboratório de Nutrição e Câncer, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-970, São Paulo (Brazil); Mello, Maria Alice R [Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto Biociências, Universidade Estadual de São Paulo, UNESP, Rio Claro, 13506-900, São Paulo (Brazil); Gomes-Marcondes, Maria Cristina C [Laboratório de Nutrição e Câncer, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-970, São Paulo (Brazil)

    2007-03-06

    Cancer-cachexia induces a variety of metabolic disorders on protein turnorver, decreasing protein synthesis and increasing protein degradation. Controversly, insulin, other hormones, and branched-chain amino acids, especially leucine, stimulate protein synthesis and modulate the activity of translation initiation factors involved in protein synthesis. Since the tumour effects are more pronounced when associated with pregnancy, ehancing muscle-wasting proteolysis, in this study, the influence of a leucine-rich diet on the protein synthesis caused by cancer were investigated. Pregnant rats with or without Walker 256 tumour were distributed into six groups. During 20 days of experiment, three groups were fed with a control diet: C – pregnant control, W – tumour-bearing, and P – pair-fed, which received the same amount of food as ingested by the W group; three other groups of pregnant rats were fed a leucine-rich diet: L – pregnant leucine, WL – tumour-bearing, and PL – pair-fed, which received the same amount of food as ingested by the WL group. The gastrocnemius muscle of WL rats showed increased incorporation of leucine in protein compared to W rats; the leucine-rich diet also prevented the decrease in plasma insulin normally seen in W. The expression of translation initiation factors increased when tumour-bearing rats fed leucine-rich diet, with increase of ~35% for eIF2α and eIF5, ~17% for eIF4E and 20% for eIF4G; the expression of protein kinase S6K1 and protein kinase C was also highly enhanced. The results suggest that a leucine-rich diet increased the protein synthesis in skeletal muscle in tumour-bearing rats possibly through the activation of eIF factors and/or the S6kinase pathway.

  4. [Changes in titin and myosin heavy chain isoform composition in skeletal muscles of Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) after 12-day spaceflight].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okuneva, A D; Vikhliantsev, I M; Shpagina, M D; Rogachevskiĭ, V V; Khutsian, S S; Poddubnaia, Z A; Grigor'ev, A I

    2012-01-01

    Changes of titin and myosin heavy chain isoform composition in skeletal muscles (m. soleus, m. gastrocnemius, m. tibialis anterior, m. psoas major) in Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus ) were investigated after 12-day spaceflight on board of Russian space vehicle "Foton-M3". In m. psoas and m. soleus in the gerbils from "Flight" group the expected increase in the content of fast myosin heavy chain isoforms (IIxd and IIa, respectively) were observed. No significant differences were found in the content of IIxd and IIa isoforms of myosin heavy chain in m. tibialis anterior in the gerbils from control group as compared to that in "Flight" group. An unexpected increase in the content of slow myosin heavy chain I isoform and a decrease in the content of fast IIx/d isoform in m. gastrocnemius of the gerbils from "Flight" group were observed. In skeletal muscles of the gerbils from "Flight" group the relative content of titin N2A-isoform was reduced (by 1,2-1,7 times), although the content of its NT-isoform, which was revealed in striated muscles of mammals in our experiments earlier, remained the same. When the content of titin N2A-isoform was decreased, no predictable abnormalities in sarcomeric structure and contractile ability of skeletal muscles in the gerbils from "Flight" group were found. An assumption on the leading role of titin NT-isoform in maintenance of structural and functional properties of striated muscles of mammals was made.

  5. Sorbitol increases muscle glucose uptake ex vivo and inhibits intestinal glucose absorption ex vivo and in normal and type 2 diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chukwuma, Chika Ifeanyi; Islam, Md Shahidul

    2017-04-01

    Previous studies have suggested that sorbitol, a known polyol sweetener, possesses glycemic control potentials. However, the effect of sorbitol on intestinal glucose absorption and muscle glucose uptake still remains elusive. The present study investigated the effects of sorbitol on intestinal glucose absorption and muscle glucose uptake as possible anti-hyperglycemic or glycemic control potentials using ex vivo and in vivo experimental models. Sorbitol (2.5% to 20%) inhibited glucose absorption in isolated rat jejuna (IC 50 = 14.6% ± 4.6%) and increased glucose uptake in isolated rat psoas muscle with (GU 50 = 3.5% ± 1.6%) or without insulin (GU 50 = 7.0% ± 0.5%) in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, sorbitol significantly delayed gastric emptying, accelerated digesta transit, inhibited intestinal glucose absorption, and reduced blood glucose increase in both normoglycemic and type 2 diabetic rats after 1 h of coingestion with glucose. Data of this study suggest that sorbitol exhibited anti-hyperglycemic potentials, possibly via increasing muscle glucose uptake ex vivo and reducing intestinal glucose absorption in normal and type 2 diabetic rats. Hence, sorbitol may be further investigated as a possible anti-hyperglycemic sweetener.

  6. Species selective resistance of cardiac muscle voltage gated sodium channels: characterization of brevetoxin and ciguatoxin binding sites in rats and fish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dechraoui, Marie-Yasmine Bottein; Wacksman, Jeremy J; Ramsdell, John S

    2006-11-01

    Brevetoxins (PbTxs) and ciguatoxins (CTXs) are two suites of dinoflagellate derived marine polyether neurotoxins that target the voltage gated sodium channel (VGSC). PbTxs are commonly responsible for massive fish kills and unusual mortalities in marine mammals. CTXs, more often noted for human intoxication, are suspected causes of fish and marine mammal intoxication, although this has never been reported in the field. VGSCs, present in the membrane of all excitable cells including those found in skeletal muscle, nervous and heart tissues, are found as isoforms with differential expression within species and tissues. To investigate the tissue and species susceptibility to these biotoxins, we determined the relative affinity of PbTx-2 and -3 and P-CTX-1 to native VGSCs in the brain, heart, and skeletal muscle of rat and the marine teleost fish Centropristis striata by competitive binding in the presence of [(3)H]PbTx-3. No differences between rat and fish were observed in the binding of PbTxs and CTX to either brain or skeletal muscle. However, [(3)H]PbTx-3 showed substantial lower affinity to rat heart tissue while in the fish it bound with the same affinity to heart than to brain or skeletal muscle. These new insights into PbTxs and CTXs binding in fish and mammalian excitable tissues indicate a species related resistance of heart VGSC in the rat; yet, with comparable sensitivity between the species for brain and skeletal muscle.

  7. Dietary fish oil delays hypoxic skeletal muscle fatigue and enhances caffeine-stimulated contractile recovery in the rat in vivo hindlimb.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peoples, Gregory E; McLennan, Peter L

    2017-06-01

    Oxygen efficiency influences skeletal muscle contractile function during physiological hypoxia. Dietary fish oil, providing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), reduces the oxygen cost of muscle contraction. This study used an autologous perfused rat hindlimb model to examine the effects of a fish oil diet on skeletal muscle fatigue during an acute hypoxic challenge. Male Wistar rats were fed a diet rich in saturated fat (SF), long-chain (LC) n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFA), or LC n-3 PUFA DHA from fish oil (FO) (8 weeks). During anaesthetised and ventilated conditions (normoxia 21% O 2 (SaO 2 -98%) and hypoxia 14% O 2 (SaO 2 -89%)) the hindlimb was perfused at a constant flow and the gastrocnemius-plantaris-soleus muscle bundle was stimulated via sciatic nerve (2 Hz, 6-12V, 0.05 ms) to established fatigue. Caffeine (2.5, 5, 10 mM) was supplied to the contracting muscle bundle via the arterial cannula to assess force recovery. Hypoxia, independent of diet, attenuated maximal twitch tension (normoxia: 82 ± 8; hypoxia: 41 ± 2 g·g -1 tissue w.w.). However, rats fed FO sustained higher peak twitch tension compared with the SF and n-6 PUFA groups (P recovery was enhanced in the FO-fed animals (SF: 41 ± 3; n-6 PUFA: 40 ± 4; FO: 52 ± 7% recovery; P < 0.05). These results support a physiological role of DHA in skeletal muscle membranes when exposed to low-oxygen stress that is consistent with the attenuation of muscle fatigue under physiologically normoxic conditions.

  8. Branched Chain Amino Acid Oxidation in Cultured Rat Skeletal Muscle Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pardridge, William M.; Casanello-Ertl, Delia; Duducgian-Vartavarian, Luiza

    1980-01-01

    Leucine metabolism in skeletal muscle is linked to protein turnover. Since clofibrate is known both to cause myopathy and to decrease muscle protein content, the present investigations were designed to examine the effects of acute clofibrate treatment on leucine oxidation. Rat skeletal muscle cells in tissue culture were used in these studies because cultivated skeletal muscle cells, like muscle in vivo, have been shown to actively utilize branched chain amino acids and to produce alanine. The conversion of [1-14C]leucine to 14CO2 or to the [1-14C]keto-acid of leucine (α-keto-isocaproate) was linear for at least 2 h of incubation; the production of 14CO2 from [1-14C]leucine was saturable with a Km = 6.3 mM and a maximum oxidation rate (Vmax) = 31 nmol/mg protein per 120 min. Clofibric acid selectively inhibited the oxidation of [1-14C]leucine (Ki = 0.85 mM) and [U-14C]isoleucine, but had no effect on the oxidation of [U-14C]glutamate, -alanine, -lactate, or -palmitate. The inhibition of [1-14C]leucine oxidation by clofibrate was also observed in the rat quarter-diaphragm preparation. Clofibrate primarily inhibited the production of 14CO2 and had relatively little effect on the production of [1-14C]keto-acid of leucine. A physiological concentration—3.0 g/100 ml—of albumin, which actively binds clofibric acid, inhibited but did not abolish the effects of a 2-mM concentration of clofibric acid on leucine oxidation. Clofibrate treatment stimulated the net consumption of pyruvate, and inhibited the net production of alanine. The drug also increased the cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio as reflected by an increase in the lactate/pyruvate ratio, in association with a decrease in cell aspartate levels. The changes in pyruvate metabolism and cell redox state induced by the drug were delayed compared with the nearly immediate inhibition of leucine oxidation. These studies suggest that clofibric acid, in concentrations that approximate high therapeutic levels of the drug

  9. INTERACTION OF VERAPAMIL AND LITHIUM AT THE NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION ON RAT ISOLATED MUSCLE-HEMIDIAPHRAGM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. R. Sadeghipour

    1998-08-01

    Full Text Available It has been reported that cither lithium or verapamil can potentiate the neuromuscular blocking activity of certain neuromuscular blockers. In the present investigation, possible interaction of verapamil with lithium has been described. The dose ■ response effects of verapamil and lithium on diaphragmatic contractility were assessed in vitro. Mechanical responses of the muscle to indirect (nerve and direct (muscle electrical stimulation were recorded. Verapamil depressed rat diaphragm twitch tensions induced by nerve stimulation in a dose - dependent manner with the 50 percent depression of the original twitch tensions (ICSQ by 5.6 xlO^mmol/l."nThe IC50 of verapamil for direct stimulation of the muscle was LI x W'5 mmol II. Partial replacement of sodium chloride by lithium chloride (0.5, 1.5 and 5 mmol /1 in the medium did not change the depressant effect of verapamil on muscle twitches induced by direct (muscle or indirect (nerve electrical stimulation.

  10. Continuous Aerobic Training in Individualized Intensity Avoids Spontaneous Physical Activity Decline and Improves MCT1 Expression in Oxidative Muscle of Swimming Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Paulo Menezes Scariot

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Although aerobic training has been shown to affect the lactate transport of skeletal muscle, there is no information concerning the effect of continuous aerobic training on spontaneous physical activity (SPA. Because every movement in daily life (i.e. SPA is generated by skeletal muscle, we think that it is possible that an improvement of SPA could affect the physiological properties of muscle with regard to lactate transport. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 12 weeks of continuous aerobic training in individualized intensity on SPA of rats and their gene expressions of monocarboxylate transporters (MCT 1 and 4 in soleus (oxidative and white gastrocnemius (glycolytic muscles. We also analyzed the effect of continuous aerobic training on aerobic and anaerobic parameters using the lactate minimum test (LMT. 60-day-old rats were randomly divided into three groups: a baseline group in which rats were evaluated prior to initiation of the study; a control group (Co in which rats were kept without any treatment during 12 weeks; and a chronic exercise group (Tr in which rats swam for 40min/day, 5 days/week at 80% of anaerobic threshold during 12 weeks. After the experimental period, SPA of rats was measured using a gravimetric method. Rats had their expression of MCTs determined by RT-PCR analysis. In essence, aerobic training is effective in maintaining SPA, but did not prevent the decline of aerobic capacity and anaerobic performance, leading us to propose that the decline of SPA is not fully attributed to a deterioration of physical properties. Changes in SPA were concomitant with changes in MCT1 expression in the soleus muscle of trained rats, suggestive of an additional adaptive response toward increased lactate clearance. This result is in line with our observation showing a better equilibrium on lactate production-remotion during the continuous exercise (LMT. We propose an approach to combat the decline of SPA of rats in their

  11. Ubiquitin conjugation by the N-end rule pathway and mRNAs for its components increase in muscles of diabetic rats

    OpenAIRE

    Lecker, Stewart H.; Solomon, Vered; Price, S. Russ; Kwon, Yong Tae; Mitch, William E.; Goldberg, Alfred L.

    1999-01-01

    Insulin deficiency (e.g., in acute diabetes or fasting) is associated with enhanced protein breakdown in skeletal muscle leading to muscle wasting. Because recent studies have suggested that this increased proteolysis is due to activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome (Ub-proteasome) pathway, we investigated whether diabetes is associated with an increased rate of Ub conjugation to muscle protein. Muscle extracts from streptozotocin-induced insulin-deficient rats contained greater amounts of Ub...

  12. Effects of chronic administration of clenbuterol on contractile properties and calcium homeostasis in rat extensor digitorum longus muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sirvent, Pascal; Douillard, Aymerick; Galbes, Olivier; Ramonatxo, Christelle; Py, Guillaume; Candau, Robin; Lacampagne, Alain

    2014-01-01

    Clenbuterol, a β2-agonist, induces skeletal muscle hypertrophy and a shift from slow-oxidative to fast-glycolytic muscle fiber type profile. However, the cellular mechanisms of the effects of chronic clenbuterol administration on skeletal muscle are not completely understood. As the intracellular Ca2+ concentration must be finely regulated in many cellular processes, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic clenbuterol treatment on force, fatigue, intracellular calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis and Ca2+-dependent proteolysis in fast-twitch skeletal muscles (the extensor digitorum longus, EDL, muscle), as they are more sensitive to clenbuterol-induced hypertrophy. Male Wistar rats were chronically treated with 4 mg.kg-1 clenbuterol or saline vehicle (controls) for 21 days. Confocal microscopy was used to evaluate sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ load, Ca2+-transient amplitude and Ca2+ spark properties. EDL muscles from clenbuterol-treated animals displayed hypertrophy, a shift from slow to fast fiber type profile and increased absolute force, while the relative force remained unchanged and resistance to fatigue decreased compared to control muscles from rats treated with saline vehicle. Compared to control animals, clenbuterol treatment decreased Ca2+-transient amplitude, Ca2+ spark amplitude and frequency and the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ load was markedly reduced. Conversely, calpain activity was increased by clenbuterol chronic treatment. These results indicate that chronic treatment with clenbuterol impairs Ca2+ homeostasis and this could contribute to the remodeling and functional impairment of fast-twitch skeletal muscle.

  13. Maltitol inhibits small intestinal glucose absorption and increases insulin mediated muscle glucose uptake ex vivo but not in normal and type 2 diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chukwuma, Chika Ifeanyi; Ibrahim, Mohammed Auwal; Islam, Md Shahidul

    2017-02-01

    This study investigated the effects of maltitol on intestinal glucose absorption and muscle glucose uptake using ex vivo and in vivo experimental models. The ex vivo experiment was conducted in isolated jejunum and psoas muscle from normal rats. The in vivo study investigated the effects of a single bolus dose of maltitol on gastric emptying, intestinal glucose absorption and digesta transit in normal and type 2 diabetic rats. Maltitol inhibited glucose absorption in isolated rat jejunum and increased glucose uptake in isolated rat psoas muscle in the presence of insulin but not in the absence of insulin. In contrast, maltitol did not significantly (p > 0.05) alter small intestinal glucose absorption or blood glucose levels as well as gastric emptying and digesta transit in normal or type 2 diabetic rats. The results suggest that maltitol may not be a suitable dietary supplement for anti-diabetic food and food products to improve glycemic control.

  14. [Effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field on glutathione in rat muscles].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciejka, Elzbieta; Jakubowska, Ewa; Zelechowska, Paulina; Huk-Kolega, Halina; Kowalczyk, Agata; Goraca, Anna

    2014-01-01

    Free radicals (FR) are atoms, molecules or their fragments. Their excess leads to the development of oxidizing stress, the cause of many neoplastic, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases, and aging of the organism. Industrial pollution, tobacco smoke, ionizing radiation, ultrasound and magnetic field are the major FR exogenous sources. The low frequency magnetic field is still more commonly applied in the physical therapy. The aim of the presented study was to evaluate the effect of extremely low frequency magnetic field used in the magnetotherapy on the level of total glutathione, oxidized and reduced, and the redox state of the skeletal muscle cells, depending on the duration of exposure to magnetic field. The male rats, weight of 280-300 g, were randomly devided into 3 experimental groups: controls (group I) and treatment groups exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) (group II exposed to 40 Hz, 7 mT for 0.5 h/day for 14 days and group III exposed to 40 Hz, 7 mT for 1 h/day for 14 days). Control rats were kept in a separate room not exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic field. Immediately after the last exposure, part of muscles was taken under pentobarbital anesthesia. Total glutathione, oxidized and reduced, and the redox state in the muscle tissue of animals were determined after exposure to magnetic fields. Exposure to low magnetic field: 40 Hz, 7 mT for 30 min/day and 60 min/day for 2 weeks significantly increased the total glutathione levels in the skeletal muscle compared to the control group (p magnetic therapy plays an important role in the development of adaptive mechanisms responsible for maintaining the oxidation-reduction balance in the body and depends on exposure duration.

  15. Effects of acute exposure of heavy ion to spinal cord on the properties of motoneurons and muscle fibers in rats (the 3rd report)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishihara, Akihiko; Ohira, Yoshinobu; Kawano, Fuminori; Wang, Xiao Dong; Nagaoka, Shunji; Nojima, Kumie

    2005-01-01

    The effects of acute exposure of heavy ion on the properties of spinal motoneurons and their innervating muscle fibers were investigated. A 15, 20, 40, 50, or 70 Gy dose of heavy ion was applied to the lumbar 4th to 6th segments of the spinal cord in 8-week-old male rats. Both the control and heavy-ion-exposed rats were sacrificed one month after exposure to heavy ion. The number, cell body size, and oxidative enzyme activity of spinal motoneurons innervating the soleus and plantaris muscles were analyzed by a computer-assisted image processing system. In addition, cell size, oxidative enzyme activity, and expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in the soleus and plantaris muscles were analyzed. There were no differences in the number of spinal motoneurons innervating the soleus and plantaris muscles between the control and heavy-ion-exposed rats, irrespective of the dose level. On the other hand, cell body sizes were decreased and oxidative enzyme activities were disappeared in spinal motoneurons of the heavy-ion-exposed rats at the dose levels of 40, 50, and 70 Gy. There were no differences in the cell size, oxidative enzyme activity, or expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms of the soleus and plantaris muscles between the control and heavy-ion-exposed rats, irrespective of the dose level. It is concluded that more than 40 Gy dose of heavy ion affects the properties of spinal motoneurons, although there are no influences on the properties of muscle fibers which they innervate. (author)

  16. Electrical vs manual acupuncture stimulation in a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome: different effects on muscle and fat tissue insulin signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Johansson

    Full Text Available In rats with dihydrotestosterone (DHT-induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS, repeated low-frequency electrical stimulation of acupuncture needles restores whole-body insulin sensitivity measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. We hypothesized that electrical stimulation causing muscle contractions and manual stimulation causing needle sensation have different effects on insulin sensitivity and related signaling pathways in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, with electrical stimulation being more effective in DHT-induced PCOS rats. From age 70 days, rats received manual or low-frequency electrical stimulation of needles in abdominal and hind limb muscle five times/wk for 4-5 wks; controls were handled but untreated rats. Low-frequency electrical stimulation modified gene expression (decreased Tbc1d1 in soleus, increased Nr4a3 in mesenteric fat and protein expression (increased pAS160/AS160, Nr4a3 and decreased GLUT4 by western blot and increased GLUT4 expression by immunohistochemistry in soleus muscle; glucose clearance during oral glucose tolerance tests was unaffected. Manual stimulation led to faster glucose clearance and modified mainly gene expression in mesenteric adipose tissue (increased Nr4a3, Mapk3/Erk, Adcy3, Gsk3b, but not protein expression to the same extent; however, Nr4a3 was reduced in soleus muscle. The novel finding is that electrical and manual muscle stimulation affect glucose homeostasis in DHT-induced PCOS rats through different mechanisms. Repeated electrical stimulation regulated key functional molecular pathways important for insulin sensitivity in soleus muscle and mesenteric adipose tissue to a larger extent than manual stimulation. Manual stimulation improved whole-body glucose tolerance, an effect not observed after electrical stimulation, but did not affect molecular signaling pathways to the same extent as electrical stimulation. Although more functional signaling pathways related to insulin sensitivity

  17. Fish protein intake induces fast-muscle hypertrophy and reduces liver lipids and serum glucose levels in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawabata, Fuminori; Mizushige, Takafumi; Uozumi, Keisuke; Hayamizu, Kohsuke; Han, Li; Tsuji, Tomoko; Kishida, Taro

    2015-01-01

    In our previous study, fish protein was proven to reduce serum lipids and body fat accumulation by skeletal muscle hypertrophy and enhancing basal energy expenditure in rats. In the present study, we examined the precise effects of fish protein intake on different skeletal muscle fiber types and metabolic gene expression of the muscle. Fish protein increased fast-twitch muscle weight, reduced liver triglycerides and serum glucose levels, compared with the casein diet after 6 or 8 weeks of feeding. Furthermore, fish protein upregulated the gene expressions of a fast-twitch muscle-type marker and a glucose transporter in the muscle. These results suggest that fish protein induces fast-muscle hypertrophy, and the enhancement of basal energy expenditure by muscle hypertrophy and the increase in muscle glucose uptake reduced liver lipids and serum glucose levels. The present results also imply that fish protein intake causes a slow-to-fast shift in muscle fiber type.

  18. Calcium currents in a fast-twitch skeletal muscle of the rat

    OpenAIRE

    1983-01-01

    Slow ionic currents were measured in the rat omohyoid muscle with the three-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique. Sodium and delayed rectifier potassium currents were blocked pharmacologically. Under these conditions, depolarizing test pulses elicited an early outward current, followed by a transient slow inward current, followed in turn by a late outward current. The early outward current appeared to be a residual delayed rectifier current. The slow inward current was identified as a calci...

  19. Influence of muscle geometry on shortening speed of fibre, aponeurosis and muscle

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zuurbier, C. J.; Huijing, P. A.

