Myostatin serum levels depends on age and diet in athletic and no athletic dogs.

Myostatin is a growth factor related to muscular mass atrophy via mTOR pathway inhibition. Mutations in this gene have been correlated with high muscular mass development in different species of mammals, including human and dogs. Different studies have shown that sport practice increases myostatin gene expression. Some of them were conducted in canine breeds selected for different sport practices, including mushing sports. In this study, body weight, muscular mass, and serum levels of myostatin were analysed in different canine breeds, selected, and not selected for sprint and middle-distance racing, and the effect on epidemiological factors was evaluated. Sex, reproductive status, and canine breed affects body weight and muscular mass, being higher in males, and in sled canine breed. Age has an effect in body weight and myostatin serum levels, being lower in elder dogs. Sport practice and type of diet had an effect in muscular mass development but not in myostatin serum levels. Results showed a high positive correlation between muscular mass and body weight but not with myostatin levels. These results suggest that independent-myostatin mechanisms of mTOR pathway regulation could be related to muscular mass development in dogs.

Environmental gaseous pollutants are related to increase of acute coronary syndrome in Valencia region, Spain.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Environmental pollution are one of the most relevant risk factors to atherosclerosis. To know awareness about the importance of urban air pollution as a trigger for hospital admission due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS), this study analyzed levels of different gaseous air pollutants in the air and its correlation with number of ACS. METHODS: Epidemiological data of patients admitted for ACS in five towns during the years 2006-2008 were recovered. Clinical data regarding admissions for ACS were obtained from the hospital admission services. Measures of seven air contaminants were recovered from the environmental stations. Mixed model including sex, age, location, and the average levels of air pollutants contaminants as fixed effects and its interaction were performed. RESULTS: The incidence rate of ACS is higher in man than woman, and higher in older people than young. The maximum ACS were in the last trimester of the year, was the most elevated levels of gaseous pollutants have been found. Levels of NO2, NO, and CO are positively correlated between them, and negatively correlated with O3 levels. All air pollutants analyzed increase the number of ACS hospital admission in the five locations evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of gaseous pollutants are related between them, being the levels of NO2, NO, and CO, positively correlated, and negatively correlated with levels of O3. Number of ACS hospital admission increases with levels of five air gaseous pollutants studied.