    1992-01-01

    The influence of muscle geometry on muscle shortening of the gastrocnemius medialis muscle (GM) of the rat was studied. Using cinematography, GM geometry was studied during isokinetic concentric activity at muscle lengths ranging from 85 to 105% of the optimum muscle length. The shortening speed of

  20. Evaluation of microRNAs − 208 and 133a/b as differential biomarkers of acute cardiac and skeletal muscle toxicity in rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calvano, Jacqueline, E-mail: Jacqueline.Calvano@bms.com [Drug Safety Evaluation, Bristol-Myers Squibb, 1 Squibb Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08903 (United States); Achanzar, William; Murphy, Bethanne [Drug Safety Evaluation, Bristol-Myers Squibb, 1 Squibb Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08903 (United States); DiPiero, Janet [Discovery Toxicology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Route 206 and Province Line Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08540 (United States); Hixson, Clifford; Parrula, Cecilia; Burr, Holly; Mangipudy, Raja; Tirmenstein, Mark [Drug Safety Evaluation, Bristol-Myers Squibb, 1 Squibb Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08903 (United States)

    2016-12-01

    Conventional circulating biomarkers of cardiac and skeletal muscle (SKM) toxicity lack specificity and/or have a short half-life. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are currently being assessed as biomarkers of tissue injury based on their long half-life in blood and selective expression in certain tissues. To assess the utility of miRNAs as biomarkers of cardiac and SKM injury, male Sprague–Dawley rats received a single dose of isoproterenol (ISO); metaproterenol (MET); allylamine (AAM); mitoxantrone (MIT); acetaminophen (APAP) or vehicle. Blood and tissues were collected from rats in each group at 4, 24 and 48 h. ISO, MET, and AAM induced cardiac and SKM lesions and APAP induced liver specific lesions. There was no evidence of tissue injury with MIT by histopathology. Serum levels of candidate miRNAs were compared to conventional serum biomarkers of SKM/cardiac toxicity. Increases in heart specific miR-208 only occurred in rats with cardiac lesions alone and were increased for a longer duration than cardiac troponin and FABP3 (cardiac biomarkers). ISO, MET and AAM induced increases in MyL3 and skeletal muscle troponin (sTnl) (SKM biomarkers). MIT induced large increases in sTnl indicative of SKM toxicity, but sTnl levels were also increased in APAP-treated rats that lacked SKM toxicity. Serum levels of miR-133a/b (enriched in cardiac and SKM) increased following ISO, MET, AAM and MIT treatments but were absent in APAP-treated rats. Our results suggest that miR-133a/b are sensitive and specific markers of SKM and cardiac toxicity and that miR-208 used in combination with miR-133a/b can be used to differentiate cardiac from SKM toxicity. - Highlights: • MiR-208 is specifically expressed in rat hearts. • MiR-133a/b are enriched in rat cardiac/skeletal muscle. • MiR-133a/b are sensitive and specific markers of muscle/cardiac toxicity. • MiR-208 can be used to differentiate cardiac toxicity from skeletal muscle toxicity.

  1. Imaging of human sodium-iodide symporter gene expression mediated by recombinant adenovirus in skeletal muscle of living rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Hyun Suk; Park, Seong-Wook; Lee, Heuiran; Kim, Sung Jin; Lee, Won Woo; Yang, You-Jung; Moon, Dae Hyuk

    2004-01-01

    We evaluated the feasibility of non-invasive imaging of recombinant adenovirus-mediated human sodium-iodide symporter (hNIS) gene expression by 99m TcO 4 - scintigraphy in skeletal muscle of rats. Replication-defective recombinant adenovirus encoding hNIS gene [Rad-CMV-hNIS 5 x 10 7 , 2 x 10 8 or 1 x 10 9 plaque forming units (pfu)] or β-galactosidase gene (Rad-CMV-LacZ 1 x 10 9 pfu) was injected into the right biceps femoris muscle of rats (n=5-6 for each group). Three days after gene transfer, scintigraphy was performed using a gamma camera 30 min after injection of 99m TcO 4 - (1.85 MBq). An additional two rats injected with 1 x 10 9 pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS underwent 99m TcO 4 - scintigraphy with sodium perchlorate. After the imaging studies, rats were sacrificed for assessment of the biodistribution of 99m TcO 4 - and measurement of hNIS mRNA expression. In all the rats injected with 1 x 10 9 pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS, hNIS expression was successfully imaged by 99m TcO 4 - scintigraphy, while rats injected with Rad-CMV-LacZ or lower doses of Rad-CMV-hNIS failed to show uptake. The biodistribution studies indicated that a significantly different amount of 99m TcO 4 - was retained in the liver (p 9 pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS. The muscular hNIS mRNA level quantified by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was significantly higher in rats injected with 1 x 10 9 pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS (p 9 pfu of Rad-CMV-hNIS were specifically inhibited by sodium perchlorate. This study illustrated that 99m TcO 4 - scintigraphy can monitor Rad-CMV-hNIS-mediated gene expression in skeletal muscle of rats, non-invasively and quantitatively. (orig.)

  2. Formation of hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide in rat skeletal muscle cells during contractions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Silveira, Leonardo R.; Pereira-Da-Silva, Lucia; Juel, Carsten

    2003-01-01

    We examined intra- and extracellular H(2)O(2) and NO formation during contractions in primary rat skeletal muscle cell culture. The fluorescent probes DCFH-DA/DCFH (2,7-dichlorofluorescein-diacetate/2,7-dichlorofluorescein) and DAF-2-DA/DAF-2 (4,5-diaminofluorescein-diacetate/4,5-diaminofluoresce...

  3. Effects of exercise training and exhaustion on 45Ca uptake by rat skeletal muscle mitochondria and sarcoplasmic reticulum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonner, H.W.; Leslie, S.W.; Combs, A.B.; Tate, C.A.

    1976-01-01

    Mitochondrial and sarcoplasmic reticular 45 Ca 2+ uptake and Ca 2+ -ATPase activity were determined in skeletal muscle from exercise trained and non-trained rats at rest or following short-term exhaustive exercise. In trained rats exercised to exhaustion, mitochondrial 45 Ca 2+ uptake was significantly depressed when compared to non-trained rats at rest. Ca 2+ -ATPase activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum from trained rats exercised to exhaustion was significantly increased as compared to trained rats at rest. These data suggest that the disruptive influence of Ca 2+ accumulation in mitochondria isolated following exhaustive exercise may be diminished as a result of training

  4. Role of TRPV1 and ASIC3 channels in experimental occlusal interference-induced hyperalgesia in rat masseter muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, X X; Cao, Y; Ding, T T; Fu, K Y; Li, Y; Xie, Q F

    2016-04-01

    Masticatory muscle pain may occur following immediate occlusal alteration by dental treatment. The underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) and acid-sensing ion channel-3 (ASIC3) mediate muscle hyperalgesia under various pathologic conditions. We have developed a rat model of experimental occlusal interference (EOI) that consistently induces mechanical hyperalgesia in jaw muscles. Whether TRPV1 and ASIC3 mediate this EOI-induced hyperalgesia is unknown. Rat model of EOI-induced masseter hyperalgesia was established. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and retrograde labelling combined with immunofluorescence were performed to evaluate the modulation of TRPV1 and ASIC3 expression in trigeminal ganglia (TGs) and masseter afferents of rats after EOI. The effects of intramuscular administration of TRPV1 and ASIC3 antagonists on the EOI-induced hyperalgesia in masseter muscle were examined. After EOI, gene expressions and protein levels of TRPV1 and ASIC3 in bilateral TGs were up-regulated. The percentage of ASIC3- (but not TRPV1-) positive neurons in masseter afferents increased after EOI. More small-sized and small to medium-sized masseter afferents expressed TRPV1 and ASIC3 separately following EOI. These changes peaked at day 7 and then returned to original status within 10 days after EOI. Intramuscular administration of the TRPV1 antagonist AMG-9810 partially reversed this mechanical hyperalgesia in masseter muscle. No improvement was exhibited after administration of the ASIC3 antagonist APETx2. Co-injection of AMG-9810 and APETx2 enhanced the effect of AMG-9810 administration alone. Peripheral TRPV1 and ASIC3 contribute to the development of the EOI-induced mechanical hyperalgesia in masseter muscle. © 2015 European Pain Federation - EFIC®

  5. LKB1-AMPK signaling in muscle from obese insulin-resistant Zucker rats and effects of training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sriwijitkamol, Apiradee; Ivy, John L; Christ-Roberts, Christine; DeFronzo, Ralph A; Mandarino, Lawrence J; Musi, Nicolas

    2006-05-01

    AMPK is a key regulator of fat and carbohydrate metabolism. It has been postulated that defects in AMPK signaling could be responsible for some of the metabolic abnormalities of type 2 diabetes. In this study, we examined whether insulin-resistant obese Zucker rats have abnormalities in the AMPK pathway. We compared AMPK and ACC phosphorylation and the protein content of the upstream AMPK kinase LKB1 and the AMPK-regulated transcriptional coactivator PPARgamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1) in gastrocnemius of sedentary obese Zucker rats and sedentary lean Zucker rats. We also examined whether 7 wk of exercise training on a treadmill reversed abnormalities in the AMPK pathway in obese Zucker rats. In the obese rats, AMPK phosphorylation was reduced by 45% compared with lean rats. Protein expression of the AMPK kinase LKB1 was also reduced in the muscle from obese rats by 43%. In obese rats, phosphorylation of ACC and protein expression of PGC-1alpha, two AMPK-regulated proteins, tended to be reduced by 50 (P = 0.07) and 35% (P = 0.1), respectively. There were no differences in AMPKalpha1, -alpha2, -beta1, -beta2, and -gamma3 protein content between lean and obese rats. Training caused a 1.5-fold increase in AMPKalpha1 protein content in the obese rats, although there was no effect of training on AMPK phosphorylation and the other AMPK isoforms. Furthermore, training also significantly increased LKB1 and PGC-1alpha protein content 2.8- and 2.5-fold, respectively, in the obese rats. LKB1 protein strongly correlated with hexokinase II activity (r = 0.75, P = 0.001), citrate synthase activity (r = 0.54, P = 0.02), and PGC-1alpha protein content (r = 0.81, P < 0.001). In summary, obese insulin-resistant rodents have abnormalities in the LKB1-AMPK-PGC-1 pathway in muscle, and these abnormalities can be restored by training.

  6. Review of primary spaceflight-induced and secondary reloading-induced changes in slow antigravity muscles of rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, D. A.

    We have examined the light and electron microscopic properties of hindlimb muscles of rats flown in space for 1-2 weeks on Cosmos biosatellite flights 1887 and 2044 and Space Shuttle missions Spacelab-3, Spacelab Life Sciences-1 and Spacelab Life Sciences-2. Tissues were obtained both inflight and postflight permitting definition of primary microgravity-induced changes and secondary reentry and gravity reloading-induced alterations. Spaceflight causes atrophy and expression of fast fiber characteristics in slow antigravity muscles. The stresses of reentry and reloading reveal that atrophic muscles show increased susceptibility to interstitial edema and ischemic-anoxic necrosis as well as muscle fiber tearing with disruption of contractile proteins. These results demonstrate that the effects of spaceflight on skeletal muscle are multifaceted, and major changes occur both inflight and following return to Earth's gravity.

  7. The Dilator Naris Muscle as a Reporter of Facial Nerve Regeneration in a Rat Model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weinberg, J.S.; Kleiss, I.J.; Knox, C.J.; Heaton, J.T.; Hadlock, T.A.

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Many investigators study facial nerve regeneration using the rat whisker pad model, although widely standardized outcomes measures of facial nerve regeneration in the rodent have not yet been developed. The intrinsic whisker pad "sling" muscles producing whisker protraction, situated at

  8. A correlation study of the expression of resistin and glycometabolism in muscle tissue after traumatic brain injury in rats

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jin Peng; Zhu Lielie; Zhang Jiasheng; Xie Songling; Pan Da; Wen Hao; Meng Weiyang

    2014-01-01

    Objective:To investigate the expression pattern of resistin (RSTN) in skeletal muscle tissue and its influence on glycometabolism in rats with traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods:Seventy-eight SD rats were randomly divided into traumatic group (n=36),RSTN group (n=36) and sham operation group (n=6).Fluid percussion TBI model was developed in traumatic and RSTN groups and the latter received additional 1 mg RSTN antibody treatment for each rat.At respectively 12 h,24 h,72 h,1 w,2 w,and 4 w after operation,venous blood was collected and the right hind leg skeletal muscle tissue was sampled.We used real-time PCR to determine mRNA expression of RSTN in skeletal muscles,western blot to determine RSTN protein expression and ELISA to assess serum insulin as well as fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels.Calculation of the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (Q value) was also conducted.The above mentioned indicators and their correction were statistically analyzed.Results:Compared with sham operation group,the RSTN expression in the skeletal muscle as well as serum insulin and FBG levels revealed significant elevation (P<0.05),and reduced Q value (P<0.05) in traumatic group.Single factor linear correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between RSTN expression and Q values (P<0.001) in traumatic group.Conclusion:The expression of RSTN has been greatly increased in the muscular tissue of TBI rats and it was closely related to the index of glycometabolism.RSTN may play an important role in the process of insulin resistance after TBI.

  9. Fragmented esophageal smooth muscle contraction segments on high resolution manometry: a marker of esophageal hypomotility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porter, R F; Kumar, N; Drapekin, J E; Gyawali, C P

    2012-08-01

    Esophageal peristalsis consists of a chain of contracting striated and smooth muscle segments on high resolution manometry (HRM). We compared smooth muscle contraction segments in symptomatic subjects with reflux disease to healthy controls. High resolution manometry Clouse plots were analyzed in 110 subjects with reflux disease (50 ± 1.4 years, 51.5% women) and 15 controls (27 ± 2.1 years, 60.0% women). Using the 30 mmHg isobaric contour tool, sequences were designated fragmented if either smooth muscle contraction segment was absent or if the two smooth muscle segments were separated by a pressure trough, and failed if both smooth muscle contraction segments were absent. The discriminative value of contraction segment analysis was assessed. A total of 1115 swallows were analyzed (reflux group: 965, controls: 150). Reflux subjects had lower peak and averaged contraction amplitudes compared with controls (P value to HRM analysis. Specifically, fragmented smooth muscle contraction segments may be a marker of esophageal hypomotility. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  10. Thick filament mechano-sensing is a calcium-independent regulatory mechanism in skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fusi, L; Brunello, E; Yan, Z; Irving, M

    2016-10-31

    Recent X-ray diffraction studies on actively contracting fibres from skeletal muscle showed that the number of myosin motors available to interact with actin-containing thin filaments is controlled by the stress in the myosin-containing thick filaments. Those results suggested that thick filament mechano-sensing might constitute a novel regulatory mechanism in striated muscles that acts independently of the well-known thin filament-mediated calcium signalling pathway. Here we test that hypothesis using probes attached to the myosin regulatory light chain in demembranated muscle fibres. We show that both the extent and kinetics of thick filament activation depend on thick filament stress but are independent of intracellular calcium concentration in the physiological range. These results establish direct control of myosin motors by thick filament mechano-sensing as a general regulatory mechanism in skeletal muscle that is independent of the canonical calcium signalling pathway.

  11. Effects of BTS (N-benzyl-p-toluene sulphonamide), an inhibitor for myosin-actin interaction, on myofibrillogenesis in skeletal muscle cells in culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kagawa, Maiko; Sato, Naruki; Obinata, Takashi

    2006-11-01

    Actin filaments align around myosin filaments in the correct polarity and in a hexagonal arrangement to form cross-striated structures. It has been postulated that this myosin-actin interaction is important in the initial phase of myofibrillogenesis. It was previously demonstrated that an inhibitor of actin-myosin interaction, BDM (2,3-butanedione monoxime), suppresses myofibril formation in muscle cells in culture. However, further study showed that BDM also exerts several additional effects on living cells. In this study, we further examined the role of actin-myosin interaction in myofibril assembly in primary cultures of chick embryonic skeletal muscle by applying a more specific inhibitor, BTS (N-benzyl-p-toluene sulphonamide), of myosin ATPase and actin-myosin interaction. The assembly of sarcomeric structures from myofibrillar proteins was examined by immunocytochemical methods with the application of BTS to myotubes just after fusion. Addition of BTS (10-50 microM) significantly suppressed the organization of actin and myosin into cross-striated structures. BTS also interfered in the organization of alpha-actinin, C-protein (or MyBP-C), and connectin (or titin) into ordered striated structures, though the sensitivity was less. Moreover, when myotubes cultured in the presence of BTS were transferred to a control medium, sarcomeric structures were formed in 2-3 days, indicating that the inhibitory effect of BTS on myotubes is reversible. These results show that actin-myosin interaction plays a critical role in the process of myofibrillogenesis.

  12. PLASTICITY OF SKELETAL MUSCLE STUDIED BY STEREOLOGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ida Eržen

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The present contribution provides an overview of stereological methods applied in the skeletal muscle research at the Institute of Anatomy of the Medical Faculty in Ljubljana. Interested in skeletal muscle plasticity we studied three different topics: (i expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in slow and fast muscles under experimental conditions, (ii frequency of satellite cells in young and old human and rat muscles and (iii capillary supply of rat fast and slow muscles. We analysed the expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms within slow rat soleus and fast extensor digitorum longus muscles after (i homotopic and heterotopic transplantation of both muscles, (ii low frequency electrical stimulation of the fast muscle and (iii transposition of the fast nerve to the slow muscle. The models applied were able to turn the fast muscle into a completely slow muscle, but not vice versa. One of the indicators for the regenerative potential of skeletal muscles is its satellite cell pool. The estimated parameters, number of satellite cells per unit fibre length, corrected to the reference sarcomere length (Nsc/Lfib and number of satellite cells per number of nuclei (myonuclei and satellite cell nuclei (Nsc/Nnucl indicated that the frequency of M-cadherin stained satellite cells declines in healthy old human and rat muscles compared to young muscles. To access differences in capillary densities among slow and fast muscles and slow and fast muscle fibres, we have introduced Slicer and Fakir methods, and tested them on predominantly slow and fast rat muscles. Discussing three different topics that require different approach, the present paper reflects the three decades of the development of stereological methods: 2D analysis by simple point counting in the 70's, the disector in the 80's and virtual spatial probes in the 90's. In all methods the interactive computer assisted approach was utilised.

  13. Proximal Neuropathy and Associated Skeletal Muscle Changes Resembling Denervation Atrophy in Hindlimbs of Chronic Hypoglycaemic Rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Vivi F.H.; Molck, Anne Marie; Soeborg, Henrik

    2017-01-01

    Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetic hyperglycaemia. Insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (IIH) might potentially exacerbate or contribute to neuropathy as hypoglycaemia also causes peripheral neuropathy. In rats, IIH induces neuropathy associated with skeletal muscle......, and severity of the myofibre atrophy correlated with severity of axonal degeneration in sciatic nerve. Both neuropathy and myopathy were still present after four weeks of recovery, although the neuropathy was less severe. In conclusion, the results suggest that peripheral neuropathy induced by IIH progresses...... changes. Aims of this study were to investigate the progression and sequence of histopathologic changes caused by chronic IIH in rat peripheral nerves and skeletal muscle, and whether such changes were reversible. Chronic IIH was induced by infusion of human insulin, followed by an infusion-free recovery...

  14. Proximal Neuropathy and Associated Skeletal Muscle Changes Resembling Denervation Atrophy in Hindlimbs of Chronic Hypoglycaemic Rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Vivi F.H.; Molck, Anne Marie; Soeborg, Henrik

    2018-01-01

    Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetic hyperglycaemia. Insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (IIH) might potentially exacerbate or contribute to neuropathy as hypoglycaemia also causes peripheral neuropathy. In rats, IIH induces neuropathy associated with skeletal muscle......, and severity of the myofibre atrophy correlated with severity of axonal degeneration in sciatic nerve. Both neuropathy and myopathy were still present after four weeks of recovery, although the neuropathy was less severe. In conclusion, the results suggest that peripheral neuropathy induced by IIH progresses...... changes. Aims of this study were to investigate the progression and sequence of histopathologic changes caused by chronic IIH in rat peripheral nerves and skeletal muscle, and whether such changes were reversible. Chronic IIH was induced by infusion of human insulin, followed by an infusion-free recovery...

  15. The muscle contraction mode determines lymphangiogenesis differentially in rat skeletal and cardiac muscles by modifying local lymphatic extracellular matrix microenvironments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greiwe, L; Vinck, M; Suhr, F

    2016-05-01

    Lymphatic vessels are of special importance for tissue homeostasis, and increases of their density may foster tissue regeneration. Exercise could be a relevant tool to increase lymphatic vessel density (LVD); however, a significant lack of knowledge remains to understand lymphangiogenesis in skeletal muscles upon training. Interestingly, training-induced lymphangiogenesis has never been studied in the heart. We studied lymphangiogenesis and LVD upon chronic concentric and chronic eccentric muscle contractions in both rat skeletal (Mm. Edl and Sol) and cardiac muscles. We found that LVD decreased in both skeletal muscles specifically upon eccentric training, while this contraction increased LVD in cardiac tissue. These observations were supported by opposing local remodelling of lymphatic vessel-specific extracellular matrix components in skeletal and cardiac muscles and protein levels of lymphatic markers (Lyve-1, Pdpn, Vegf-C/D). Confocal microscopy further revealed transformations of lymphatic vessels into vessels expressing both blood (Cav-1) and lymphatic (Vegfr-3) markers upon eccentric training specifically in skeletal muscles. In addition and phenotype supportive, we found increased inflammation (NF-κB/p65, Il-1β, Ifn-γ, Tnf-α and MPO(+) cells) in eccentrically stressed skeletal, but decreased levels in cardiac muscles. Our data provide novel mechanistic insights into lymphangiogenic processes in skeletal and cardiac muscles upon chronic muscle contraction modes and demonstrate that both tissues adapt in opposing manners specifically to eccentric training. These data are highly relevant for clinical applications, because eccentric training serves as a sufficient strategy to increase LVD and to decrease inflammation in cardiac tissue, for example in order to reduce tissue abortion in transplantation settings. © 2015 Scandinavian Physiological Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Differential regulation of PGC-1α expression in rat liver and skeletal muscle in response to voluntary running

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azhar Salman

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The beneficial actions of exercise training on lipid, glucose and energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity appear to be in part mediated by PGC-1α. Previous studies have shown that spontaneously exercised rats show at rest enhanced responsiveness to exogenous insulin, lower plasma insulin levels and increased skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity. This study was initiated to examine the functional interaction between exercise-induced modulation of skeletal muscle and liver PGC-1α protein expression, whole body insulin sensitivity, and circulating FFA levels as a measure of whole body fatty acid (lipid metabolism. Methods Two groups of male Wistar rats (2 Mo of age, 188.82 ± 2.77 g BW were used in this study. One group consisted of control rats placed in standard laboratory cages. Exercising rats were housed individually in cages equipped with running wheels and allowed to run at their own pace for 5 weeks. At the end of exercise training, insulin sensitivity was evaluated by comparing steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG concentrations at constant plasma insulin levels attained during the continuous infusion of glucose and insulin to each experimental group. Subsequently, soleus and plantaris muscle and liver samples were collected and quantified for PGC-1α protein expression by Western blotting. Collected blood samples were analyzed for glucose, insulin and FFA concentrations. Results Rats housed in the exercise wheel cages demonstrated almost linear increases in running activity with advancing time reaching to maximum value around 4 weeks. On an average, the rats ran a mean (Mean ± SE of 4.102 ± 0.747 km/day and consumed significantly more food as compared to sedentary controls (P P P P Conclusion These data suggest that PGC-1α most likely plays a restricted role in exercise-mediated improvements in insulin resistance (sensitivity and lowering of circulating FFA levels.

  17. Lactate per se improves the excitability of depolarized rat skeletal muscle by reducing the Cl- conductance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Paoli, Frank Vincenzo; Ørtenblad, Niels; Pedersen, Thomas Holm

    2010-01-01

    Studies on rats have shown that lactic acid can improve excitability and function of depolarized muscles. The effect has been related to the ensuing reduction in intracellular pH causing inhibition of muscle fibre Cl- channels. Since, however, several carboxylic acids with structural similarities...... to lactate can inhibit muscle Cl- channels it is possible that lactate per se can increase muscle excitability by exerting a direct effect on these channels. We therefore examined effects of lactate on the function of intact muscles and skinned fibres together with effects on pH and Cl- conductance....... In muscles where extracellular compound action potentials (M-waves) and tetanic force response to excitation were reduced by 82±4 and 83±2 %, respectively, by depolarization with 11 mM extracellular K+, both M-waves and force exhibited an up to 4-fold increase when 20 mM lactate was added. This effect...

  18. Effects of different activity and inactivity paradigms on myosin heavy chain gene expression in striated muscle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldwin, K. M.; Haddad, F.

    2001-01-01

    The goal of this mini-review is to summarize findings concerning the role that different models of muscular activity and inactivity play in altering gene expression of the myosin heavy chain (MHC) family of motor proteins in mammalian cardiac and skeletal muscle. This was done in the context of examining parallel findings concerning the role that thyroid hormone (T(3), 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine) plays in MHC expression. Findings show that both cardiac and skeletal muscles of experimental animals are initially undifferentiated at birth and then undergo a marked level of growth and differentiation in attaining the adult MHC phenotype in a T(3)/activity level-dependent fashion. Cardiac MHC expression in small mammals is highly sensitive to thyroid deficiency, diabetes, energy deprivation, and hypertension; each of these interventions induces upregulation of the beta-MHC isoform, which functions to economize circulatory function in the face of altered energy demand. In skeletal muscle, hyperthyroidism, as well as interventions that unload or reduce the weight-bearing activity of the muscle, causes slow to fast MHC conversions. Fast to slow conversions, however, are seen under hypothyroidism or when the muscles either become chronically overloaded or subjected to intermittent loading as occurs during resistance training and endurance exercise. The regulation of MHC gene expression by T(3) or mechanical stimuli appears to be strongly regulated by transcriptional events, based on recent findings on transgenic models and animals transfected with promoter-reporter constructs. However, the mechanisms by which T(3) and mechanical stimuli exert their control on transcriptional processes appear to be different. Additional findings show that individual skeletal muscle fibers have the genetic machinery to express simultaneously all of the adult MHCs, e.g., slow type I and fast IIa, IIx, and IIb, in unique combinations under certain experimental conditions. This degree of

  19. Charge Movement in a Fast Twitch Skeletal Muscle from Rat

    OpenAIRE

    Simon, B. J.; Beam, K. G.

    1983-01-01

    Voltage-dependent charge movement in the rat omohyoid muscle was investigated using the three microelectrode voltage clamp technique. The charge that moved during a depolarization from the holding potential (-90 mV) to the test potential, V, increased with increasing V, saturating around 0 mV. The charge vs. voltage relationship was well fitted by Q = Qmax/{1 + exp[-(V - V)/k]}, with Qmax = 28.5 nC/μF, V = -34.2 mV, and k = 8.7 mV. Repolarization of the fiber from the test potential back to t...

  20. Effect of in vivo injection of cholera and pertussis toxin on glucose transport in rat skeletal muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ploug, Thorkil; Han, X; Petersen, L N

    1997-01-01

    Cholera toxin (CTX) and pertussis toxin (PTX) were examined for their ability to inhibit glucose transport in perfused skeletal muscle. Twenty-five hours after an intravenous injection of CTX, basal transport was decreased approximately 30%, and insulin- and contraction-stimulated transport...... in GLUT-1 protein content was found. In contrast, GLUT-4 mRNA was unchanged, but transcripts for GLUT-1 were increased > or = 150% in all three muscles from CTX-treated rats. The findings suggest that CTX via increased cAMP impairs basal as well as insulin- and contraction-stimulated muscle glucose...

  1. Ouabain binding to cultured vascular smooth muscle cells of the spontaneously hypertensive rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopp, L.; Khalil, F.; Tamura, H.; Kino, M.; Searle, B.M.; Tokushige, A.; Aviv, A.

    1986-01-01

    The binding of ouabain and K + to the Na + pump were analyzed in serially passed cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) originating from spontaneously hypertensive (SH) Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), and American Wistar (W) rats. The techniques have utilized analyses of displacement of [ 3 H]ouabain by both unlabeled ouabain and K + from specific binding sites on the VSMCs. The authors have found that 1) each of the VSMC preparations from the three rat strains appeared to demonstrate one population of specific ouabain receptors (Na + pumps); 2) the number of Na + pump units of both the SH and WKY rats was significantly lower than the number of Na + pump units of W rat VSMCs; 3) the equilibrium dissociation constant values (μM) for ouabain in VSMCs of SH and WKY rats were similar but were significantly higher than that of VSMCs derived from W rats; and 4) among the VSMCs originating from the three rat strains, the apparent equilibrium dissociation constant value for K + (mM) was the lowest in those of the SH rat compared with VSMCs of the WKY rat and W rat. Previous studies have demonstrated increased passive Na + and K + transport rate constants of SH rat VSMCs compared with either W or WKY rat cells. These findings suggest the possibility of higher permeabilities of the SH cells. They propose that the combined effect of a low number of Na + pump units with higher permeabilities to Na + and K + predisposes VSMCs of the SH rat to disturbances in their cellular ionic regulation. These genetic defects, if they occur in vivo, may lead to an increase in the vascular tone

  2. Inactivation of the infragranular striate cortex broadens orientation tuning of supragranular visual neurons in the cat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allison, J D; Bonds, A B

    1994-01-01

    Intracortical inhibition is believed to enhance the orientation tuning of striate cortical neurons, but the origin of this inhibition is unclear. To examine the possible influence of ascending inhibitory projections from the infragranular layers of striate cortex on the orientation selectivity of neurons in the supragranular layers, we measured the spatiotemporal response properties of 32 supragranular neurons in the cat before, during, and after neural activity in the infragranular layers beneath the recorded cells was inactivated by iontophoretic administration of GABA. During GABA iontophoresis, the orientation tuning bandwidth of 15 (46.9%) supragranular neurons broadened as a result of increases in response amplitude to stimuli oriented about +/- 20 degrees away from the preferred stimulus angle. The mean (+/- SD) baseline orientation tuning bandwidth (half width at half height) of these neurons was 13.08 +/- 2.3 degrees. Their mean tuning bandwidth during inactivation of the infragranular layers increased to 19.59 +/- 2.54 degrees, an increase of 49.7%. The mean percentage increase in orientation tuning bandwidth of the individual neurons was 47.4%. Four neurons exhibited symmetrical changes in their orientation tuning functions, while 11 neurons displayed asymmetrical changes. The change in form of the orientation tuning functions appeared to depend on the relative vertical alignment of the recorded neuron and the infragranular region of inactivation. Neurons located in close vertical register with the inactivated infragranular tissue exhibited symmetric changes in their orientation tuning functions. The neurons exhibiting asymmetric changes in their orientation tuning functions were located just outside the vertical register. Eight of these 11 neurons also demonstrated a mean shift of 6.67 +/- 5.77 degrees in their preferred stimulus orientation. The magnitude of change in the orientation tuning functions increased as the delivery of GABA was prolonged

  3. Low fish oil intake improves insulin sensitivity, lipid profile and muscle metabolism on insulin resistant MSG-obese rats

    OpenAIRE

    Iagher Fabiola; Aikawa Julia; Rocha Ricelli ER; Machado Juliano; Kryczyk Marcelo; Schiessel Dalton; Borghetti Gina; Yamaguchi Adriana A; Pequitto Danielle CT; Coelho Isabela; Brito Gleisson AP; Yamazaki Ricardo K; Naliwaiko Katya; Tanhoffer Ricardo A; Nunes Everson A

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Background Obesity is commonly associated with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The purpose of this study was to determinate the effect of a lower dose of fish oil supplementation on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and muscle metabolism in obese rats. Methods Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (4 mg/g body weight) was injected in neonatal Wistar male rats. Three-month-old rats were divided in normal-weight control group (C), coconut fat-treated normal weight group (CO), fish...

  4. Prenatal Co 60-irradiation effects on visual acuity, maturation of the fovea in the retina, and the striate cortex of squirrel monkey offspring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ordy, J.M.; Brizzee, K.R.; Young, R.

    1982-01-01

    In the present study, foveal striate cortex depth increased significantly from 1400 μm to 1650 μm by 90 days, whereas prenatal 100 rad exposure resulted in a significant reduction of foveal striate cortex thickness at 90 days of age. From birth to 90 days, cell packing density decreased, whereas overall neuropil density increased in both control and 100 rad exposed offspring. Regarding the effects of prenatal radiation on Meynert cells, there was a significant difference in the time course of early postnatal spine frequency reduction on apical dendrites of Meynert cells, particularly in laminae V and IV. It seems possible that the significant differences in the time course of perinatal increases and subsequent decreases of spines and synapses on such pyramidal neurons as Meynert cells in the deep layers of the striate cortex may play an important role in the development of binocular acuity. Future follow-up studies will be essential from 90 days to 1 and 2 years to determine the extent of recovery from, and persistence of visual acuity impairments in relation to structural alterations in the foveal projection of the retino-geniculo-striate system of diurnal primates. (orig./MG)

  5. Effects of Remote Ischemic Conditioning Methods on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Muscle Flaps: An Experimental Study in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Durdane Keskin

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Background The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of remote ischemic conditioning on ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat muscle flaps histopathologically and biochemically. Methods Thirty albino rats were divided into 5 groups. No procedure was performed in the rats in group 1, and only blood samples were taken. A gracilis muscle flap was elevated in all the other groups. Microclamps were applied to the vascular pedicle for 4 hours in order to achieve tissue ischemia. In group 2, no additional procedure was performed. In groups 3, 4, and 5, the right hind limb was used and 3 cycles of ischemia-reperfusion for 5 minutes each (total, 30 minutes was applied with a latex tourniquet (remote ischemic conditioning. In group 3, this procedure was performed before flap elevation (remote ischemic preconditoning. In group 4, the procedure was performed 4 hours after flap ischemia (remote ischemic postconditioning. In group 5, the procedure was performed after the flap was elevated, during the muscle flap ischemia episode (remote ischemic perconditioning. Results The histopathological damage score in all remote conditioning ischemia groups was lower than in the ischemic-reperfusion group. The lowest histopathological damage score was observed in group 5 (remote ischemic perconditioning. Conclusions The nitric oxide levels were higher in the blood samples obtained from the remote ischemic perconditioning group. This study showed the effectiveness of remote ischemic conditioning procedures and compared their usefulness for preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury in muscle flaps.

  6. Effects of Remote Ischemic Conditioning Methods on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Muscle Flaps: An Experimental Study in Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keskin, Durdane; Unlu, Ramazan Erkin; Orhan, Erkan; Erkilinç, Gamze; Bogdaycioglu, Nihal; Yilmaz, Fatma Meric

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of remote ischemic conditioning on ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat muscle flaps histopathologically and biochemically. Thirty albino rats were divided into 5 groups. No procedure was performed in the rats in group 1, and only blood samples were taken. A gracilis muscle flap was elevated in all the other groups. Microclamps were applied to the vascular pedicle for 4 hours in order to achieve tissue ischemia. In group 2, no additional procedure was performed. In groups 3, 4, and 5, the right hind limb was used and 3 cycles of ischemia-reperfusion for 5 minutes each (total, 30 minutes) was applied with a latex tourniquet (remote ischemic conditioning). In group 3, this procedure was performed before flap elevation (remote ischemic preconditoning). In group 4, the procedure was performed 4 hours after flap ischemia (remote ischemic postconditioning). In group 5, the procedure was performed after the flap was elevated, during the muscle flap ischemia episode (remote ischemic perconditioning). The histopathological damage score in all remote conditioning ischemia groups was lower than in the ischemic-reperfusion group. The lowest histopathological damage score was observed in group 5 (remote ischemic perconditioning). The nitric oxide levels were higher in the blood samples obtained from the remote ischemic perconditioning group. This study showed the effectiveness of remote ischemic conditioning procedures and compared their usefulness for preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury in muscle flaps.

  7. AICAR stimulation metabolome widely mimics electrical contraction in isolated rat epitrochlearis muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyamoto, Licht; Egawa, Tatsuro; Oshima, Rieko; Kurogi, Eriko; Tomida, Yosuke; Tsuchiya, Koichiro; Hayashi, Tatsuya

    2013-12-15

    Physical exercise has potent therapeutic and preventive effects against metabolic disorders. A number of studies have suggested that 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a pivotal role in regulating carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in contracting skeletal muscles, while several genetically manipulated animal models revealed the significance of AMPK-independent pathways. To elucidate significance of AMPK and AMPK-independent signals in contracting skeletal muscles, we conducted a metabolomic analysis that compared the metabolic effects of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribonucleoside (AICAR) stimulation with the electrical contraction ex vivo in isolated rat epitrochlearis muscles, in which both α1- and α2-isoforms of AMPK and glucose uptake were equally activated. The metabolomic analysis using capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry detected 184 peaks and successfully annotated 132 small molecules. AICAR stimulation exhibited high similarity to the electrical contraction in overall metabolites. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that the major principal component characterized common effects whereas the minor principal component distinguished the difference. PCA and a factor analysis suggested a substantial change in redox status as a result of AMPK activation. We also found a decrease in reduced glutathione levels in both AICAR-stimulated and contracting muscles. The muscle contraction-evoked influences related to the metabolism of amino acids, in particular, aspartate, alanine, or lysine, are supposed to be independent of AMPK activation. Our results substantiate the significance of AMPK activation in contracting skeletal muscles and provide novel evidence that AICAR stimulation closely mimics the metabolomic changes in the contracting skeletal muscles.

  8. Effect of Intramuscular Protons, Lactate, and ATP on Muscle Hyperalgesia in Rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicholas S Gregory

    Full Text Available Chronic muscle pain is a significant health problem leading to disability[1]. Muscle fatigue can exacerbate muscle pain. Metabolites, including ATP, lactate, and protons, are released during fatiguing exercise and produce pain in humans. These substances directly activate purinergic (P2X and acid sensing ion channels (ASICs on muscle nociceptors, and when combined, produce a greater increase in neuron firing than when given alone. Whether the enhanced effect of combining protons, lactate, and ATP is the sum of individual effects (additive or more than the sum of individual effects (synergistic is unknown. Using a rat model of muscle nociceptive behavior, we tested each of these compounds individually over a range of physiologic and supra-physiologic concentrations. Further, we combined all three compounds in a series of dilutions and tested their effect on muscle nociceptive behavior. We also tested a non-hydrolyzable form of ATP (α,β-meATP alone and in combination with lactate and acidic pH. Surprisingly, we found no dose-dependent effect on muscle nociceptive behavior for protons, lactate, or ATP when given alone. We similarly found no effect after application of each two-metabolite combination. Only pH 4 saline and α,β-meATP produced hyperalgesia when given alone. When all 3 substances were combined, however, ATP (2.4μm, lactate (10mM, and acidic pH (pH 6.0 produced an enhanced effect greater than the sum of the effects of the individual components, i.e. synergism. α,β me ATP (3nmol, on the other hand, showed no enhanced effects when combined with lactate (10mM or acidic pH (pH 6.0, i.e. additive. These data suggest that combining fatigue metabolites in muscle produces a synergistic effect on muscle nociception.

  9. The effects of inorganic phosphate and arsenate on both passive muscle visco-elasticity and maximum Ca2+ activated tension in chemically skinned rat fast and slow twitch muscle fibres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutungi, Gabriel

    2003-01-01

    The effects of adding either 25 mM inorganic phosphate (Pi) or its structural analogue arsenate (ASi) on both the maximum Ca2+ activated tension (Po) and passive muscle visco-elasticity (P2 tension) were investigated at 10 degrees C, using segments of single, chemically skinned rat muscle fibres. Whilst the results confirmed some previous findings on the effects of Pi on Po, they also showed that the addition of 25 mM ASi led to a large (approximately 50%) but completely reversible depression of Po in both the fast and slow twitch rat muscle fibres. Moreover, the depression of Po by ASi was greater at low than at high pH values. Examined in the presence of Dextran T-500, the passive tension and sarcomere length responses to a ramp stretch were found to be qualitatively and quantitatively similar to those previously reported in intact rat muscle fibres. Thus, the tension response to a ramp stretch, in the presence and absence of either 25 mM Pi or ASi, consisted of a viscous (P1), a visco-elastic (P2) and an elastic (P3) tension. However, the addition of either 25 mM Pi or ASi led to approximately 15-18% increase in the amplitude of the visco-elastic (P2) tension but had little or no effect on the amplitudes of the other two tension components (viscous, P1 and elastic, P3 tensions). Furthermore, neither compound significantly altered the relaxation rate of the passive muscle visco-elasticity (P2 tension). These results show that Po (arising from cycling cross-bridges) and passive muscle visco-elasticity (P2 tension) are affected differently by both Pi and ASi and suggest that they may not share a common structural basis. The possibility that passive muscle visco-elasticity (P2 tension) arises from the gap-(titin) filament (as suggested previously by Mutungi and Ranatunga, 1996b J Physiol 496: 827-837) and that Pi and ASi increase its amplitude by interacting with the PEVK region of the filament are discussed.

  10. Metabolic adaptations of skeletal muscle to voluntary wheel running exercise in hypertensive heart failure rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz, R L; Kullman, E L; Waters, Ryan

    2013-01-01

    SHHF and Wistar-Furth (WF) rats were randomized to sedentary (SHHFsed and WFsed) and exercise groups (SHHFex and WFex). The exercise groups had access to running wheels from 6-22 months of age. Hindlimb muscles were obtained for metabolic measures that included mitochondrial enzyme function...... robust amounts of aerobic activity, voluntary wheel running exercise was not sufficiently intense to improve the oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle in adult SHHF animals, indicating an inability to compensate for declining heart function by improving peripheral oxidative adaptations in the skeletal...

  11. The effects of dietary fish oil on exercising skeletal muscle vascular and metabolic control in chronic heart failure rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holdsworth, Clark T; Copp, Steven W; Hirai, Daniel M; Ferguson, Scott K; Sims, Gabrielle E; Hageman, Karen S; Stebbins, Charles L; Poole, David C; Musch, Timothy I

    2014-03-01

    Impaired vasomotor control in chronic heart failure (CHF) is due partly to decrements in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) mediated vasodilation. Exercising muscle blood flow (BF) is augmented with polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation via fish oil (FO) in healthy rats. We hypothesized that FO would augment exercising muscle BF in CHF rats via increased NO-bioavailability. Myocardial infarction (coronary artery ligation) induced CHF in Sprague-Dawley rats which were subsequently randomized to dietary FO (20% docosahexaenoic acid, 30% eicosapentaenoic acid, n = 15) or safflower oil (SO, 5%, n = 10) for 6-8 weeks. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), blood [lactate], and hindlimb muscles BF (radiolabeled microspheres) were determined at rest, during treadmill exercise (20 m·min(-1), 5% incline) and exercise + N(G)-nitro-l-arginine-methyl-ester (l-NAME) (a nonspecific NOS inhibitor). FO did not change left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (SO: 14 ± 2; FO: 11 ± 1 mm Hg, p > 0.05). During exercise, MAP (SO: 128 ± 3; FO: 132 ± 3 mm Hg) and blood [lactate] (SO: 3.8 ± 0.4; FO: 4.6 ± 0.5 mmol·L(-1)) were not different (p > 0.05). Exercising hindlimb muscle BF was lower in FO than SO (SO: 120 ± 11; FO: 93 ± 4 mL·min(-1)·100 g(-1), p exercise but may lower metabolic cost.

  12. Higher insulin sensitivity in EDL muscle of rats fed a low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet inhibits the caspase-3 and ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic systems but does not increase protein synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dos Santos, Maísa Pavani; Batistela, Emanuele; Pereira, Mayara Peron; Paula-Gomes, Silvia; Zanon, Neusa Maria; Kettelhut, Isis do Carmo; Karatzaferi, Christina; Andrade, Claudia Marlise Balbinotti; de França, Suélem Aparecida; Baviera, Amanda Martins; Kawashita, Nair Honda

    2016-08-01

    Compared with the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of control rats (C), the EDL muscle of rats fed a low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet (LPHC) showed a 36% reduction in mass. Muscle mass is determined by the balance between protein synthesis and proteolysis; thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the components involved in these processes. Compared with the muscle from C rats, the EDL muscle from LPHC diet-fed rats showed a reduction (34%) in the in vitro basal protein synthesis and a 22% reduction in the in vitro basal proteolysis suggesting that the reduction in the mass can be associated with a change in the rate of the two processes. Soon after euthanasia, in the EDL muscles of the rats fed the LPHC diet for 15days, the activity of caspase-3 and that of components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (atrogin-1 content and chymotrypsin-like activity) were decreased. The phosphorylation of p70(S6K) and 4E-BP1, proteins involved in protein synthesis, was also decreased. We observed an increase in the insulin-stimulated protein content of p-Akt. Thus, the higher insulin sensitivity in the EDL muscle of LPHC rats seemed to contribute to the lower proteolysis in LPHC rats. However, even with the higher insulin sensitivity, the reduction in p-E4-BP1 and p70(S6K) indicates a reduction in protein synthesis, showing that factors other than insulin can have a greater effect on the control of protein synthesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Short-term muscle atrophy caused by botulinum toxin-A local injection impairs fracture healing in the rat femur.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Yongqiang; Ma, Yongcheng; Wang, Xuepeng; Jin, Fangchun; Ge, Shengfang

    2012-04-01

    Damaged bone is sensitive to mechanical stimulation throughout the remodeling phase of bone healing. Muscle damage and muscular atrophy associated with open fractures and subsequent fixation are not beneficial to maintaining optimum conditions for mechanical stability. The aim of this study was to investigate whether local muscle atrophy and dysfunction affect fracture healing in a rat femur fracture model. We combined the rat model of a short period atrophy of the quadriceps with femur fracture. Forty-four-month-old male Wistar rats were adopted for this study. Two units of botulinum toxin-A (BXTA) were administered locally into the right side of the quadriceps of each rat, while the same dose of saline was injected into the contralateral quadriceps. After BXTA had been fully absorbed by the quadriceps, osteotomy was performed in both femurs with intramedullary fixation. Gross observation and weighing of muscle tissue, X-ray analysis, callus histology, and bone biomechanical testing were performed at different time points up to 8 weeks post-surgery. Local injection of BXTA led to a significant decrease in the volume and weight of the quadriceps compared to the control side. At the eighth week, the left side femurs of the saline-injected quadriceps almost reached bony union, and fibrous calluses were completely calcified into woven bone. However, a gap was still visible in the BXTA-treated side on X-ray images. As showed by bone histology, there were no mature osseous calluses or woven bone on the BXTA-treated side, but a resorption pattern was evident. Biomechanical testing indicated that the femurs of the BXTA-treated side exhibited inferior mechanical properties compared with the control side. The inferior outcome following BXTA injection, compared with saline injection, in terms of callus resistance may be the consequence of unexpected load and mechanical unsteadiness caused by muscle atrophy and dysfunction. Copyright © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society.

  14. Effect of dietary lipid, carnitine and exercise on lipid profile in rat blood, liver and muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karanth, Jyothsna; Jeevaratnam, K

    2009-09-01

    Aim of this study was to investigate the influence of physical exercise on effects of the daily intake of vegetarian diet of either vegetable hydrogenated fat (HF) or peanut oil (PO) with or without carnitine on the lipid profile. Eight groups of male Wistar rats were fed HF-diet (4 groups) or PO-diet (4 groups), with or without carnitine for 24 weeks. One group for each diet acted as sedentary control while the other groups were allowed swimming for 1 hr a day, 6 days/week, for 24 weeks. Plasma triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol, free fatty acids (FFA), liver and thigh muscle glycogen, total fat (TF), TG, TC and FFA were analyzed. HF-fed rats showed significantly increased plasma TC, VLDL+LDL-cholesterol and TG compared to PO-fed rats, wherein a lowered plasma TC, TG levels in all the groups with significantly increased liver cholesterol and decreased muscle cholesterol was observed. Physical exercise of moderate intensity reduced plasma TC and TG accompanied by significantly reduced tissue TG and cholesterol while FFA and glycogen increased in all the groups. The influence of exercise was less pronounced in carnitine supplemented rats since carnitine could significantly reduce TG in plasma and tissues of sedentary rats. Results from the present study showed that the intake of HF diet significantly increased the plasma and tissue lipid profile and MUFA-rich diet or carnitine supplementation and/or exercise may ameliorate the deleterious effects of HF.

  15. The persistence of active smooth muscle in the female rat cervix through pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferland, David J; Darios, Emma S; Watts, Stephanie W

    2015-02-01

    A controversy exists as to whether functional smooth muscle exists in the cervix before and during pregnancy, potentially continuous with the uterus. We hypothesized that cervical smooth muscle persists through pregnancy and is functional. Uteri and cervices were taken from female virgin, 11 day, and 20 day (near labor) pregnant rats. All experiments used the uterus as a positive control. Three different smooth muscle proteins (smooth muscle α-actin, SM-22α, and calponin-1) allowed immunohistochemical detection of the continuous nature of the smooth muscle from the vagina, cervix, and uterus. Tissues were also hung in isolated tissue baths for the measurement of isometric smooth muscle contraction. Uterine and cervical homogenates were also used in Western analyses to measure protein expression. Immunohistochemistry revealed there to be smooth muscle as validated by an expression of all 3 markers in the cervix. This smooth muscle was continuous with that of the vagina and uterus. Smooth muscle α-actin was detected in virgin tissue (291.3 ± 32.2 arbitrary densitometry units/β-actin), day 11 (416.8 ± 19.5), and day 20 pregnant tissue (293.0 ± 34.4). The virgin, day 11, and day 20 cervices contracted 2.18 ± 0.24 g, 1.46 ± 0.08 g, and 3.88 ± 0.49 g (respectively) to depolarizing KCl. Cervices contracted at day 20 to the cholinergic muscarinic agonist carbamylcholine (maximum, 133% ± 18.2% KCl contraction, n = 4). These findings strongly support that smooth muscle is present in the cervix through pregnancy and continuous with the uterus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Microvascular oxygen partial pressure during hyperbaric oxygen in diabetic rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamakoshi, Kohei; Yagishita, Kazuyoshi; Tsuchimochi, Hirotsugu; Inagaki, Tadakatsu; Shirai, Mikiyasu; Poole, David C; Kano, Yutaka

    2015-12-15

    Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is a major therapeutic treatment for ischemic ulcerations that perforate skin and underlying muscle in diabetic patients. These lesions do not heal effectively, in part, because of the hypoxic microvascular O2 partial pressures (PmvO2 ) resulting from diabetes-induced cardiovascular dysfunction, which alters the dynamic balance between O2 delivery (Q̇o2) and utilization (V̇o2) rates. We tested the hypothesis that HBO in diabetic muscle would exacerbate the hyperoxic PmvO2 dynamics due, in part, to a reduction or slowing of the cardiovascular, sympathetic nervous, and respiratory system responses to acute HBO exposure. Adult male Wistar rats were divided randomly into diabetic (DIA: streptozotocin ip) and healthy (control) groups. A small animal hyperbaric chamber was pressurized with oxygen (100% O2) to 3.0 atmospheres absolute (ATA) at 0.2 ATA/min. Phosphorescence quenching techniques were used to measure PmvO2 in tibialis anterior muscle of anesthetized rats during HBO. Lumbar sympathetic nerve activity (LSNA), heart rate (HR), and respiratory rate (RR) were measured electrophysiologically. During the normobaric hyperoxia and HBO, DIA tibialis anterior PmvO2 increased faster (mean response time, CONT 78 ± 8, DIA 55 ± 8 s, P < 0.05) than CONT. Subsequently, PmvO2 remained elevated at similar levels in CONT and DIA muscles until normobaric normoxic recovery where the DIA PmvO2 retained its hyperoxic level longer than CONT. Sympathetic nervous system and cardiac and respiratory responses to HBO were slower in DIA vs. CONT. Specifically the mean response times for RR (CONT: 6 ± 1 s, DIA: 29 ± 4 s, P < 0.05), HR (CONT: 16 ± 1 s, DIA: 45 ± 5 s, P < 0.05), and LSNA (CONT: 140 ± 16 s, DIA: 247 ± 34 s, P < 0.05) were greater following HBO onset in DIA than CONT. HBO treatment increases tibialis anterior muscle PmvO2 more rapidly and for a longer duration in DIA than CONT, but not to a greater level. Whereas respiratory, cardiovascular

  17. Site-dependent effects of experimental hypo- and hyperthyroidism on resident macrophages in extraocular muscles of rats: a quantitative immunohistochemical study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schmidt, E. D.; van Hogerwou, G.; van der Gaag, R.; Wiersinga, W. M.; Asmussen, G.; Koornneef, L.

    1992-01-01

    It has been suggested that the effects of dysthyroidism on resident immunocompetent cells of the extraocular muscles may play a role in the pathogenesis of Graves' ophthalmopathy. The distribution of such cells was therefore studied in extraocular muscles of rats that were made hyper- or hypothyroid

  18. Lack of Glycogenin Causes Glycogen Accumulation and Muscle Function Impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Testoni, Giorgia; Duran, Jordi; García-Rocha, Mar; Vilaplana, Francisco; Serrano, Antonio L; Sebastián, David; López-Soldado, Iliana; Sullivan, Mitchell A; Slebe, Felipe; Vilaseca, Marta; Muñoz-Cánoves, Pura; Guinovart, Joan J

    2017-07-05

    Glycogenin is considered essential for glycogen synthesis, as it acts as a primer for the initiation of the polysaccharide chain. Against expectations, glycogenin-deficient mice (Gyg KO) accumulate high amounts of glycogen in striated muscle. Furthermore, this glycogen contains no covalently bound protein, thereby demonstrating that a protein primer is not strictly necessary for the synthesis of the polysaccharide in vivo. Strikingly, in spite of the higher glycogen content, Gyg KO mice showed lower resting energy expenditure and less resistance than control animals when subjected to endurance exercise. These observations can be attributed to a switch of oxidative myofibers toward glycolytic metabolism. Mice overexpressing glycogen synthase in the muscle showed similar alterations, thus indicating that this switch is caused by the excess of glycogen. These results may explain the muscular defects of GSD XV patients, who lack glycogenin-1 and show high glycogen accumulation in muscle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Rat muscle microvascular PO2 kinetics during the exercise off-transient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonough, P; Behnke, B J; Kindig, C A; Poole, D C

    2001-05-01

    Dependent upon the relative speed of pulmonary oxygen consumption (VO2) and blood flow (Q) kinetics, the exercise off-transient may represent a condition of sub- or supra-optimal perfusion. To date, there are no direct measurements of the dynamics of the VO2/Q relationship within the muscle at the onset of the work/recovery transition. To address this issue, microvascular PO2 (PO2,m) dynamics were studied in the spinotrapezius muscles of 11 female Sprague-Dawley rats (weight approximately 220 g) during and following electrical stimulation (1 Hz) to assess the adequacy of Q. relative to VO2 post exercise. The exercise blood flow response (radioactive microspheres: muscle Q increased approximately 240 %), and post-exercise arterial blood pH (7.40 +/- 0.02) and blood lactate (1.3 +/- 0.4 mM x l(-1)) values were consistent with moderate-intensity exercise. Recovery PO2,m (i.e. off-transient) rose progressively until baseline values were achieved ((Delta)end-recovery exercise PO2,m, 14.0 +/- 1.9 Torr) and at no time fell below exercising PO2,m. The off-transient PO2,m was well fitted by a dual exponential model with both fast (tau = 25.4 +/- 5.1 s) and slow (tau = 71.2 +/- 34.2 s) components. Furthermore, there was a pronounced delay (54.9 +/- 10.7 s) before the onset of the slow component. These data, obtained at the muscle microvascular level, support the notion that muscle VO2 falls with faster kinetics than muscle Q during the off-transient, such that PO2,m increases systematically, though biphasically, during recovery.

  20. Subcellular localization of skeletal muscle lipid droplets and PLIN family proteins OXPAT and ADRP at rest and following contraction in rat soleus muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacPherson, Rebecca E K; Herbst, Eric A F; Reynolds, Erica J; Vandenboom, Rene; Roy, Brian D; Peters, Sandra J

    2012-01-01

    Skeletal muscle lipid droplet-associated proteins (PLINs) are thought to regulate lipolysis through protein-protein interactions on the lipid droplet surface. In adipocytes, PLIN2 [adipocyte differentiation-related protein (ADRP)] is found only on lipid droplets, while PLIN5 (OXPAT, expressed only in oxidative tissues) is found both on and off the lipid droplet and may be recruited to lipid droplet membranes when needed. Our purpose was to determine whether PLIN5 is recruited to lipid droplets with contraction and to investigate the myocellular location and colocalization of lipid droplets, PLIN2, and PLIN5. Rat solei were isolated, and following a 30-min equilibration period, they were assigned to one of two groups: 1) 30 min of resting incubation and 2) 30 min of stimulation (n = 10 each). Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to determine subcellular content, distribution, and colocalization of lipid droplets, PLIN2, and PLIN5. There was a main effect for lower lipid and PLIN2 content in stimulated compared with rested muscles (P muscles (P = 0.001, r(2) = 0.99) and linearly in stimulated muscles (slope = -0.0023 ± 0.0006, P muscles (P contraction in isolated skeletal muscle.

  1. Intermuscular interaction via myofascial force transmission: Effects of tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus length on force transmission from rat extensor digitorum longus muscle

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maas, Huub; Baan, Guus C.; Huijing, P.A.J.B.M.

    2001-01-01

    Force transmission in rat anterior crural compartment, containing tibialis anterior (TA), extensor hallucis longus (EHL) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles, was investigated. These muscles together with the muscles of the peroneal compartment were excited maximally. Force was measured at

  2. Bee Pollen Improves Muscle Protein and Energy Metabolism in Malnourished Old Rats through Interfering with the Mtor Signaling Pathway and Mitochondrial Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jérôme Salles

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Although the management of malnutrition is a priority in older people, this population shows a resistance to refeeding. Fresh bee pollen contains nutritional substances of interest for malnourished people. The aim was to evaluate the effect of fresh bee pollen supplementation on refeeding efficiency in old malnourished rats. Male 22-month-old Wistar rats were undernourished by reducing food intake for 12 weeks. The animals were then renourished for three weeks with the same diet supplemented with 0%, 5% or 10% of fresh monofloral bee pollen. Due to changes in both lean mass and fat mass, body weight decreased during malnutrition and increased after refeeding with no between-group differences (p < 0.0001. Rats refed with the fresh bee pollen-enriched diets showed a significant increase in muscle mass compared to restricted rats (p < 0.05. The malnutrition period reduced the muscle protein synthesis rate and mTOR/p70S6kinase/4eBP1 activation, and only the 10%-pollen diet was able to restore these parameters. Mitochondrial activity was depressed with food restriction and was only improved by refeeding with the fresh bee pollen-containing diets. In conclusion, refeeding diets that contain fresh monofloral bee pollen improve muscle mass and metabolism in old, undernourished rats.

  3. Cloning and tissue distribution of rat hear fatty acid binding protein mRNA: identical forms in heart and skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Claffey, K.P.; Herrera, V.L.; Brecher, P.; Ruiz-Opazo, N.

    1987-01-01

    A fatty acid binding protein (FABP) as been identified and characterized in rat heart, but the function and regulation of this protein are unclear. In this study the cDNA for rat heart FABP was cloned from a λ gt11 library. Sequencing of the cDNA showed an open reading frame coding for a protein with 133 amino acids and a calculated size of 14,776 daltons. Several differences were found between the sequence determined from the cDNA and that reported previously by protein sequencing techniques. Northern blot analysis using rat heart FABP cDNA as a probe established the presence of an abundant mRNA in rat heart about 0.85 kilobases in length. This mRNA was detected, but was not abundant, in fetal heart tissue. Tissue distribution studies showed a similar mRNA species in red, but not white, skeletal muscle. In general, the mRNA tissue distribution was similar to that of the protein detected by Western immunoblot analysis, suggesting that heart FABP expression may be regulated at the transcriptional level. S1 nuclease mapping studies confirmed that the mRNA hybridized to rat heart FABP cDNA was identical in heart and red skeletal muscle throughout the entire open reading frame. The structural differences between heart FABP and other members of this multigene family may be related to the functional requirements of oxidative muscle for fatty acids as a fuel source

  4. Cloning and tissue distribution of rat hear fatty acid binding protein mRNA: identical forms in heart and skeletal muscle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Claffey, K.P.; Herrera, V.L.; Brecher, P.; Ruiz-Opazo, N.

    1987-12-01

    A fatty acid binding protein (FABP) as been identified and characterized in rat heart, but the function and regulation of this protein are unclear. In this study the cDNA for rat heart FABP was cloned from a lambda gt11 library. Sequencing of the cDNA showed an open reading frame coding for a protein with 133 amino acids and a calculated size of 14,776 daltons. Several differences were found between the sequence determined from the cDNA and that reported previously by protein sequencing techniques. Northern blot analysis using rat heart FABP cDNA as a probe established the presence of an abundant mRNA in rat heart about 0.85 kilobases in length. This mRNA was detected, but was not abundant, in fetal heart tissue. Tissue distribution studies showed a similar mRNA species in red, but not white, skeletal muscle. In general, the mRNA tissue distribution was similar to that of the protein detected by Western immunoblot analysis, suggesting that heart FABP expression may be regulated at the transcriptional level. S1 nuclease mapping studies confirmed that the mRNA hybridized to rat heart FABP cDNA was identical in heart and red skeletal muscle throughout the entire open reading frame. The structural differences between heart FABP and other members of this multigene family may be related to the functional requirements of oxidative muscle for fatty acids as a fuel source.

  5. Decreased rate of protein synthesis, caspase-3 activity, and ubiquitin-proteasome proteolysis in soleus muscles from growing rats fed a low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batistela, Emanuele; Pereira, Mayara Peron; Siqueira, Juliany Torres; Paula-Gomes, Silvia; Zanon, Neusa Maria; Oliveira, Eduardo Brandt; Navegantes, Luiz Carlos Carvalho; Kettelhut, Isis C; Andrade, Claudia Marlise Balbinotti; Kawashita, Nair Honda; Baviera, Amanda Martins

    2014-06-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the rates of both protein synthesis and breakdown, and the activation of intracellular effectors that control these processes in soleus muscles from growing rats fed a low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet for 15 days. The mass and the protein content, as well as the rate of protein synthesis, were decreased in the soleus from LPHC-fed rats. The availability of amino acids was diminished, since the levels of various essential amino acids were decreased in the plasma of LPHC-fed rats. Overall rate of proteolysis was also decreased, explained by reductions in the mRNA levels of atrogin-1 and MuRF-1, ubiquitin conjugates, proteasome activity, and in the activity of caspase-3. Soleus muscles from LPHC-fed rats showed increased insulin sensitivity, with increased levels of insulin receptor and phosphorylation levels of AKT, which probably explains the inhibition of both the caspase-3 activity and the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The fall of muscle proteolysis seems to represent an adaptive response that contributes to spare proteins in a condition of diminished availability of dietary amino acids. Furthermore, the decreased rate of protein synthesis may be the driving factor to the lower muscle mass gain in growing rats fed the LPHC diet.

  6. Exercise-Induced Changes in Caveolin-1, Depletion of Mitochondrial Cholesterol, and the Inhibition of Mitochondrial Swelling in Rat Skeletal Muscle but Not in the Liver

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damian Jozef Flis

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The reduction in cholesterol in mitochondria, observed after exercise, is related to the inhibition of mitochondrial swelling. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1 plays an essential role in the regulation of cellular cholesterol metabolism and is required by various signalling pathways. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of prolonged swimming on the mitochondrial Cav-1 concentration; additionally, we identified the results of these changes as they relate to the induction of changes in the mitochondrial swelling and cholesterol in rat skeletal muscle and liver. Male Wistar rats were divided into a sedentary control group and an exercise group. The exercised rats swam for 3 hours and were burdened with an additional 3% of their body weight. After the cessation of exercise, their quadriceps femoris muscles and livers were immediately removed for experimentation. The exercise protocol caused an increase in the Cav-1 concentration in crude muscle mitochondria; this was related to a reduction in the cholesterol level and an inhibition of mitochondrial swelling. There were no changes in rat livers, with the exception of increased markers of oxidative stress in mitochondria. These data indicate the possible role of Cav-1 in the adaptive change in the rat muscle mitochondria following exercise.

  7. Enhancement of S1P-induced contractile response in detrusor smooth muscle of rats having cystitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anjum, Irfan; Denizalti, Merve; Kandilci, Hilmi Burak; Durlu-Kandilci, Nezahat Tugba; Sahin-Erdemli, Inci

    2017-11-05

    Interstitial cystitis is a chronic disease characterized by lower abdominal pain and some nonspecific symptoms including an increase in urinary frequency and urgency. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid that controls smooth muscle tone via G-protein coupled receptors (S1P 1-3 receptors). S1P production is known to take place both in physiological states and some pathological situations, such as in overactive bladder syndrome. The intracellular mechanism of S1P-induced contractile response was investigated in β-escin permeabilized detrusor smooth muscle of rats having cyclophosphamide-induced cystitis. The bladder was isolated from rats and detrusor smooth muscle strips were permeabilized with β-escin. S1P (50µM)-induced contraction and calcium sensitization response were significantly increased in cystitis. S1P-induced augmented contractile response was inhibited by S1P 2 receptor antagonist JTE-013 and S1P 3 receptor antagonist suramin. S1P 2 receptor protein expressions were increased in cystitis, where no change was observed in S1P 3 expressions between control and cystitis groups. S1P-induced contraction was reduced by Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632 and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF-109203X in both control and cystitis group. S1P-induced increased calcium sensitization response was decreased by ROCK inhibitor and PKC inhibitor in cystitis. Our findings provide the first evidence that interstitial cystitis triggers S1P-induced increase in intracellular calcium in permeabilized detrusor smooth muscle of female rats. Both S1P 2 and S1P 3 receptors are involved in S1P mediated enhanced contractile response. The augmentation in S1P-induced contraction in interstitial cystitis involves both PKC and ROCK pathways of calcium sensitization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Role of skeletal muscle in lung development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baguma-Nibasheka, Mark; Gugic, Dijana; Saraga-Babic, Mirna; Kablar, Boris

    2012-07-01

    Skeletal (striated) muscle is one of the four basic tissue types, together with the epithelium, connective and nervous tissues. Lungs, on the other hand, develop from the foregut and among various cell types contain smooth, but not skeletal muscle. Therefore, during earlier stages of development, it is unlikely that skeletal muscle and lung depend on each other. However, during the later stages of development, respiratory muscle, primarily the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles, execute so called fetal breathing-like movements (FBMs), that are essential for lung growth and cell differentiation. In fact, the absence of FBMs results in pulmonary hypoplasia, the most common cause of death in the first week of human neonatal life. Most knowledge on this topic arises from in vivo experiments on larger animals and from various in vitro experiments. In the current era of mouse mutagenesis and functional genomics, it was our goal to develop a mouse model for pulmonary hypoplasia. We employed various genetically engineered mice lacking different groups of respiratory muscles or lacking all the skeletal muscle and established the criteria for pulmonary hypoplasia in mice, and therefore established a mouse model for this disease. We followed up this discovery with systematic subtractive microarray analysis approach and revealed novel functions in lung development and disease for several molecules. We believe that our approach combines elements of both in vivo and in vitro approaches and allows us to study the function of a series of molecules in the context of lung development and disease and, simultaneously, in the context of lung's dependence on skeletal muscle-executed FBMs.

  9. Hemodynamic measurements in rat brain and human muscle using diffuse near-infrared absorption and correlation spectroscopies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Guoqiang; Durduran, Turgut; Furuya, D.; Lech, G.; Zhou, Chao; Chance, Britten; Greenberg, J. H.; Yodh, Arjun G.

    2003-07-01

    Measurement of concentration, oxygenation, and flow characteristics of blood cells can reveal information about tissue metabolism and functional heterogeneity. An improved multifunctional hybrid system has been built on the basis of our previous hybrid instrument that combines two near-infrared diffuse optical techniques to simultaneously monitor the changes of blood flow, total hemoglobin concentration (THC) and blood oxygen saturation (StO2). Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) monitors blood flow (BF) by measuring the optical phase shifts caused by moving blood cells, while diffuse photon density wave spectroscopy (DPDW) measures tissue absorption and scattering. Higher spatial resolution, higher data acquisition rate and higher dynamic range of the improved system allow us to monitor rapid hemodynamic changes in rat brain and human muscles. We have designed two probes with different source-detector pairs and different separations for the two types of experiments. A unique non-contact probe mounted on the back of a camera, which allows continuous measurements without altering the blood flow, was employed to in vivo monitor the metabolic responses in rat brain during KCl induced cortical spreading depression (CSD). A contact probe was used to measure changes of blood flow and oxygenation in human muscle during and after cuff occlusion or exercise, where the non-contact probe is not appropriate for monitoring the moving target. The experimental results indicate that our multifunctional hybrid system is capable of in vivo and non-invasive monitoring of the hemodynamic changes in different tissues (smaller tissues in rat brain, larger tissues in human muscle) under different conditions (static versus moving). The time series images of flow during CSD obtained by our technique revealed spatial and temporal hemodynamic changes in rat brain. Two to three fold longer recovery times of flow and oxygenation after cuff occlusion or exercise from calf flexors in a

  10. Reconstruction of the muscle system in Antygomonas sp. (Kinorhyncha, Cyclorhagida) by means of phalloidin labeling and cLSM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Monika C M; Schmidt-Rhaesa, Andreas

    2003-05-01

    In the present investigation the entire muscle system of the cyclorhagid kinorhynch Antygomonas sp. was three-dimensionally reconstructed from whole mounts by means of FITC-phalloidin labeling and confocal scanning microscopy. With this technique, which proved to be especially useful for microscopically small species, we wanted to reinvestigate and supplement the findings obtained by histological and electron microscopical methods. The organization of the major muscle systems can be summarized as follows: 1) All muscle fibers, apart from the intestinal ones, the spine, and the mouth cone muscles, show a cross-striated pattern; 2) Dorsal longitudinal muscle fibers as well as segmentally arranged dorsoventral fibers occur from segment III to XIII; 3) Diagonal muscle fibers are located laterally in segments III to X; 4) Two rings of circular fibers are present in segment II, forming the closing apparatus in Cyclorhagida. Further circular muscles are present in segment I, forming the mouth cone and the eversible introvert, and in the pharyngeal bulb. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  11. Ionic currents and charge movements in organ-cultured rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollingworth, S; Marshall, M W; Robson, E

    1984-12-01

    The middle of the fibre voltage-clamp technique was used to measure ionic currents and non-linear charge movements in intact, organ-cultured (in vitro denervated) mammalian fast-twitch (rat extensor digitorum longus) muscle fibres. Muscle fibres organ cultured for 4 days can be used as electrophysiological and morphological models for muscles in vivo denervated for the same length of time. Sodium currents in organ-cultured muscle fibres are similar to innervated fibres except that in the temperature range 0-20 degrees C (a) in the steady state, the voltage distribution of inactivation in cultured fibres is shifted negatively some 20 mV; (b) at the same temperature and membrane potential, the time constant of inactivation in cultured fibres is about twice that of innervated fibres. Potassium currents in innervated and cultured fibres at 15 degrees C can be fitted with the Hodgkin-Huxley n variable raised to the second power. Despite the large range we would estimate that the maximum value of the steady-state potassium conductance of cultured fibres is about one-half that of innervated fibres. The estimated maximum amount of charge moved in cultured fibre is about one-third that in innervated fibres. Compared to innervated fibres, culturing doubles the kinetics of the decay phase of charge movement. The possibility of a negative shift of the voltage distribution of charge movements in cultured fibres is discussed.

  12. Hyperbaric oxygen in skeletal muscle of rats submitted to total acute left hindlimb ischemia: A research report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silva, Luis Gustavo Campos; Dalio, Marcelo Bellini; Joviliano, Edwaldo Edner; Feres, Omar; Piccinato, Carlos Eli

    2015-01-01

    Determine the effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment in skeletal muscle of rats submitted to total acute left hindlimb ischemia. An experimental study was designed using 48 Wistar rats divided into four groups (n = 12): Control; Ischemia (I)--total hindlimb ischemia for 270 minutes; Hyperbaric oxygen treatment during ischemia (HBO2)--total hindlimb ischemia for 270 minutes and hyperbaric oxygen during the first 90 minutes; Pre-treatment with hyperbaric oxygen (PHBO2)--90 minutes of hyperbaric oxygen treatment before total hindlimb ischemia for 270 minutes. Skeletal muscle injury was evaluated by measuring levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total creatine phosphokinase (CPK); muscular malondialdehyde (MDA), muscular glycogen, and serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA). AST was significantly higher in I, HBO2 and PHBO2 compared with control (P = .001). There was no difference in LDH. CPK was significantly higher in I, HBO2 and PHBO2, compared with control (p = .014). MDA was significantly higher in PHBO2, compared with other groups (p = .042). Glycogen was significantly decreased in I, HBO2 and PHBO2, compared with control (p < .001). Hyperbaric oxygen treatment in acute total hindlimb ischemia exerted no protective effect on muscle injury, regardless of time of application. When applied prior to installation of total ischemia, hyperbaric oxygen treatment aggravated muscle injury.

  13. Role of cyclic GMP in cells with the properties of smooth muscle cultured from the rat myometrium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krall, J.F.; Morin, A.

    1986-01-01

    Cells growing in culture with previously described properties of rat uterine smooth muscle accumulated 45 Ca 2+ from the medium. Ca 2+ uptake by these cells was stimulated by the addition to the medium of 8-bromo-cGMP but not by 8-bromo-cAMP. Ca 2+ uptake was also stimulated by carbachol and by the nitro-vasodilator nitroprusside. Although cholinergic agonists have been shown previously to stimulate contraction but not cGMP synthesis in the rat myometrium, both carbachol and nitroprusside stimulated cGMP production by the cultured cells. These results suggested the cells had cholinergic receptor-medicated functions that reflected some neurotransmitter-sensitive properties of uterine smooth muscle in situ. When determined by a specific radioligand binding assay, subcellular fractions of the cultured cells bound muscarinic cholinergic agonists and antagonists with affinities expected of the muscarinic receptor. The cells were also sensitive to the β-adrenergic catecholamine agonist isoproterenol, which stimulated cAMP production but not Ca 2+ uptake. Carbachol failed to inhibit isoproterenol-dependent cAMP production, which is an important property of the cholinergic receptor in uterine smooth muscle in situ. These results suggest some but not all acetylcholine-sensitive properties of uterine smooth muscle may be retained in cell culture

  14. [Hindlimb antigravity muscles' reaction in male and female rats to the deficit of functional loading].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Il'ina-Kakueva, E I

    2002-01-01

    Histological and histomorphometric comparison of the antigravity muscles of rats of both sexes was performed following 30-d unloading of their hind limbs by head-down suspension. It was shown that growth rate of control males was higher as compared to control females. This is attributed to the synergic effects of somatotropin and testosterone on metabolism and growth of males and only somatotropin in females. Load deprivation of the hind limbs inhibited body mass gain in all animals; however, this inhibition was twice as great in males. Increase of the soleus and gastrocnemius in the control males in this experiment was slightly ahead of the muscle mass gain in the females. The histomorphometric investigation of the cross-section area of myofibers did not reveal differences between males and females either in the control or suspension. No difference was found in percent of various types of fibers in the control males and females. In the soleus of the suspended rats, a part of slow fibers had transformed into fast ones without any sex-related particularities. The conclusion was made that despite the significant difference in the hormonal profile, the reaction of males and females to insufficient weight loading of the antigravity muscles was alike.

  15. A brain-machine-muscle interface for restoring hindlimb locomotion after complete spinal transection in rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monzurul Alam

    Full Text Available A brain-machine interface (BMI is a neuroprosthetic device that can restore motor function of individuals with paralysis. Although the feasibility of BMI control of upper-limb neuroprostheses has been demonstrated, a BMI for the restoration of lower-limb motor functions has not yet been developed. The objective of this study was to determine if gait-related information can be captured from neural activity recorded from the primary motor cortex of rats, and if this neural information can be used to stimulate paralysed hindlimb muscles after complete spinal cord transection. Neural activity was recorded from the hindlimb area of the primary motor cortex of six female Sprague Dawley rats during treadmill locomotion before and after mid-thoracic transection. Before spinal transection there was a strong association between neural activity and the step cycle. This association decreased after spinal transection. However, the locomotive state (standing vs. walking could still be successfully decoded from neural recordings made after spinal transection. A novel BMI device was developed that processed this neural information in real-time and used it to control electrical stimulation of paralysed hindlimb muscles. This system was able to elicit hindlimb muscle contractions that mimicked forelimb stepping. We propose this lower-limb BMI as a future neuroprosthesis for human paraplegics.

  16. RNA sequencing reveals a slow to fast muscle fiber type transition after olanzapine infusion in rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher J Lynch

    Full Text Available Second generation antipsychotics (SGAs, like olanzapine, exhibit acute metabolic side effects leading to metabolic inflexibility, hyperglycemia, adiposity and diabetes. Understanding how SGAs affect the skeletal muscle transcriptome could elucidate approaches for mitigating these side effects. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were infused intravenously with vehicle or olanzapine for 24h using a dose leading to a mild hyperglycemia. RNA-Seq was performed on gastrocnemius muscle, followed by alignment of the data with the Rat Genome Assembly 5.0. Olanzapine altered expression of 1347 out of 26407 genes. Genes encoding skeletal muscle fiber-type specific sarcomeric, ion channel, glycolytic, O2- and Ca2+-handling, TCA cycle, vascularization and lipid oxidation proteins and pathways, along with NADH shuttles and LDH isoforms were affected. Bioinformatics analyses indicate that olanzapine decreased the expression of slower and more oxidative fiber type genes (e.g., type 1, while up regulating those for the most glycolytic and least metabolically flexible, fast twitch fiber type, IIb. Protein turnover genes, necessary to bring about transition, were also up regulated. Potential upstream regulators were also identified. Olanzapine appears to be rapidly affecting the muscle transcriptome to bring about a change to a fast-glycolytic fiber type. Such fiber types are more susceptible than slow muscle to atrophy, and such transitions are observed in chronic metabolic diseases. Thus these effects could contribute to the altered body composition and metabolic disease olanzapine causes. A potential interventional strategy is implicated because aerobic exercise, in contrast to resistance exercise, can oppose such slow to fast fiber transitions.

  17. Is abdominal wall contraction important for normal voiding in the female rat?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boone Timothy B

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Normal voiding behavior in urethane-anesthetized rats includes contraction of the abdominal wall striated muscle, similar to the visceromotor response (VMR to noxious bladder distension. Normal rat voiding requires pulsatile release of urine from a pressurized bladder. The abdominal wall contraction accompanying urine flow may provide a necessary pressure increment for normal efficient pulsatile voiding. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and necessity of the voiding-associated abdominal wall activity in urethane-anesthetized female rats Methods A free-voiding model was designed to allow assessment of abdominal wall activity during voiding resulting from physiologic bladder filling, in the absence of bladder or urethral instrumentation. Physiologic diuresis was promoted by rapid intravascular hydration. Intercontraction interval (ICI, voided volumes and EMG activity of the rectus abdominis were quantified. The contribution of abdominal wall contraction to voiding was eliminated in a second group of rats by injecting botulinum-A (BTX, 5 U into each rectus abdominis to induce local paralysis. Uroflow parameters were compared between intact free-voiding and BTX-prepared animals. Results Abdominal wall response is present in free voiding. BTX preparation eliminated the voiding-associated EMG activity. Average per-void volume decreased from 1.8 ml to 1.1 ml (p Conclusion The voiding-associated abdominal wall response is a necessary component of normal voiding in urethane anesthetized female rats. As the proximal urethra may be the origin of the afferent signaling which results in the abdominal wall response, the importance of the bladder pressure increment due to this response may be in maintaining a normal duration intermittent pulsatile high frequency oscillatory (IPHFO/flow phase and thus efficient voiding. We propose the term Voiding-associated Abdominal Response (VAR for the physiologic voiding-associated EMG

  18. Effects of striated laser tracks on thermal fatigue resistance of cast iron samples with biomimetic non-smooth surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tong, Xin; Zhou, Hong; Liu, Min; Dai, Ming-jiang

    2011-01-01

    In order to enhance the thermal fatigue resistance of cast iron materials, the samples with biomimetic non-smooth surface were processed by Neodymium:Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. With self-controlled thermal fatigue test method, the thermal fatigue resistance of smooth and non-smooth samples was investigated. The effects of striated laser tracks on thermal fatigue resistance were also studied. The results indicated that biomimetic non-smooth surface was benefit for improving thermal fatigue resistance of cast iron sample. The striated non-smooth units formed by laser tracks which were vertical with thermal cracks had the best propagation resistance. The mechanisms behind these influences were discussed, and some schematic drawings were introduced to describe them.

  19. Effect of ADP on slow-twitch muscle fibres of the rat: implications for muscle fatigue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdonald, W A; Stephenson, D G

    2006-05-15

    Slow-twitch mechanically skinned fibres from rat soleus muscle were bathed in solutions mimicking the myoplasmic environment but containing different [ADP] (0.1 microm to 1.0 mm). The effect of ADP on sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-content was determined from the magnitude of caffeine-induced force responses, while temporal changes in SR Ca2+-content allowed determination of the effective rates of the SR Ca2+-pump and of the SR Ca2+-leak. The SR Ca2+-pump rate, estimated at pCa (-log10[Ca2+]) 7.8, was reduced by 20% as the [ADP] was increased from 0.1 to 40 microm, with no further alteration when the [ADP] was increased to 1.0 mm. The SR Ca2+-leak rate constant was not altered by increasing [ADP] from 0.1 to 40 microm, but was increased by 26% when the [ADP] was elevated to 1.0 mm. This ADP-induced SR Ca2+-leak was insensitive to ruthenium red but was abolished by 2,5-di(tert-butyl)-1,4-hydroquinone (TBQ), indicating that the leak pathway is via the SR Ca2+-pump and not the SR Ca2+-release channel. The decrease in SR Ca2+-pump rate and SR Ca2+-leak rate when [ADP] was increased led to a 40% decrease in SR Ca2+-loading capacity. Elevation of [ADP] had only minor direct effects on the contractile apparatus of slow-twitch fibres. These results suggest that ADP has only limited depressing effects on the contractility of slow-twitch muscle fibres. This is in contrast to the marked effects of ADP on force responses in fast-twitch muscle fibres and may contribute to the fatigue-resistant nature of slow-twitch muscle fibres.

  20. Pharmacodynamic/Pharmacogenomic Modeling of Insulin Resistance Genes in Rat Muscle After Methylprednisolone Treatment: Exploring Regulatory Signaling Cascades

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhenling Yao

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Corticosteroids (CS effects on insulin resistance related genes in rat skeletal muscle were studied. In our acute study, adrenalectomized (ADX rats were given single doses of 50 mg/kg methylprednisolone (MPL intravenously. In our chronic study, ADX rats were implanted with Alzet mini-pumps giving zero-order release rates of 0.3 mg/kg/h MPL and sacrificed at various times up to 7 days. Total RNA was extracted from gastrocnemius muscles and hybridized to Affymetrix GeneChips. Data mining and literature searches identified 6 insulin resistance related genes which exhibited complex regulatory pathways. Insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1, uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoenzyme 4 (PDK4, fatty acid translocase (FAT and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT dynamic profiles were modeled with mutual effects by calculated nuclear drug-receptor complex (DR(N and transcription factors. The oscillatory feature of endothelin-1 (ET-1 expression was depicted by a negative feedback loop. These integrated models provide test- able quantitative hypotheses for these regulatory cascades.

  1. Reconsideration of the sequence of rigor mortis through postmortem changes in adenosine nucleotides and lactic acid in different rat muscles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, M; Takatori, T; Iwadate, K; Nakajima, M

    1996-10-25

    We examined the changes in adenosine triphosphate (ATP), lactic acid, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in five different rat muscles after death. Rigor mortis has been thought to occur simultaneously in dead muscles and hence to start in small muscles sooner than in large muscles. In this study we found that the rate of decrease in ATP was significantly different in each muscle. The greatest drop in ATP was observed in the masseter muscle. These findings contradict the conventional theory of rigor mortis. Similarly, the rates of change in ADP and lactic acid, which are thought to be related to the consumption or production of ATP, were different in each muscle. However, the rate of change of AMP was the same in each muscle.

  2. Effects of Running Wheel Activity and Dietary HMB and β-alanine Co-Supplementation on Muscle Quality in Aged Male Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russ, D W; Acksel, C; McCorkle, K W; Edens, N K; Garvey, S M

    2017-01-01

    Loss of skeletal muscle function is linked to increased risk for loss of health and independence in older adults. Dietary interventions that can enhance aging muscle function, alone or in combination with exercise, may offer an effective way to reduce these risks. The goal of this study was to evaluate the muscular effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) and beta-alanine (β-Ala) co-supplementation in aged Sprague-Dawley rats with voluntary access to running wheels (RW). Aged (20 months) rats were housed with ad libitum access to RW while on a purified diet for 4 weeks, then balanced for RW activity and assigned to either a control or an experimental diet (control + HMB and β-Ala) for the next 4 weeks (n = 10/group). At the end of the study, we assessed muscle size, in situ force and fatigability in the medial gastrocnemius muscles, as well as an array of protein markers related to various age- and activity-responsive signaling pathways. Dietary HMB+β-Ala did not improve muscle force or fatigue resistance, but a trend for increased muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) was observed (P = 0.077). As a result, rats on the experimental diet exhibited reduced muscle quality (force/CSA; P = 0.032). Dietary HMB+β-Ala reduced both the abundance of PGC1-α (P = 0.050) and the ratio of the lipidated to non-lipidated forms of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta (P = 0.004), markers of mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagy, respectively. Some alterations in myostatin signaling also occurred in the dietary HMB+β-Ala group. There was an unexpected difference (P = 0.046) in RW activity, which increased throughout the study in the animals on the control diet, but not in animals on the experimental diet. These data suggest that the short-term addition of dietary HMB+β-Ala to modest physical activity provided little enhancement of muscle function in this model of uncomplicated aging.

  3. Growth hormone secretagogues prevent dysregulation of skeletal muscle calcium homeostasis in a rat model of cisplatin-induced cachexia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conte, Elena; Camerino, Giulia Maria; Mele, Antonietta; De Bellis, Michela; Pierno, Sabata; Rana, Francesco; Fonzino, Adriano; Caloiero, Roberta; Rizzi, Laura; Bresciani, Elena; Ben Haj Salah, Khoubaib; Fehrentz, Jean-Alain; Martinez, Jean; Giustino, Arcangela; Mariggiò, Maria Addolorata; Coluccia, Mauro; Tricarico, Domenico; Lograno, Marcello Diego; De Luca, Annamaria; Torsello, Antonio; Conte, Diana; Liantonio, Antonella

    2017-06-01

    Cachexia is a wasting condition associated with cancer types and, at the same time, is a serious and dose-limiting side effect of cancer chemotherapy. Skeletal muscle loss is one of the main characteristics of cachexia that significantly contributes to the functional muscle impairment. Calcium-dependent signaling pathways are believed to play an important role in skeletal muscle decline observed in cachexia, but whether intracellular calcium homeostasis is affected in this situation remains uncertain. Growth hormone secretagogues (GHS), a family of synthetic agonists of ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a), are being developed as a therapeutic option for cancer cachexia syndrome; however, the exact mechanism by which GHS interfere with skeletal muscle is not fully understood. By a multidisciplinary approach ranging from cytofluorometry and electrophysiology to gene expression and histology, we characterized the calcium homeostasis in fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of adult rats with cisplatin-induced cachexia and established the potential beneficial effects of two GHS (hexarelin and JMV2894) at this level. Additionally, in vivo measures of grip strength and of ultrasonography recordings allowed us to evaluate the functional impact of GHS therapeutic intervention. Cisplatin-treated EDL muscle fibres were characterized by a ~18% significant reduction of the muscle weight and fibre diameter together with an up-regulation of atrogin1/Murf-1 genes and a down-regulation of Pgc1-a gene, all indexes of muscle atrophy, and by a two-fold increase in resting intracellular calcium, [Ca 2+ ] i , compared with control rats. Moreover, the amplitude of the calcium transient induced by caffeine or depolarizing high potassium solution as well as the store-operated calcium entry were ~50% significantly reduced in cisplatin-treated rats. Calcium homeostasis dysregulation parallels with changes of functional ex vivo (excitability and resting macroscopic conductance) and in

  4. Effect of triiodothyronine (T3) excess on fatty acid metabolism in the soleus muscle from endurance-trained rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Górecka, M; Synak, M; Brzezińska, Z; Dąbrowski, J; Żernicka, E

    2016-04-01

    We studied whether short-term administration of triiodothyronine (T3) for the last 3 days of endurance training would influence the rate of uptake of palmitic acid (PA) as well as metabolism in rat soleus muscle, in vitro. Training per se did not affect the rate of PA uptake by the soleus; however, an excess of T3 increased the rate of this process at 1.5 mmol/L PA, as well as the rate that at which PA was incorporated into intramuscular triacylglycerols (TG). The rate of TG synthesis in trained euthyroid rats was reduced after exercise (1.5 mmol/L PA). The rate of PA oxidation in all of the trained rats immediately after exercise was enhanced by comparison with the sedentary values. Hyperthyroidism additionally increased the rate of this process at 1.5 mmol/L PA. After a recovery period, the rate of PA oxidation returned to the control values in both the euthyroid and the hyperthyroid groups. Examination of the high-energy phosphate levels indicated that elevated PA oxidation after exercise-training in euthyroid rats was associated with stable ATP levels and increased ADP and AMP levels, thus reducing energy cellular potential (ECP). In the hyperthyroid rats, levels of ADP and AMP were increased in the sedentary as well as the exercise-trained rats. ECP levels were high as a result of high levels of ATP and decreased levels of ADP and AMP in hyperthyroid rats after the recovery period. In conclusion, short-term hyperthyroidism accelerates PA utilization in well-trained soleus muscle.

  5. Entropic elasticity in the generation of muscle Force - A theoretical model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Bjørn Gilbert

    2002-01-01

    A novel simplified structural model of sarcomeric force production in striate muscle is presented. Using some simple assumptions regarding the distribution of myosin spring lengths at different sliding velocities it is possible to derive a very simple expression showing the main components...... of the experimentally observed force-velocity relationship of muscle: nonlinearity during contraction (Hill, 1938), maximal force production during stretching equal to two times the isometric force (Katz, 1939), yielding at high stretching velocity, slightly concave force-extension relationship during sudden length......-bridges are explored [linear, power function and worm-like chain (WLC) model based], and it is shown that the best results are obtained if the individual myosin-spring forces are modelled using a WLC model, thus hinting that entropic elasticity could be the main source of force in myosin undergoing the conformational...

  6. Physical activity counteracts tumor cell growth in colon carcinoma C26-injected muscles: an interim report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charlotte Hiroux

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Skeletal muscle tissue is a rare site of tumor metastasis but is the main target of the degenerative processes occurring in cancer-associated cachexia syndrome. Beneficial effects of physical activity in counteracting cancer-related muscle wasting have been described in the last decades. Recently it has been shown that, in tumor xeno-transplanted mouse models, physical activity is able to directly affect tumor growth by modulating inflammatory responses in the tumor mass microenvironment. Here, we investigated the effect of physical activity on tumor cell growth in colon carcinoma C26 cells injected tibialis anterior muscles of BALB/c mice. Histological analyses revealed that 4 days of voluntary wheel running significantly counteracts tumor cell growth in C26-injected muscles compared to the non-injected sedentary controls. Since striated skeletal muscle tissue is the site of voluntary contraction, our results confirm that physical activity can also directly counteract tumor cell growth in a metabolically active tissue that is usually not a target for metastasis.

  7. Alterations in the muscle force transfer apparatus in aged rats during unloading and reloading: Impact of microRNA-31.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, David C; Marcotte, George R; Baehr, Leslie M; West, Daniel W D; Marshall, Andrea G; Ebert, Scott M; Davidyan, Arik; Adams, Christopher M; Bodine, Sue C; Baar, Keith

    2018-05-03

    Force transfer is integral for maintaining skeletal muscle structure and function. One important component is dystrophin. There is limited understanding of how force transfer is impacted by age and loading. Here, we investigate the force transfer apparatus in muscles of adult and old rats exposed to periods of disuse and reloading. Our results demonstrate an increase in dystrophin protein during the reloading phase in the adult TA muscle that is delayed in old. The consequence of this delay is an increased susceptibility towards contraction-induced muscle injury. Central to the lack of dystrophin protein is an increase in miR-31, a microRNA that inhibits dystrophin translation. In vivo electroporation with a miR-31 sponge led to increased dystrophin protein and decreased contraction-induced muscle injury in old skeletal muscle. Overall, our results detail the importance of the force transfer apparatus and provide new mechanisms for contraction-induced injury in aging skeletal muscle. In healthy muscle, the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein (DGC) and integrin/focal adhesion complexes, intermediate filaments, and Z-line proteins transmit force from the contractile proteins to the extracellular matrix. How loading and age affect these proteins is poorly understood. The experiments reported here sought to determine the effect of aging on the force transfer apparatus following muscle unloading and reloading. Adult (9 months) and old (29 months) rats were subjected to 14 days hindlimb unloading (HU) and 1, 3, 7 and 14 days of reloading (REL). The DGC complex, intermediate filament and z-line protein and mRNA levels, as well as dystrophin-targeting miRNAs (miR-31, -146b and -374) were examined in the tibialis anterior (TA) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles at both ages. There was a significant increase in dystrophin protein levels (2.79-fold) upon 3 days of reloading in the adult TA muscle that did not occur in the old rats (p ≤ 0.05), and the rise in

  8. Virtual determination of liver and muscle glycogen obtained from fed rats and from 24-hour fasted rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.M.T.T. Trindidade et al

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Glycogen is the storage polysaccharide of animals, composed by glucoseresidues forming a branched polymer. The liver glycogen metabolism and hepaticgluconeogenesis are important buffer systems of blood glucose in different physiological orpathological situations, such as, during a fast period. Fasting muscle glycogenolysis alsooccurs, however, the release of glucose into the bloodstream is negligible because themuscle doesn’t have the enzyme glucose-6-P phosphatase, which is present in the liver.Objectives: This panel presents a learning object, mediated by computer, which simulatesthe determination of liver and muscle glycogen obtained from fed rats and from 24-hourfasted rats Materials and Methods: At first, cartoons were planned in order to show themethodology procedures and biochemical fundamentals. The most representative imageswere selected, edited, organized in a scene menu and inserted into an animationdeveloped with the aid of the Adobe ® Flash 8 software. The validation of this object wasperformed by the students of Biochemistry I (Pharmacy-UFRGS from the secondsemester of 2009 until the second semester of 2013. Results and Discussion: Theanalysis of students' answers revealed that 83% of them attributed the excellence rate tothe navigation program, to the display format and to the learning help. Conclusion:Therefore, this learning object can be considered an adequate teaching resource as wellas an innovative support in the construction of theoretical and practical knowledge ofBiochemistry. Support: SEAD-UFRGSAvailable at: http://www.ufrgs.br/gcoeb/obtencaodosagemglicogenio/

  9. Reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum content of releasable Ca2+ in rat soleus muscle fibres after eccentric contractions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, J S; Sahlin, K; Ørtenblad, N

    2007-01-01

    AIM: The purpose was to evaluate the effects of fatiguing eccentric contractions (EC) on calcium (Ca2+) handling properties in mammalian type I muscles. We hypothesized that EC reduces both endogenous sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) content of releasable Ca2+ (eSRCa2+) and myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity....... METHODS: Isolated rat soleus muscles performed 30 EC bouts. Single fibres were isolated from the muscle and after mechanical removal of sarcolemma used to measure eSRCa2+, rate of SR Ca2+ loading and myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity. RESULTS: Following EC maximal force in whole muscle was reduced by 30......% and 16/100 Hz force ratio by 33%. The eSRCa2+ in fibres from non-stimulated muscles was 45 +/- 5% of the maximal loading capacity. After EC, eSRCa2+ per fibre CSA decreased by 38% (P = 0.05), and the maximal capacity of SR Ca2+ loading was depressed by 32%. There were no effects of EC on either...

  10. Striated nephrogram as an incidental finding in MRI examination of children; Streifiges Nephrogramm als Zufallsbefund nach Kontrastmittelgabe bei Kindern in der MRT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Strocka, S.; Sorge, I.; Ritter, L.; Hirsch, F.W. [Leipzig Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Pediatric Radiology

    2016-01-15

    A highly striated contrast pattern of the kidneys occasionally appears in abdominal MRI examinations of children following the administration of gadolinium. As this phenomenon is well known but has not yet been explicitly described in literature, we investigated how frequently and in which clinical context this occurred. 855 abdominal MRI examinations with contrast media of 362 children between 2006 and 2014 were analysed retrospectively. A striated renal parenchyma was found in a total of nine children and eleven examinations (1.3 % of examinations) and did only occur at a field strength of 3 Tesla. Of these children, seven had previously had tumors and chemotherapy. In two children there was no evidence of a previously serious condition with medications or a kidney disease. All of them had a normal renal function. A noticeably striated nephrogram in the later phase of an MRI examination following administration of gadolinium may appear as an incidental finding in examinations at 3 Tesla without pathological relevance.

  11. Beta-adrenoceptor-agonist and insulin actions on glucose metabolism in rat skeletal muscle in different thyroid states.

    OpenAIRE

    Dimitriadis, G D; Richards, S J; Parry-Billings, M; Leighton, B; Newsholme, E A; Challiss, R A

    1991-01-01

    1. The actions of the beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline on glucose and glycogen metabolism, in the presence of various concentrations of insulin, were investigated in isolated soleus muscle preparations taken from eu-, hyper- and hypothyroid rats. 2. Hyperthyroidism, induced by 3,3',5-tri-iodo-D-thyronine (T3) administration for 5 days, increased the rate of lactate formation and suppressed the rate of glycogen synthesis in soleus muscle in response to isoprenaline, even in the presence ...

  12. The Effect of Recombinant Human MG53 Protein on Tourniquet-induced Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Rat Muscle

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-06-01

    blind to the treatment , and the prevalence of damaged fibers was quantitated from 10 10x images from each muscle . Approximately 800 fibers were counted...therapeutic cell membrane repair in treatment of muscular dystrophy . Sci Transl Med. 2012; 4(139):139ra185. 11. Weisleder N, Lin P, Zhao X, Orange M, Zhu H...The effect of recombinant human MG53 protein on tourniquet- induced ischemia reperfusion injury in rat muscle Benjamin T. Corona, Ph.D.1, Koyal Garg

  13. Functional Effects of Hyperthyroidism on Cardiac Papillary Muscle in Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Fabricio Furtado; Olivoto, Robson Ruiz; Silva, Priscyla Oliveira da; Francisco, Julio Cesar; Fogaça, Rosalvo Tadeu Hochmuller

    2016-12-01

    Hyperthyroidism is currently recognized to affect the cardiovascular system, leading to a series of molecular and functional changes. However, little is known about the functional influence of hyperthyroidism in the regulation of cytoplasmic calcium and on the sodium/calcium exchanger (NCX) in the cardiac muscle. To evaluate the functional changes in papillary muscles isolated from animals with induced hyperthyroidism. We divided 36 Wistar rats into a group of controls and another of animals with hyperthyroidism induced by intraperitoneal T3 injection. We measured in the animals' papillary muscles the maximum contraction force, speed of contraction (+df/dt) and relaxation (-df/dt), contraction and relaxation time, contraction force at different concentrations of extracellular sodium, post-rest potentiation (PRP), and contraction force induced by caffeine. In hyperthyroid animals, we observed decreased PRP at all rest times (p < 0.05), increased +df/dt and -df/dt (p < 0.001), low positive inotropic response to decreased concentration of extracellular sodium (p < 0.001), reduction of the maximum force in caffeine-induced contraction (p < 0.003), and decreased total contraction time (p < 0.001). The maximal contraction force did not differ significantly between groups (p = 0.973). We hypothesize that the changes observed are likely due to a decrease in calcium content in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, caused by calcium leakage, decreased expression of NCX, and increased expression of a-MHC and SERCA2.

  14. Influence of Chronic Stress and Oclusal Interference on Masseter Muscle Pain in Rat

    OpenAIRE

    Simonić-Kocijan, Sunčana; Uhač, Ivone; Braut, Vedrana; Kovač, Zoran; Kovačević Pavičić, Daniela; Fugošić, Vesna; Muhvić Urek, Miranda

    2009-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the individual effects of chronic stress and occlusal interference, as well as their combined influence on masseter muscle pain. Experiments were performed on 28 male Wistar rats. Animals were submitted to chronic stress procedure, exposed to occlusal interference, or exposed to both mantioned procedures. At the end of the procedure animals were submitted to orofacial formalin test, and nociceptive behavioral response was evaluated. Statisticaly significant dif...

  15. Leucine-Enriched Essential Amino Acids Augment Mixed Protein Synthesis, But Not Collagen Protein Synthesis, in Rat Skeletal Muscle after Downhill Running

    OpenAIRE

    Kato, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Hiromi; Inoue, Yoshiko; Suzuki, Katsuya; Kobayashi, Hisamine

    2016-01-01

    Mixed and collagen protein synthesis is elevated for as many as 3 days following exercise. Immediately after exercise, enhanced amino acid availability increases synthesis of mixed muscle protein, but not muscle collagen protein. However, the potential for synergic effects of amino acid ingestion with exercise on both mixed and collagen protein synthesis remains unclear. We investigated muscle collagen protein synthesis in rats following post-exercise ingestion of leucine-enriched essential a...

  16. Response of mef2 Gene of Slow and Fast Twitch Muscles of Wistar Male Rats to One Bout of Resistance Exercise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Fathi

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Myocyte Enhancer Factor 2 (mef2 gene relates with multiple myogenic transcriptional factors that induces activation Muscle-specific genes. MEF2 contributes in muscular cells development and differentiation as well as in fibers transition in response to stimulants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of one bout of resistance exercise (RE on mef2 gene expression in fast and slow skeletal muscles of Wistar male rats. Methods: For this experimental study, 15 rats from Pasteur Institute were prepared and housed under natural conditions (temperature, light/dark (12:12 cycle, with ad libitum access to food and water and then randomly divided assigned to RE (n=10 and control groups (n=5; the RE group performed one RE session. 3 and 6 hours following, the rats were anaesthetized and sacrificed, then the soleus and Extensor digitorum longus (EDL muscles were removed. determine mef2 gene expression rate, the Quantitative Real time RT-PCR was used. Data were analyzed by one sample and independent samples t test. Results: In EDL muscle, in response to one RE session, the mef2 gene expression increased non significantly at 3 hour (p=0/093 and increased significantly (p=/008 at 6 hour after exercise, but in soleus muscle, the mef2 gene expression decreased significantly at 3 hour (p=0/01, and at 6 hour after RE session there was no observed significant change (p=0.247. Conclusion: Mef2 expression gene is differently changes in muscle fibers, which are likely associated with changes in fiber type in response to resistance exercise.

  17. Muscular hypertrophy and atrophy in normal rats provoked by the administration of normal and denervated muscle extracts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agüera, Eduardo; Castilla, Salvador; Luque, Evelio; Jimena, Ignacio; Leiva-Cepas, Fernando; Ruz-Caracuel, Ignacio; Peña, José

    2016-12-01

    This study was conducted to determine the effects of extracts obtained from both normal and denervated muscles on different muscle types. Wistar rats were used and were divided into a control group and four experimental groups. Each experimental group was treated intraperitoneally during 10 consecutive days with a different extract. These extracts were obtained from normal soleus muscle, denervated soleus, normal extensor digitorum longus, and denervated extensor digitorum longus. Following treatment, the soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles were obtained for study under optic and transmission electron microscope; morphometric parameters and myogenic responses were also analyzed. The results demonstrated that the treatment with normal soleus muscle and denervated soleus muscle extracts provoked hypertrophy and increased myogenic activity. In contrast, treatment with extracts from the normal and denervated EDL had a different effect depending on the muscle analyzed. In the soleus muscle it provoked hypertrophy of type I fibers and increased myogenic activity, while in the extensor digitorum longus atrophy of the type II fibers was observed without changes in myogenic activity. This suggests that the muscular responses of atrophy and hypertrophy may depend on different factors related to the muscle type which could be related to innervation.

  18. Developmental regulation of voltage-sensitive sodium channels in rat skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sherman, S.J.

    1985-01-01

    The developmental regulation of the voltage-sensitive Na + channel in rat skeletal muscle was studied in vivo and in vitro. In triceps surae muscle developing in vivo the development of TTX-sensitive Na + channel occurred primarily during the first three postnatal weeks as determined by the specific binding of [ 3 H]saxitoxin. This development proceeded in two separate phases. The first phase occurs independently of continuing motor neuron innervation and accounts for 60% of the adult density of TTX-sensitive Na + channels. The second phase, which begins about day 11, requires innervation. Muscle cells in primary culture were found to have both TTX-sensitive and insensitive Na + channels. The development of the TTX-sensitive channel, in vitro, paralleled the initial innervation-independent phase of development observed in vivo. The density of TTX-sensitive Na + channels in cultured muscle cells was regulated by electrical activity and cytosolic Ca ++ levels. Pharmacological blockade of the spontaneous electrical activity present in these cells lead to a nearly 2-fold increase in the surface density of TTX-sensitive channels. The turnover time of the TTX-sensitive Na + channel was measured by blocking the incorporation of newly synthesized channels with tunicamycin, an inhibitor of N-linked protein glycosylation. The regulation of channel density by electrical activity, cytosolic Ca ++ levels, and agents affecting cyclic neucleotide levels had no effect on the turnover time of the TTX-sensitive Na + channel, indicating that these regulatory agents instead affect the synthesis of the channel

  19. Characterization of muscarinic and P2X receptors in the urothelium and detrusor muscle of the rat bladder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masaki Ogoda

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Muscarinic and purinergic (P2X receptors play critical roles in bladder urothelium under physiological and pathological conditions. Aim of present study was to characterize these receptors in rat bladder urothelium and detrusor muscle using selective radioligands of [N-methyl-3H]scopolamine methyl chloride ([3H]NMS and αβ-methylene ATP [2,8-3H]tetrasodium salt ([3H]αβ-MeATP. Similar binding parameters for each radioligand were observed in urothelium and detrusor muscle. Pretreatment with N-(2-chloroethyl-4-piperidinyl diphenylacetate (4-DAMP mustard mustard revealed co-existence of M2 and M3 receptors, with the number of M2 receptors being larger in the urothelium and detrusor muscle. Intravesical administration of imidafenacin and Dpr-P-4 (N → O (active metabolite of propiverine displayed significant binding of muscarinic receptors in the urothelium and detrusor muscle. The treatment with cyclophosphamide (CYP or resiniferatoxin (RTX resulted in a significant decrease in maximal number of binding sites (Bmax for [3H]NMS and/or [3H]αβ-MeATP in the urothelium and detrusor muscle. These results demonstrated that 1 pharmacological characteristics of muscarinic and P2X receptors in rat bladder urothelium were similar to those in the detrusor muscle, 2 that densities of these receptors were significantly altered by pretreatments with CYP and RTX, and 3 that these receptors may be pharmacologically affected by imidafenacin and Dpr-P-4 (N → O which are excreted in the urine.

  20. β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) enhances the proliferation of satellite cells in fast muscles of aged rats during recovery from disuse atrophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alway, Stephen E; Pereira, Suzette L; Edens, Neile K; Hao, Yanlei; Bennett, Brian T

    2013-09-01

    Loss of myonuclei by apoptosis is thought to contribute to sarcopenia. We have previously shown, that the leucine metabolite, β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) suppresses apoptotic signaling and the apoptotic index (the ratio of apoptotic positive to apoptotic negative myonuclei) during muscle disuse and during reloading periods after disuse in aged rats. However, it was not clear if the apoptotic signaling indexes were due only to preservation of myonuclei or if perhaps the total myogenic pool increased as a result of HMB-mediated satellite cell proliferation as this would have also reduced the apoptotic index. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that HMB would augment myogenic cells (satellite cells) proliferation during muscle recovery (growth) after a period of disuse in senescent animals. The hindlimb muscles of 34 month old Fisher 344 × Brown Norway rats were unloaded for 14 days by hindlimb suspension (HLS), and then reloaded for 14 days. The rats received either Ca-HMB (340 mg/kg body weight; n = 16), or the vehicle (n = 10) by gavage throughout the experimental period. HMB prevented the functional decline in maximal plantar flexion isometric force production during the reloading period, but not during HLS. HMB-treatment enhanced the proliferation of muscle stem cells as shown by a greater percentage of satellite cells that had proliferated (more BrdU positive, Pax-7 positive, and more Pax7/Ki67 positive nuclei) and as a result, more differentiated stem cells were present (more MyoD/myogenin positive myonuclei), relative to total myonuclei, in reloaded plantaris muscles as compared to reloaded muscles from vehicle-treated animals. Furthermore HMB increased the nuclear protein abundance of proliferation markers, inhibitor of differentiation-2 and cyclin A, as compared to vehicle treatment in reloaded muscles. Although HMB increased phosphorylated Akt during reloading, other mTOR related proteins were not altered by HMB treatment. These data show that

  1. Transcriptome-wide RNA sequencing analysis of rat skeletal muscle feed arteries. II. Impact of exercise training in obesity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkins, Nathan T.; Thorne, Pamela K.; Martin, Jeffrey S.; Rector, R. Scott; Davis, J. Wade; Laughlin, M. Harold

    2014-01-01

    We employed next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology to determine the extent to which exercise training alters global gene expression in skeletal muscle feed arteries and aortic endothelial cells of obese Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats. Transcriptional profiles of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscle feed arteries (SFA and GFA, respectively) and aortic endothelial cell-enriched samples from rats that underwent an endurance exercise training program (EndEx; n = 12) or a interval sprint training program (IST; n = 12) or remained sedentary (Sed; n = 12) were examined. In response to EndEx, there were 39 upregulated (e.g., MANF) and 20 downregulated (e.g., ALOX15) genes in SFA and 1 upregulated (i.e., Wisp2) and 1 downregulated (i.e., Crem) gene in GFA [false discovery rate (FDR) exercise programs. Expression of only two genes (Tubb2b and Slc9a3r2) was altered (i.e., increased) by exercise in all three arteries. The finding that both EndEx and IST produced greater transcriptional changes in the SFA compared with the GFA is intriguing when considering the fact that treadmill bouts of exercise are associated with greater relative increases in blood flow to the gastrocnemius muscle compared with the soleus muscle. PMID:24408995

  2. Combined, but not individual, blockade of ASIC3, P2X, and EP4 receptors attenuates the exercise pressor reflex in rats with freely perfused hindlimb muscles

    OpenAIRE

    Stone, Audrey J.; Copp, Steven W.; Kim, Joyce S.; Kaufman, Marc P.

    2015-01-01

    In healthy humans, tests of the hypothesis that lactic acid, PGE2, or ATP plays a role in evoking the exercise pressor reflex proved controversial. The findings in humans resembled ours in decerebrate rats that individual blockade of the receptors to lactic acid, PGE2, and ATP had only small effects on the exercise pressor reflex provided that the muscles were freely perfused. This similarity between humans and rats prompted us to test the hypothesis that in rats with freely perfused muscles ...

  3. Barium-induced skeletal muscle paralysis in the rat, and its relationship to human familial periodic paralysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schott, G. D.; McArdle, B.

    1974-01-01

    An in vivo study of skeletal muscle paralysis induced by intravenous barium chloride has been made in curarized and non-curarized rats. The influence of potassium and calcium chlorides, propranolol, ouabain, and prior adrenalectomy on the paralysis has also been studied. Paralysis is found to be due to a direct effect on skeletal muscle, and to correlate well with the development of hypokalaemia. Possible mechanisms of action of barium are discussed, and attention is drawn to the similarity between barium poisoning and hypokalaemic familial periodic paralysis. PMID:4813426

  4. Physiology of Normal Esophageal Motility

    OpenAIRE

    Goyal, Raj K; Chaudhury, Arun

    2008-01-01

    The esophagus consists of two different parts. In humans, the cervical esophagus is composed of striated muscles and the thoracic esophagus is composed of phasic smooth muscles. The striated muscle esophagus is innervated by the lower motor neurons and peristalsis in this segment is due to sequential activation of the motor neurons in the nucleus ambiguus. Both primary and secondary peristaltic contractions are centrally mediated. The smooth muscle of esophagus is phasic in nature and is inne...

  5. β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMβ supplementation stimulates skeletal muscle hypertrophy in rats via the mTOR pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pimentel Gustavo D

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMβ supplementation is used to treat cancer, sepsis and exercise-induced muscle damage. However, its effects on animal and human health and the consequences of this treatment in other tissues (e.g., fat and liver have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of HMβ supplementation on skeletal muscle hypertrophy and the expression of proteins involved in insulin signalling. Rats were treated with HMβ (320 mg/kg body weight or saline for one month. The skeletal muscle hypertrophy and insulin signalling were evaluated by western blotting, and hormonal concentrations were evaluated using ELISAs. HMβ supplementation induced muscle hypertrophy in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL and soleus muscles and increased serum insulin levels, the expression of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR and phosphorylation of p70S6K in the EDL muscle. Expression of the insulin receptor was increased only in liver. Thus, our results suggest that HMβ supplementation can be used to increase muscle mass without adverse health effects.

  6. Quantification and localisation of damage in rat muscles after controlled loading; a new approach to study the aetiology of pressure sores

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bosboom, E.M.H.; Bouten, C.V.C.; Oomens, C.W.J.; Straaten, van H.W.M.; Baaijens, F.P.T.; Kuipers, H.

    2001-01-01

    To obtain more insight in the aetiology of deep pressure sores, an animal model was developed to relate controlled externalloading to local muscle damage. The tibialis anterior muscle (TA) and overlying skin of a rat were compressed between indentorand tibia. Loads of 10, 70 and 250 kPa at skin

  7. Effects of thyroid hormones on calcium contents and 45Ca exchange in rat skeletal muscle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Everts, M.E.; Clausen, T.

    1986-01-01

    In 4-wk-old rats, pretreatment with L-triiodothyronine (T3) increased calcium content by 100% and the 30-min 45 Ca uptake by 64% in the soleus, whereas the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle showed no significant change. The stimulation of 45 Ca uptake was resistant to dantrolene and methoxyverapamil (D600) and could not be attributed to altered permeability of the plasma membrane to calcium, but appears to reflect increased net accumulation of calcium in intracellular pools. The stimulating effect of high K0 (20 mM) on 45 Ca uptake was more pronounced in soleus than in EDL and could be suppressed by dantrolene and D600. The results indicate that the effects of T3 on calcium content and 45 Ca exchange are primarily exerted on muscles containing a large proportion of slow-twitch, oxidative fibers. In soleus muscle from hyperthyroid rats the stimulating effects of high K0 on 45 Ca uptake and lactate production were, respectively, 3.4 and 4.5 times larger than in those obtained from controls. These observations further support the earlier proposed idea [C. van Hardeveld and T. Clausen. Am. J. Physiol. 247 (Endocrinol. Metab. 10): E421-E430, 1984] that the metabolic effects of thyroid hormone depend on the availability of cellular as well as extracellular calcium

  8. Effects of thyroid hormones on calcium contents and 45Ca exchange in rat skeletal muscle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Everts, M.E.; Clausen, T.

    1986-09-01

    In 4-wk-old rats, pretreatment with L-triiodothyronine (T3) increased calcium content by 100% and the 30-min /sup 45/Ca uptake by 64% in the soleus, whereas the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle showed no significant change. The stimulation of /sup 45/Ca uptake was resistant to dantrolene and methoxyverapamil (D600) and could not be attributed to altered permeability of the plasma membrane to calcium, but appears to reflect increased net accumulation of calcium in intracellular pools. The stimulating effect of high K0 (20 mM) on /sup 45/Ca uptake was more pronounced in soleus than in EDL and could be suppressed by dantrolene and D600. The results indicate that the effects of T3 on calcium content and /sup 45/Ca exchange are primarily exerted on muscles containing a large proportion of slow-twitch, oxidative fibers. In soleus muscle from hyperthyroid rats the stimulating effects of high K0 on /sup 45/Ca uptake and lactate production were, respectively, 3.4 and 4.5 times larger than in those obtained from controls. These observations further support the earlier proposed idea (C. van Hardeveld and T. Clausen. Am. J. Physiol. 247 (Endocrinol. Metab. 10): E421-E430, 1984) that the metabolic effects of thyroid hormone depend on the availability of cellular as well as extracellular calcium.

  9. Comparative in vitro metabolism of 1-14C-oleic acid and 1-14C-erucic acid in liver, heart and skeletal muscles of rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhatia, I.S.; Sharma, A.K.; Ahuja, S.P.

    1978-01-01

    In vitro oxidation of 14 C-oleic and 1- 14 C-erucic acid and their incorporation into lipids by liver, heart and skeletal muscles from female albino rats were studied. These tissues were obtained from rats maintained for 120 days on low fat diet or diets containing 15% mustard oil or 15% groundnut oil. In all these tissues from rats on different types of diets, the oxidation of 1- 14 C-erucic acid was lower than that 1- 14 C-oleic acid. There was little accumulation of lipids in heart after 120 days of feeding mustard oil. Oxidation of 1- 14 C-erucic acid was enhanced in liver, heart and skeletal muscles of rats conditioned to the mustard oil diet supplying erucic acid. Oxidation of erucic acid was maximum in liver and least in heart, whereas there were no differences in the oxidation of 1- 14 C-oleic acid in these tissues. Incorporation of 1- 14 C-oleic acid into triglycerides and phospholipids was not affected by the type of diet or tissues Incorporation of 1- 14 C-erucic acid was mainly into triglycerides of heart and skeletal muscles of rats not accustomed to mustard oil diet whereas these tissues from rats accustomed to mustard oil diets incorporated 1- 14 C-erucic acid both into the triglycerides and phospholipids. (author)

  10. Functional anatomy of the hypoglossal innervated muscles of the rat tongue: a model for elongation and protrusion of the mammalian tongue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClung, J R; Goldberg, S J

    2000-12-01

    This anatomical investigation in the rat was designed to illustrate the detailed organization of the tongue's muscles and their innervation in order to elucidate the actions of the muscles of the higher mammalian tongue and thereby clarify the protrusor subdivision of the hypoglossal-tongue complex. The hypoglossal innervated, extrinsic styloglossus, hyoglossus, and genioglossus and the intrinsic transversus, verticalis and longitudinalis linguae muscles were observed by microdissection and analysis of serial transverse-sections of the tongue. Sihler's staining technique was applied to whole rat tongues to demonstrate the hypoglossal nerve branching patterns. Dissections of the tongue demonstrate the angles at which the extrinsic muscles act on the base of the tongue. The Sihler stained hypoglossal nerves demonstrate branches to the styloglossus and hyoglossus emanating from its lateral division while branches to the genioglossus muscle exit from its medial division. The largest portions of both XIIth nerve divisions can be seen to enter the body of the tongue to innervate the intrinsic muscles. Transverse sections of the tongue demonstrate the organization of the intrinsic muscle fibers of the tongue. Longitudinal muscle fibers run along the entire circumference of the tongue. Alternating sheets of transverse lingual and vertical lingual muscles can be observed to insert into the circumference of the tongue. Most importantly in clarifying tongue protrusion, we demonstrate the transversus muscle fibers enveloping the most superior and inferior portions of the longitudinalis muscles. Longitudinal muscle fascicles are completely encircled and thus are likely to be compressed by transverse muscle fascicles resulting in elongation of the tongue. We discuss our findings in relation to biomechanical studies, that describe the tongue as a muscular hydrostat and thereby define the "elongation-protrusion apparatus" of the mammalian tongue. In so doing, we clarify the

  11. Exercise Protects Against Defective Insulin Signaling and Insulin Resistance of Glucose Transport in Skeletal Muscle of Angiotensin II-Infused Rat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juthamard Surapongchai

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The present study investigated the impact of voluntary exercise on insulin-stimulated glucose transport and the protein expression and phosphorylation status of the signaling molecules known to be involved in the glucose transport process in the soleus muscle as well as other cardiometabolic risks in a rat model with insulin resistance syndrome induced by chronic angiotensin II (ANGII infusion.Materials and Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to sedentary or voluntary wheel running (VWR groups. Following a 6-week period, rats in each group were subdivided and subcutaneously administered either normal saline or ANGII at 100 ng/kg/min for 14 days. Blood pressure, glucose tolerance, insulin-stimulated glucose transport and signaling proteins, including insulin receptor (IR, insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1, Akt, Akt substrate of 160 kDa (AS160, AMPKα, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK, p38 MAPK, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, ANGII type 1 receptor (AT1R, ACE2, Mas receptor (MasR and oxidative stress marker in the soleus muscle, were evaluated.Results: Exercise protected against the insulin resistance of glucose transport and defective insulin signaling molecules in the soleus muscle; this effect was associated with a significant increase in AMPK Thr172 (43% and decreases in oxidative stress marker (31% and insulin-induced p38 MAPK Thr180/Tyr182 (45% and SAPK/JNK Thr183/Tyr185 (25%, without significant changes in expression of AT1R, AT2R, ACE, ACE2, and MasR when compared to the sedentary rats given ANGII infusion. At the systemic level, VWR significantly decreased body weight, fat weight, and systolic blood pressure as well as improved serum lipid profiles.Conclusion: Voluntary exercise can alleviate insulin resistance of glucose transport and impaired insulin signaling molecules in the soleus muscle and improve whole-body insulin sensitivity in rats chronically administered with ANGII.

  12. Response of mitochondrial function to hypothyroidism in normal and regenerated rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoll, J; Ventura-Clapier, R; Serrurier, B; Bigard, A X

    2001-01-01

    Although thyroid hormones induce a well known decrease in muscle oxidative capacity, nothing is known concerning their effects on mitochondrial function and regulation in situ. Similarly, the influence of regeneration process is not completely understood. We investigated the effects of hypothyroidism on mitochondrial function in fast gastrocnemius (GS) and slow soleus (SOL) muscles either intact or having undergone a cycle of degeneration/regeneration (Rg SOL) following a local injection of myotoxin. Thyroid hormone deficiency was induced by thyroidectomy and propylthiouracyl via drinking water. Respiration was measured in muscle fibres permeabilised by saponin in order to assess the oxidative capacity of the muscles and the regulation of mitochondria in situ. Oxidative capacities were 8.9 in SOL, 8.5 in Rg SOL and 5.9 micromol O2/min/g dry weight in GS and decreased by 52, 42 and 39% respectively (P hypothyroid rats. Moreover, the Km of mitochondrial respiration for the phosphate acceptor ADP exhibited a two-fold decrease in Rg SOL and intact SOL by hypothyroidism (P hypothyroidism markedly altered the sensitivity of mitochondrial respiration to ADP but not to creatine in SOL muscles, suggesting that mitochondrial regulation could be partially controlled by thyroid hormones. On the other hand, mitochondrial function completely recovered following regeneration/degeneration, suggesting that thyroid hormones are not involved in the regeneration process per se.

  13. Improvement of Endurance Based on Muscle Fiber-Type Composition by Treatment with Dietary Apple Polyphenols in Rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wataru Mizunoya

    Full Text Available A recent study demonstrated a positive effect of apple polyphenol (APP intake on muscle endurance of young-adult animals. While an enhancement of lipid metabolism may be responsible, in part, for the improvement, the contributing mechanisms still need clarification. Here we show that an 8-week intake of 5% (w/w APP in the diet, up-regulates two features related to fiber type: the ratio of myosin heavy chain (MyHC type IIx/IIb and myoglobin protein expression in plantaris muscle of 9-week-old male Fischer F344 rats compared to pair-fed controls (P < 0.05. Results were demonstrated by our SDS-PAGE system specialized for MyHC isoform separation and western blotting of whole muscles. Animal-growth profiles (food intake, body-weight gain, and internal-organ weights did not differ between the control and 5% APP-fed animals (n = 9/group. Findings may account for the increase in fatigue resistance of lower hind limb muscles, as evidenced by a slower decline in the maximum isometric planter-flexion torque generated by a 100-s train of electrical stimulation of the tibial nerve. Additionally, the fatigue resistance was lower after 8 weeks of a 0.5% APP diet than after 5% APP, supporting an APP-dose dependency of the shift in fiber-type composition. Therefore, the present study highlights a promising contribution of dietary APP intake to increasing endurance based on fiber-type composition in rat muscle. Results may help in developing a novel strategy for application in animal sciences, and human sports and age-related health sciences.

  14. Hypertrophy Stimulation at the Onset of Type I Diabetes Maintains the Soleus but Not the EDL Muscle Mass in Wistar Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortes, Marco A. S.; Scervino, Maria V. M.; Marzuca-Nassr, Gabriel N.; Vitzel, Kaio F.; da Justa Pinheiro, Carlos H.; Curi, Rui

    2017-01-01

    Diabetes mellitus induces a reduction in skeletal muscle mass and strength. Strength training is prescribed as part of treatment since it improves glycemic control and promotes increase of skeletal muscle mass. The mechanisms involved in overload-induced muscle hypertrophy elicited at the establishment of the type I diabetic state was investigated in Wistar rats. The purpose was to examine whether the overload-induced hypertrophy can counteract the hypotrophy associated to the diabetic state. The experiments were performed in oxidative (soleus) or glycolytic (EDL) muscles. PI3K/Akt/mTOR protein synthesis pathway was evaluated 7 days after overload-induced hypertrophy of soleus and of EDL muscles. The mRNA expression of genes associated with different signaling pathways that control muscle hypertrophy was also evaluated: mechanotransduction (FAK), Wnt/β-catenin, myostatin, and follistatin. The soleus and EDL muscles when submitted to overload had similar hypertrophic responses in control and diabetic animals. The increase of absolute and specific twitch and tetanic forces had the same magnitude as muscle hypertrophic response. Hypertrophy of the EDL muscle from diabetic animals mostly involved mechanical loading-stimulated PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway besides the reduced activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and decrease of myostatin expression. Hypertrophy was more pronounced in the soleus muscle of diabetic animals due to a more potent activation of rpS6 and increased mRNA expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), mechano-growth factor (MGF) and follistatin, and decrease of myostatin, MuRF-1 and atrogin-1 contents. The signaling changes enabled the soleus muscle mass and force of the diabetic rats to reach the values of the control group. PMID:29123487

  15. Metformin treatment modulates the tumour-induced wasting effects in muscle protein metabolism minimising the cachexia in tumour-bearing rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, André G.; Gomes-Marcondes, Maria Cristina C.

    2016-01-01

    Cancer-cachexia state frequently induces both fat and protein wasting, leading to death. In this way, the knowledge of the mechanism of drugs and their side effects can be a new feature to treat and to have success, contributing to a better life quality for these patients. Metformin is an oral drug used in type 2 diabetes mellitus, showing inhibitory effect on proliferation in some neoplastic cells. For this reason, we evaluated its modulatory effect on Walker-256 tumour evolution and also on protein metabolism in gastrocnemius muscle and body composition. Wistar rats received or not tumour implant and metformin treatment and were distributed into four groups, as followed: control (C), Walker 256 tumour-bearing (W), metformin-treated (M) and tumour-bearing treated with metformin (WM). Animals were weighed three times a week, and after cachexia state has been detected, the rats were euthanised and muscle and tumour excised and analysed by biochemical and molecular assays. Tumour growth promoted some deleterious effects on chemical body composition, increasing water and decreasing fat percentage, and reducing lean body mass. In muscle tissue, tumour led to a decreased protein synthesis and an increased proteolysis, showing the higher activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. On the other hand, the metformin treatment likely minimised the tumour-induced wasting state; in this way, this treatment ameliorated chemical body composition, reduced the higher activities of proteolytic enzymes and decreased the protein waste. Metformin treatment not only decreases the tumour growth but also improves the protein metabolism in gastrocnemius muscle in tumour-bearing rats

  16. Ex Vivo Gene Therapy Using Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Deliver Growth Factors in the Skeletal Muscle of a Familial ALS Rat Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Masatoshi; Svendsen, Clive N

    2016-01-01

    Therapeutic protein and molecule delivery to target sites by transplanted human stem cells holds great promise for ex vivo gene therapy. Our group has demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of ex vivo gene therapy targeting the skeletal muscles in a transgenic rat model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We used human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and genetically modified them to release neuroprotective growth factors such as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Intramuscular growth factor delivery via hMSCs can enhance neuromuscular innervation and motor neuron survival in a rat model of ALS (SOD1(G93A) transgenic rats). Here, we describe the protocol of ex vivo delivery of growth factors via lentiviral vector-mediated genetic modification of hMSCs and hMSC transplantation into the skeletal muscle of a familial ALS rat model.

  17. Neural Representations of Natural and Scrambled Movies Progressively Change from Rat Striate to Temporal Cortex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinken, Kasper; Van den Bergh, Gert; Vermaercke, Ben; Op de Beeck, Hans P.

    2016-01-01

    In recent years, the rodent has come forward as a candidate model for investigating higher level visual abilities such as object vision. This view has been backed up substantially by evidence from behavioral studies that show rats can be trained to express visual object recognition and categorization capabilities. However, almost no studies have investigated the functional properties of rodent extrastriate visual cortex using stimuli that target object vision, leaving a gap compared with the primate literature. Therefore, we recorded single-neuron responses along a proposed ventral pathway in rat visual cortex to investigate hallmarks of primate neural object representations such as preference for intact versus scrambled stimuli and category-selectivity. We presented natural movies containing a rat or no rat as well as their phase-scrambled versions. Population analyses showed increased dissociation in representations of natural versus scrambled stimuli along the targeted stream, but without a clear preference for natural stimuli. Along the measured cortical hierarchy the neural response seemed to be driven increasingly by features that are not V1-like and destroyed by phase-scrambling. However, there was no evidence for category selectivity for the rat versus nonrat distinction. Together, these findings provide insights about differences and commonalities between rodent and primate visual cortex. PMID:27146315

  18. Effects of Dioscorea esculenta and Eubacterium rectale on insulin receptor substrate 1 (Irs1 Expression in skeletal muscle and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR in diabetic rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    . Sunarti

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Low expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 (Irs1 is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of Dioscorea esculenta and Eubacterium rectale on the Irs1 expression in the skeletal muscle and the homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR of diabetic rats. Twenty-five male Wistar rats were divided into five groups i.e. non diabetic rats Group 1; diabetic rats as Group 2; diabetic rats + D. esculenta as Group 3; diabetic rats + E.rectale as Group 4 and diabetic rats + both E. rectale and D. esculenta as Group 5. Rats were made diabetic with induction of intraperitoneally injection of nicotinamide and streptozotocin. After four weeks of the interventions, the blood and skeletal muscles were taken. The Irs1 expression was analyzed with immunohistochemical staining, plasma glucose levels was analyzed using a spectrophotometer, and insulin was analyzed using ELISA methods. All intervention groups reduced plasma glucose levels and HOMA-IRs (p<0.001 and increased Irs1 expression. The greatest reduction of  plasma glucose levels and increase of Irs1 expression in the skeletal muscle were found in Group 4, however, the lowest of HOMA-IR was seen in Group 5. These results suggested that D.esculenta, E.rectale, and the combination reduced plasma glucose levels and HOMA-IR by increasing Irs1 expression in skeletal muscle.

  19. TIME COURSE ALTERATIONS OF SATELLITE CELL EVENTS IN RESPONSE TO LIGHT MODERATE ENDURANCE TRAINING IN WHITE GASTROCNEMIUS MUSCLE OF THE RAT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zong-Yan Cai

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated satellite cells and their related molecular events adapted to light moderate endurance training in the white gastrocnemius muscle of the rat. The white gastrocnemius muscle of male Sprague-Dawley rats that had been trained for 4 weeks and 8 weeks, with control rats being analysed alongside them, was selected for analysis (n=3 per group. The training protocol consisted of treadmill running at 20 m · min-1 for 30 min on a 0% grade, for 3 days · week-1. Immunohistochemical staining coupled with image analysis was used for quantification. To provide deeper insight into the cell layer, 40 sections per rat, corresponding to 120 values per group, were obtained as a mean value for statistical comparison. The results indicated that at week 4, training effects increased the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF content and c-met positive satellite cell numbers. At week 8, the training effect was attenuated for VEGF and c-met satellite cell numbers, but it increased in the muscle fibre area. Additionally, c-met positive satellite cell numbers correlated with VEGF content (r = 0.79, p<0.05. In conclusion, this study suggests that light moderate endurance training could stimulate satellite cell activation that might be related to VEGF signalling. Additionally, the satellite cells activated by moderate endurance training might contribute to slight growth in myocytes.

  20. Temporal-frequency tuning of cross-orientation suppression in the cat striate cortex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allison, J D; Smith, K R; Bonds, A B

    2001-01-01

    A sinusoidal mask grating oriented orthogonally to and superimposed onto an optimally oriented base grating reduces a cortical neuron's response amplitude. The spatial selectivity of cross-orientation suppression (XOR) has been described, so for this paper we investigated the temporal properties of XOR. We recorded from single striate cortical neurons (n = 72) in anesthetized and paralyzed cats. After quantifying the spatial and temporal characteristics of each cell's excitatory response to a base grating, we measured the temporal-frequency tuning of XOR by systematically varying the temporal frequency of a mask grating placed at a null orientation outside of the cell's excitatory orientation domain. The average preferred temporal frequency of the excitatory response of the neurons in our sample was 3.8 (+/- 1.5 S.D.) Hz. The average cutoff frequency for the sample was 16.3 (+/- 1.7) Hz. The average preferred temporal frequency (7.0 +/- 2.6 Hz) and cutoff frequency (20.4 +/- 6.9 Hz) of the XOR were significantly higher. The differences averaged 1.1 (+/- 0.6) octaves for the peaks and 0.3 (+/- 0.4) octaves for the cutoffs. The XOR mechanism's preference for high temporal frequencies suggests a possible extrastriate origin for the effect and could help explain the low-pass temporal-frequency response profile displayed by most striate cortical neurons.

  1. Dietary Fat Quantity and Type Induce Transcriptome-Wide Effects on Alternative Splicing of Pre-mRNA in Rat Skeletal Muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black, Adam J; Ravi, Suhana; Jefferson, Leonard S; Kimball, Scot R; Schilder, Rudolf J

    2017-09-01

    Background: Fat-enriched diets produce metabolic changes in skeletal muscle, which in turn can mediate changes in gene regulation. Objective: We examined the high-fat-diet-induced changes in skeletal muscle gene expression by characterizing variations in pre-mRNA alternative splicing. Methods: Affymetrix Exon Array analysis was performed on the transcriptome of the gastrocnemius/plantaris complex of male obesity-prone Sprague-Dawley rats fed a 10% or 60% fat (lard) diet for 2 or 8 wk. The validation of exon array results was focused on troponin T ( Tnnt3 ). Tnnt3 splice form analyses were extended in studies of rats fed 10% or 30% fat diets across 1- to 8-wk treatment periods and rats fed 10% or 45% fat diets with fat sources from lard or mono- or polyunsaturated fats for 2 wk. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to measure body composition. Results: Consumption of a 60% fat diet for 2 or 8 wk resulted in alternative splicing of 668 and 726 pre-mRNAs, respectively, compared with rats fed a 10% fat diet. Tnnt3 transcripts were alternatively spliced in rats fed a 60% fat diet for either 2 or 8 wk. The high-fat-diet-induced changes in Tnnt3 alternative splicing were observed in rats fed a 30% fat diet across 1- to 8-wk treatment periods. Moreover, this effect depended on fat type, because Tnnt3 alternative splicing occurred in response to 45% fat diets enriched with lard but not in response to diets enriched with mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fat mass (a proxy for obesity as measured by NMR) did not differ between groups in any study. Conclusions: Rat skeletal muscle responds to overconsumption of dietary fat by modifying gene expression through pre-mRNA alternative splicing. Variations in Tnnt3 alternative splicing occur independently of obesity and are dependent on dietary fat quantity and suggest a role for saturated fatty acids in the high-fat-diet-induced modifications in Tnnt3 alternative splicing. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  2. Reactive oxygen species and fatigue-induced prolonged low-frequency force depression in skeletal muscle fibres of rats, mice and SOD2 overexpressing mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruton, Joseph D; Place, Nicolas; Yamada, Takashi; Silva, José P; Andrade, Francisco H; Dahlstedt, Anders J; Zhang, Shi-Jin; Katz, Abram; Larsson, Nils-Göran; Westerblad, Håkan

    2008-01-01

    Skeletal muscle often shows a delayed force recovery after fatiguing stimulation, especially at low stimulation frequencies. In this study we focus on the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in this fatigue-induced prolonged low-frequency force depression. Intact, single muscle fibres were dissected from flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscles of rats and wild-type and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) overexpressing mice. Force and myoplasmic free [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)](i)) were measured. Fibres were stimulated at different frequencies before and 30 min after fatigue induced by repeated tetani. The results show a marked force decrease at low stimulation frequencies 30 min after fatiguing stimulation in all fibres. This decrease was associated with reduced tetanic [Ca(2+)](i) in wild-type mouse fibres, whereas rat fibres and mouse SOD2 overexpressing fibres instead displayed a decreased myofibrillar Ca(2+) sensitivity. The SOD activity was approximately 50% lower in wild-type mouse than in rat FDB muscles. Myoplasmic ROS increased during repeated tetanic stimulation in rat fibres but not in wild-type mouse fibres. The decreased Ca(2+) sensitivity in rat fibres could be partially reversed by application of the reducing agent dithiothreitol, whereas the decrease in tetanic [Ca(2+)](i) in wild-type mouse fibres was not affected by dithiothreitol or the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. In conclusion, we describe two different causes of fatigue-induced prolonged low-frequency force depression, which correlate to differences in SOD activity and ROS metabolism. These findings may have clinical implications since ROS-mediated impairments in myofibrillar function can be counteracted by reductants and antioxidants, whereas changes in SR Ca(2+) handling appear more resistant to interventions.

  3. The effect of palytoxin on neuromuscular junctions in the anococcygeus muscle of the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amir, I; Harris, J B; Zar, M A

    1997-06-01

    Palytoxin, a highly toxic natural product isolated from zoanthids of the genus Palythoa, is accumulated by a wide range of fishes and marine invertebrates used as food in the Indo-Pacific. It is responsible for many incidents of human morbidity and mortality. The toxin is a potent smooth muscle spasmogen. The cause of the contraction of smooth muscle is unclear, but recent work strongly suggests that it is primarily initiated by the release of neurotransmitters from the motor innervation of the smooth muscle. We show here that palytoxin caused the swelling of the muscle cells and some internal organelles of the anococcygeus muscle of the rat, but no substantial structural damage to the tissue. Axons and Schwann cells were also swollen but the most dramatic feature was the depletion of synaptic vesicles from putative release sites in the axons. Some axons were physically damaged following exposure to the toxin, but this was relatively uncommon (< 10% of all axons studied). In the majority of axons there was no damage to nerve terminal membranes, but there was damage to mitochondria. The depletion of vesicles involved all types-clear, dense-cored, large and small. Our observations and pharmacological data gathered elsewhere, provide a neuropathological basis for the spasmogenic activity of palytoxin.

  4. An elderly-onset limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 1B (LGMD1B) with pseudo-hypertrophy of paraspinal muscles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furuta, Mitsuru; Sumi-Akamaru, Hisae; Takahashi, Masanori P; Hayashi, Yukiko K; Nishino, Ichizo; Mochizuki, Hideki

    2016-09-01

    Mutations in LMNA, encoding A-type lamins, lead to diverse disorders, collectively called "laminopathies," which affect the striated muscle, cardiac muscle, adipose tissue, skin, peripheral nerve, and premature aging. We describe a patient with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1B (LGMD1B) carrying a heterozygous p.Arg377His mutation in LMNA, in whom skeletal muscle symptom onset was at the age of 65 years. Her weakness started at the erector spinae muscles, which showed marked pseudo-hypertrophy even at the age of 72 years. Her first episode of syncope was at 44 years; however, aberrant cardiac conduction was not revealed until 60 years. The p.Arg377His mutation has been previously reported in several familial LMNA-associated myopathies, most of which showed muscle weakness before the 6th decade. This is the first report of pseudo-hypertrophy of paravertebral muscles in LMNA-associated myopathies. The pseudo-hypertrophy of paravertebral muscles and the elderly-onset of muscle weakness make this case unique and reportable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Calcium currents in a fast-twitch skeletal muscle of the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donaldson, P L; Beam, K G

    1983-10-01

    Slow ionic currents were measured in the rat omohyoid muscle with the three-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique. Sodium and delayed rectifier potassium currents were blocked pharmacologically. Under these conditions, depolarizing test pulses elicited an early outward current, followed by a transient slow inward current, followed in turn by a late outward current. The early outward current appeared to be a residual delayed rectifier current. The slow inward current was identified as a calcium current on the basis that (a) its magnitude depended on extracellular calcium concentration, (b) it was blocked by the addition of the divalent cations cadmium or nickel, and reduced in magnitude by the addition of manganese or cobalt, and (c) barium was able to replace calcium as an inward current carrier. The threshold potential for inward calcium current was around -20 mV in 10mM extracellular calcium and about -35 mV in 2 mM calcium. Currents were net inward over part of their time course for potentials up to at least +30 mV. At temperatures of 20-26 degrees C, the peak inward current (at approximately 0 mV) was 139 +/- 14 microA/cm2 (mean +/- SD), increasing to 226 +/- 28 microA/cm2 at temperatures of 27-37 degrees C. The late outward current exhibited considerable fiber-to-fiber variability. In some fibers it was primarily a time-independent, nonlinear leakage current. In other fibers it was primarily a time-independent, nonlinear leakage current. In other fibers it appeared to be the sum of both leak and a slowly activated outward current. The rate of activation of inward calcium current was strongly temperature dependent. For example, in a representative fiber, the time-to-peak inward current for a +10-mV test pulse decreased from approximately 250 ms at 20 degrees C to 100 ms at 30 degrees C. At 37 degrees C, the time-to-peak current was typically approximately 25 ms. The earliest phase of activation was difficult to quantify because the ionic current was partially

  6. Changes in contractile activation characteristics of rat fast and slow skeletal muscle fibres during regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregorevic, Paul; Plant, David R; Stupka, Nicole; Lynch, Gordon S

    2004-07-15

    Damaged skeletal muscle fibres are replaced with new contractile units via muscle regeneration. Regenerating muscle fibres synthesize functionally distinct isoforms of contractile and regulatory proteins but little is known of their functional properties during the regeneration process. An advantage of utilizing single muscle fibre preparations is that assessment of their function is based on the overall characteristics of the contractile apparatus and regulatory system and as such, these preparations are sensitive in revealing not only coarse, but also subtle functional differences between muscle fibres. We examined the Ca(2+)- and Sr(2+)-activated contractile characteristics of permeabilized fibres from rat fast-twitch (extensor digitorum longus) and slow-twitch (soleus) muscles at 7, 14 and 21 days following myotoxic injury, to test the hypothesis that fibres from regenerating fast and slow muscles have different functional characteristics to fibres from uninjured muscles. Regenerating muscle fibres had approximately 10% of the maximal force producing capacity (P(o)) of control (uninjured) fibres, and an altered sensitivity to Ca(2+) and Sr(2+) at 7 days post-injury. Increased force production and a shift in Ca(2+) sensitivity consistent with fibre maturation were observed during regeneration such that P(o) was restored to 36-45% of that in control fibres by 21 days, and sensitivity to Ca(2+) and Sr(2+) was similar to that of control (uninjured) fibres. The findings support the hypothesis that regenerating muscle fibres have different contractile activation characteristics compared with mature fibres, and that they adopt properties of mature fast- or slow-twitch muscle fibres in a progressive manner as the regeneration process is completed.

  7. Mitochondria from rat uterine smooth muscle possess ATP-sensitive potassium channel

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    Olga B. Vadzyuk

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to detect ATP-sensitive K+ uptake in rat uterine smooth muscle mitochondria and to determine possible effects of its activation on mitochondrial physiology. By means of fluorescent technique with usage of K+-sensitive fluorescent probe PBFI (potassium-binding benzofuran isophthalate we showed that accumulation of K ions in isolated mitochondria from rat myometrium is sensitive to effectors of KATP-channel (ATP-sensitive K+-channel – ATP, diazoxide, glibenclamide and 5HD (5-hydroxydecanoate. Our data demonstrates that K+ uptake in isolated myometrium mitochondria results in a slight decrease in membrane potential, enhancement of generation of ROS (reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial swelling. Particularly, the addition of ATP into incubation medium led to a decrease in mitochondrial swelling and ROS production, and an increase in membrane potential. These effects were eliminated by diazoxide. If blockers of KATP-channel were added along with diazoxide, the effects of diazoxide were removed. So, we postulate the existence of KATP-channels in rat uterus mitochondria and assume that their functioning may regulate physiological conditions of mitochondria, such as matrix volume, ROS generation and polarization of mitochondrial membrane. Keywords: ATP-sensitive potassium channel, Diazoxide, 5-hydroxydecanoate, Myometrium, Mitochondria, Mitochondrial swelling, Mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS

  8. [Autophagy-lysosome pathway in skeletal muscle of diabetic nephropathy rats and the effect of low-protein diet plus α-keto acids on it].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Juan; Yuan, Wei-jie; Wang, Jia-lin; Gu, Li-jie; Yin, Jun; Dong, Ting; Bao, Jin-fang; Tang, Zhi-huan

    2013-11-26

    To explore the regulation of autophagy-lysosome pathway (ALP) in skeletal muscle of diabetic nephropathy and examine the effect of low protein diet plus α-keto acid on ALP. A total of 45 24-week-old Goto-Kakizaki rats were randomized to receive normal protein (22%) diet (NPD), low-protein (6%) diet (LPD) or low-protein (5%) plus α-keto acids (1%) diet (Keto) (n = 15 each). Wistar control rats had a normal protein diet. The mRNA and protein levels of ALP markers LC3B, Bnip3, Cathepsin L in soleus muscle were evaluated at 48 weeks. Electron microscopy was used to confirm the changes of autophagy. Compared with CTL group, the mRNA levels of LC3B, Bnip3, Cathepsin L in soleus muscle of rats on NPD were higher, and protein levels of LC3B-I, LC3B-II, Bnip3, Cathepsin L in soleus muscle of rats on NPD also higher than CTL group (0.82 ± 0.33 vs 0.25 ± 0.07, 0.76 ± 0.38 vs 0.20 ± 0.12, 1.25 ± 0.30 vs 0.56 ± 0.19, 1.29 ± 0.40 vs 0.69 ± 0.20). The mRNA levels of LC3B, Bnip3 and Cathepsin L in LPD group were slightly lower, compared with NPD group. However there was no statistical significance. Similarly the protein levels of LC3B-I, LC3B-II, Bnip3 and Cathepsin L in LPD group were slightly lower with no statistical significance. In contrast, the mRNA levels of LC3B, Bnip3 and Cathepsin L were greatly lower in Keto group in comparison with NPD and LPD. And protein levels of LC3B-I, LC3B-II, Bnip3 and Cathepsin L were also greatly lower in Keto group in comparison with NPD and LPD. Additionally, autophagosome or auto-lysosome was found in NPD and LPD groups by electron microscopy. ALP is activated in skeletal muscle of diabetic nephropathy rats. And low protein plus α-keto acid decrease the activation of ALP and improve muscle wasting.

  9. Caffeine and contraction synergistically stimulate 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase and insulin-independent glucose transport in rat skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsuda, Satoshi; Egawa, Tatsuro; Kitani, Kazuto; Oshima, Rieko; Ma, Xiao; Hayashi, Tatsuya

    2015-10-01

    5'-Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been identified as a key mediator of contraction-stimulated insulin-independent glucose transport in skeletal muscle. Caffeine acutely stimulates AMPK in resting skeletal muscle, but it is unknown whether caffeine affects AMPK in contracting muscle. Isolated rat epitrochlearis muscle was preincubated and then incubated in the absence or presence of 3 mmol/L caffeine for 30 or 120 min. Electrical stimulation (ES) was used to evoke tetanic contractions during the last 10 min of the incubation period. The combination of caffeine plus contraction had additive effects on AMPKα Thr(172) phosphorylation, α-isoform-specific AMPK activity, and 3-O-methylglucose (3MG) transport. In contrast, caffeine inhibited basal and contraction-stimulated Akt Ser(473) phosphorylation. Caffeine significantly delayed muscle fatigue during contraction, and the combination of caffeine and contraction additively decreased ATP and phosphocreatine contents. Caffeine did not affect resting tension. Next, rats were given an intraperitoneal injection of caffeine (60 mg/kg body weight) or saline, and the extensor digitorum longus muscle was dissected 15 min later. ES of the sciatic nerve was performed to evoke tetanic contractions for 5 min before dissection. Similar to the findings from isolated muscles incubated in vitro, the combination of caffeine plus contraction in vivo had additive effects on AMPK phosphorylation, AMPK activity, and 3MG transport. Caffeine also inhibited basal and contraction-stimulated Akt phosphorylation in vivo. These findings suggest that caffeine and contraction synergistically stimulate AMPK activity and insulin-independent glucose transport, at least in part by decreasing muscle fatigue and thereby promoting energy consumption during contraction. © 2015 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological

  10. The time course of myonuclear accretion during hypertrophy in young adult and older rat plantaris muscle

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Meer, S.F.T.; Jaspers, R.T.; Jones, D.A.; Degens, H.

    2011-01-01

    To investigate whether accretion of myonuclei precedes or follows the increase in fibre cross-sectional area and whether this time course is affected by age, left plantaris muscle of 5- and 25-month-old male Wistar rats was overloaded by denervation of its synergists for 1, 2 or 4 weeks.

  11. Smooth muscle cells of penis in the rat: noninvasive quantification with shear wave elastography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jia-Jie; Qiao, Xiao-Hui; Gao, Feng; Bai, Ming; Li, Fan; Du, Lian-Fang; Xing, Jin-Fang

    2015-01-01

    Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of cavernosum play an important role in erection. It is of great significance to quantitatively analyze the level of SMCs in penis. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of shear wave elastography (SWE) on evaluating the level of SMCs in penis quantitatively. Twenty healthy male rats were selected. The SWE imaging of penis was carried out and then immunohistochemistry analysis of penis was performed to analyze the expression of alpha smooth muscle actin in penis. The measurement index of SWE examination was tissue stiffness (TS). The measurement index of immunohistochemistry analysis was positive area percentage of alpha smooth muscle actin (AP). Sixty sets of data of TS and AP were obtained. The results showed that TS was significantly correlated with AP and the correlation coefficient was -0.618 (p penis was successfully quantified in vivo with SWE. SWE can be used clinically for evaluating the level of SMCs in penis quantitatively.

  12. Dense-body aggregates as plastic structures supporting tension in smooth muscle cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jie; Herrera, Ana M; Paré, Peter D; Seow, Chun Y

    2010-11-01

    The wall of hollow organs of vertebrates is a unique structure able to generate active tension and maintain a nearly constant passive stiffness over a large volume range. These properties are predominantly attributable to the smooth muscle cells that line the organ wall. Although smooth muscle is known to possess plasticity (i.e., the ability to adapt to large changes in cell length through structural remodeling of contractile apparatus and cytoskeleton), the detailed structural basis for the plasticity is largely unknown. Dense bodies, one of the most prominent structures in smooth muscle cells, have been regarded as the anchoring sites for actin filaments, similar to the Z-disks in striated muscle. Here, we show that the dense bodies and intermediate filaments formed cable-like structures inside airway smooth muscle cells and were able to adjust the cable length according to cell length and tension. Stretching the muscle cell bundle in the relaxed state caused the cables to straighten, indicating that these intracellular structures were connected to the extracellular matrix and could support passive tension. These plastic structures may be responsible for the ability of smooth muscle to maintain a nearly constant tensile stiffness over a large length range. The finding suggests that the structural plasticity of hollow organs may originate from the dense-body cables within the smooth muscle cells.

  13. Functional Effects of Hyperthyroidism on Cardiac Papillary Muscle in Rats

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    Fabricio Furtado Vieira

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Hyperthyroidism is currently recognized to affect the cardiovascular system, leading to a series of molecular and functional changes. However, little is known about the functional influence of hyperthyroidism in the regulation of cytoplasmic calcium and on the sodium/calcium exchanger (NCX in the cardiac muscle. Objectives: To evaluate the functional changes in papillary muscles isolated from animals with induced hyperthyroidism. Methods: We divided 36 Wistar rats into a group of controls and another of animals with hyperthyroidism induced by intraperitoneal T3 injection. We measured in the animals' papillary muscles the maximum contraction force, speed of contraction (+df/dt and relaxation (-df/dt, contraction and relaxation time, contraction force at different concentrations of extracellular sodium, post-rest potentiation (PRP, and contraction force induced by caffeine. Results: In hyperthyroid animals, we observed decreased PRP at all rest times (p < 0.05, increased +df/dt and -df/dt (p < 0.001, low positive inotropic response to decreased concentration of extracellular sodium (p < 0.001, reduction of the maximum force in caffeine-induced contraction (p < 0.003, and decreased total contraction time (p < 0.001. The maximal contraction force did not differ significantly between groups (p = 0.973. Conclusion: We hypothesize that the changes observed are likely due to a decrease in calcium content in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, caused by calcium leakage, decreased expression of NCX, and increased expression of a-MHC and SERCA2.

  14. Protein and amino acid metabolism in skeletal muscle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Guoyao.

    1989-01-01

    Isolated chick extensor digitorum communis (EDC) muscles and, in some experiments, rat skeletal muscles were used to study a number of aspects of protein and amino acid metabolism. (1) Chick EDC muscles synthesize and release large amounts of alanine and glutamine, which indirectly obtain their amino groups from branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). (2) Acetoacetate or DL-{beta}-hydroxybutyrate (4 mM) decrease (P < 0.01) alanine synthesis and BCAA transamination in EDC muscles from 24-h fasted chicks by decreasing (P < 0.01) intracellular concentrations of pyruvate due to inhibition of glycolysis. (3) Glutamine is extensively degraded in skeletal muscles from both chicks and rats, thus challenging the traditional view that glutamine oxidation is negligible in skeletal muscle. The cytosolic glutamine aminotransferases L and K in the rat and the mitochondrial phosphate-activated glutaminase in the chick play important roles in the conversion of glutamine to {alpha}-ketoglutarate for further oxidation. (4) Although methionine has been reported to be extensively transaminated in rat skeletal muscle preparations in the absence of other amino acids, transamination of methionine is absent or negligible in chick and rat skeletal muscles in the presence of physiological concentrations of amino acids. (5) Glutamine at 1.0-15 mM increases (P < 0.01) protein synthesis ({sup 3}H-phenylalanine incorporation), and at 10.0-15.0 mM decreases (P < 0.05) protein degradation ({sup 3}H-phenylalanine release from prelabelled protein in vivo) in EDC muscles from fed chicks as compared to muscles incubated in the absence of glutamine. (6) Acetoacetate or DL-{beta}-hydroxybutyrate (4 mM) has a small but significant inhibitory effect (P < 0.05) on the rate of protein synthesis, but has no effect (P > 0.05) on the rate of protein degradation in EDC muscles from fed chicks.

  15. Leucine-Enriched Essential Amino Acids Augment Muscle Glycogen Content in Rats Seven Days after Eccentric Contraction

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    Hiroyuki Kato

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Eccentric contractions induce muscle damage, which impairs recovery of glycogen and adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP content over several days. Leucine-enriched essential amino acids (LEAAs enhance the recovery in muscles that are damaged after eccentric contractions. However, the role of LEAAs in this process remains unclear. We evaluated the content in glycogen and high energy phosphates molecules (phosphocreatine (PCr, adenosine di-phosphate (ADP and ATP in rats that were following electrically stimulated eccentric contractions. Muscle glycogen content decreased immediately after the contraction and remained low for the first three days after the stimulation, but increased seven days after the eccentric contraction. LEAAs administration did not change muscle glycogen content during the first three days after the contraction. Interestingly, however, it induced a further increase in muscle glycogen seven days after the stimulation. Contrarily, ATP content decreased immediately after the eccentric contraction, and remained lower for up to seven days after. Additionally, LEAAs administration did not affect the ATP content over the experimental period. Finally, ADP and PCr levels did not significantly change after the contractions or LEAA administration. LEAAs modulate the recovery of glycogen content in muscle after damage-inducing exercise.

  16. Evidence that CFTR is expressed in rat tracheal smooth muscle cells and contributes to bronchodilation

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    Mettey Yvette

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The airway functions are profoundly affected in many diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD and cystic fibrosis (CF. CF the most common lethal autosomal recessive genetic disease is caused by mutations of the CFTR gene, which normally encodes a multifunctional and integral membrane protein, the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR expressed in airway epithelial cells. Methods To demonstrate that CFTR is also expressed in tracheal smooth muscle cells (TSMC, we used iodide efflux assay to analyse the chloride transports in organ culture of rat TSMC, immunofluorescence study to localize CFTR proteins and isometric contraction measurement on isolated tracheal rings to observe the implication of CFTR in the bronchodilation. Results We characterized three different pathways stimulated by the cAMP agonist forskolin and the isoflavone agent genistein, by the calcium ionophore A23187 and by hypo-osmotic challenge. The pharmacology of the cAMP-dependent iodide efflux was investigated in detail. We demonstrated in rat TSMC that it is remarkably similar to that of the epithelial CFTR, both for activation (using three benzo [c]quinolizinium derivatives and for inhibition (glibenclamide, DPC and CFTRinh-172. Using rat tracheal rings, we observed that the activation of CFTR by benzoquinolizinium derivatives in TSMC leads to CFTRinh-172-sensitive bronchodilation after constriction with carbachol. An immunolocalisation study confirmed expression of CFTR in tracheal myocytes. Conclusion Altogether, these observations revealed that CFTR in the airways of rat is expressed not only in the epithelial cells but also in tracheal smooth muscle cells leading to the hypothesis that this ionic channel could contribute to bronchodilation.

  17. Effect of S-methyl-l-thiocitrulline dihydrochloride on rat micturition reflex

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    Jeová Nina Rocha

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effect of neuronal nitric oxide synthase on the striated urethral sphincter and the urinary bladder. Materials and Methods: A coaxial catheter was implanted in the proximal urethra and another one in the bladder of female rats, which were anesthetized with subcutaneous injection of urethane. The urethral pressure with saline continuous infusion and bladder isovolumetric pressure were simultaneously recorded. Two groups of rats were formed. In group I, an intrathecal catheter was implanted on the day of the experiment at the L6-S1 level of the spinal cord; in group II, an intracerebroventricular cannula was placed 5-6 days before the experiment. Results: It was verified that the group treated with S-methyl-L-thio-citrulline, via intrathecal pathway, showed complete or partial inhibition of the urethral sphincter relaxation and total inhibition of the micturition reflexes. The urethral sphincter and the detrusor functions were recovered after L-Arginine administration. When S-methyl-L-thio-citrulline was administered via intracerebroventricular injection, there was a significant increase of urethral sphincter tonus while preserving the sphincter relaxation and the detrusor contractions, at similar levels as before the use of the drugs. Nevertheless there was normalization of the urethral tonus when L-Arginine was applied. Conclusions: The results indicate that, in female rats anaesthetized with urethane, the nNOS inhibitor administrated through the intrathecal route inhibits urethral sphincter relaxation, while intracerebroventricular injection increases the sphincter tonus, without changing bladder function. These changes were reverted by L-Arginine administration. These findings suggest that the urethral sphincter and detrusor muscle function is modulated by nitric oxide.

  18. The Promotion of a Functional Fibrosis in Skeletal Muscle with Volumetric Muscle Loss Injury Following the Transplantation of Muscle-ECM

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-04

    Zou K, Boppart MD. Eccentric exercise facil- itates mesenchymal stem cell appearance in skeletal muscle. PLoS One 2012; 7:e29760. [40] Matziolis G...remaining muscle mass leading to additional improvements in functional capacity; how- ever, no study has explicitly studied these effects . The purpose of...muscles were isolated from donor Lewis rats. The tendon and fascia were removed and TA muscle decellularization was performed using an enzymatic and

  19. Hypertrophy Stimulation at the Onset of Type I Diabetes Maintains the Soleus but Not the EDL Muscle Mass in Wistar Rats

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    Marco A. S. Fortes

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Diabetes mellitus induces a reduction in skeletal muscle mass and strength. Strength training is prescribed as part of treatment since it improves glycemic control and promotes increase of skeletal muscle mass. The mechanisms involved in overload-induced muscle hypertrophy elicited at the establishment of the type I diabetic state was investigated in Wistar rats. The purpose was to examine whether the overload-induced hypertrophy can counteract the hypotrophy associated to the diabetic state. The experiments were performed in oxidative (soleus or glycolytic (EDL muscles. PI3K/Akt/mTOR protein synthesis pathway was evaluated 7 days after overload-induced hypertrophy of soleus and of EDL muscles. The mRNA expression of genes associated with different signaling pathways that control muscle hypertrophy was also evaluated: mechanotransduction (FAK, Wnt/β-catenin, myostatin, and follistatin. The soleus and EDL muscles when submitted to overload had similar hypertrophic responses in control and diabetic animals. The increase of absolute and specific twitch and tetanic forces had the same magnitude as muscle hypertrophic response. Hypertrophy of the EDL muscle from diabetic animals mostly involved mechanical loading-stimulated PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway besides the reduced activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK and decrease of myostatin expression. Hypertrophy was more pronounced in the soleus muscle of diabetic animals due to a more potent activation of rpS6 and increased mRNA expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1, mechano-growth factor (MGF and follistatin, and decrease of myostatin, MuRF-1 and atrogin-1 contents. The signaling changes enabled the soleus muscle mass and force of the diabetic rats to reach the values of the control group.

  20. Docosahexaenoic acid and n-6 docosapentaenoic acid supplementation alter rat skeletal muscle fatty acid composition

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    Lim Sun-Young

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA and n-6 docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-6, DPAn-6 are highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA, ≥ 20 carbons, ≥ 3 double bonds that differ by a single carbon-carbon double bond at the Δ19 position. Membrane 22:6n-3 may support skeletal muscle function through optimal ion pump activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum and electron transport in the mitochondria. Typically n-3 fatty acid deficient feeding trials utilize linoleic acid (18:2n-6, LA as a comparison group, possibly introducing a lower level of HUFA in addition to n-3 fatty acid deficiency. The use of 22:5n-6 as a dietary control is ideal for determining specific requirements for 22:6n-3 in various physiological processes. The incorporation of dietary 22:5n-6 into rat skeletal muscles has not been demonstrated previously. A one generation, artificial rearing model was utilized to supply 22:6n-3 and/or 22:5n-6 to rats from d2 after birth to adulthood. An n-3 fatty acid deficient, artificial milk with 18:2n-6 was supplemented with 22:6n-3 and/or 22:5n-6 resulting in four artificially reared (AR dietary groups; AR-LA, AR-DHA, AR-DPAn-6, AR-DHA+DPAn-6. A dam reared group (DAM was included as an additional control. Animals were sacrificed at 15 wks and soleus, white gastrocnemius and red gastrocnemius muscles were collected for fatty acid analyses. Results In all muscles of the DAM group, the concentration of 22:5n-6 was significantly lower than 22:6n-3 concentrations. While 22:5n-6 was elevated in the AR-LA group and the AR-DPAn-6 group, 20:4n-6 tended to be higher in the AR-LA muscles and not in the AR-DPAn-6 muscles. The AR-DHA+DPAn-6 had a slight, but non-significant increase in 22:5n-6 content. In the red gastrocnemius of the AR-DPAn-6 group, 22:5n-6 levels (8.1 ± 2.8 wt. % did not reciprocally replace the 22:6n-3 levels observed in AR-DHA reared rats (12.2 ± 2.3 wt. % suggesting a specific preference/requirement for 22:6n-3 in red