Zinc transporter ZIP13 suppresses beige adipocyte biogenesis and energy expenditure by regulating C/EBP-ß expression.

Given the relevance of beige adipocytes in adult humans, a better understanding of the molecular circuits involved in beige adipocyte biogenesis has provided new insight into human brown adipocyte biology. Genetic mutations in SLC39A13/ZIP13, a member of zinc transporter family, are known to reduce adipose tissue mass in humans; however, the underlying mechanisms remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the Zip13-deficient mouse shows enhanced beige adipocyte biogenesis and energy expenditure, and shows ameliorated diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Both gain- and loss-of-function studies showed that an accumulation of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-ß (C/EBP-ß) protein, which cooperates with dominant transcriptional co-regulator PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16) to determine brown/beige adipocyte lineage, is essential for the enhanced adipocyte browning caused by the loss of ZIP13. Furthermore, ZIP13-mediated zinc transport is a prerequisite for degrading the C/EBP-ß protein to inhibit adipocyte browning. Thus, our data reveal an unexpected association between zinc homeostasis and beige adipocyte biogenesis, which may contribute significantly to the development of new therapies for obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Whey peptide ingestion suppresses body fat accumulation in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 6 (SAMP6).

PURPOSE: Body weight in young growing and young adult animals was reduced by a high dietary density of whey protein concentrate; however, it is unclear whether dietary proteins similarly affect body weight in aging animals. Here, we examined whether whey protein or whey peptide ingestion suppressed body fat accumulation and affected protein expression and phosphorylation in skeletal muscle in aging mice. METHODS: Twenty-six male senescence-accelerated mouse prone 6 (SAMP6) mice were assigned randomly to three dietary treatment groups: 18.7% casein control (CON), 18.7% whey protein (WPR), and 18.7% whey peptide (WPE). After 28 weeks of treatment, skeletal tissues were dissected and weighed for analysis. Western blotting was performed to examine the expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) in quadriceps muscles. RESULTS: Body (CON: 47.6 ± 2.2 g, WPR: 48.2 ± 2.7 g, WPE: 38.3 ± 2.0 g) and relative white adipose tissue (CON: 38.5 ± 3.5 mg/g, WPR: 43.8 ± 4.0 mg/g, WPE: 21.1 ± 4.4 mg/g) weights were lower in the WPE group compared with the other two groups (p < 0.05), and no significant differences were observed between the CON and WPR groups. The relative weights of tibialis anterior muscle (CON: 1.04 ± 0.04 mg/g, WPR: 0.97 ± 0.03 mg/g, 1.23 ± 0.05 mg/g) and gastrocnemius muscle (CON: 3.02 ± 0.12 mg/g, WPR: 2.92 ± 0.15 mg/g, WPE: 3.65 ± 0.18 mg/g) were higher in the WPE group compared with the other groups (p < 0.05). The phosphorylation of AMPK (WPR: 1.03 ± 0.11, WPE: 1.36 ± 0.12; fold change from control) and ACC (WPR: 1.08 ± 0.07, WPE: 1.18 ± 0.05; fold change from control) in WPE was higher than in CON (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the expression levels of ATGL among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that a normal (or moderate excess) dietary density of whey peptide attenuates body fat accumulation via upregulation of fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle in aging mice.

Whey protein intake after resistance exercise activates mTOR signaling in a dose-dependent manner in human skeletal muscle.

PURPOSE: Protein ingestion after resistance exercise increases muscle protein synthesis (MPS) in a dose-dependent manner. However, the molecular mechanism(s) for the dose-dependency of MPS remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the dose response of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in muscle with ingestion of protein after resistance exercise. METHODS: Fifteen male subjects performed four sets of six unilateral isokinetic concentric knee extensions. Immediately after exercise, eight subjects consumed water only. The other seven subjects, in a randomized-order crossover design, took either a 10 [3.6 g essential amino acids (EAA)] or 20 g (7.1 g EAA) solution of whey protein. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle were taken 30 min before and 1 h after resistance exercise. Phosphorylation of Akt (Ser473), mTOR (Ser2448), 4E-BP1 (Thr37/46), and S6K1 (Thr389) was measured by western blotting. RESULTS: Concentric knee extension exercise alone did not increase phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR 1 h after exercise, but ingesting protein after exercise significantly increased the phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). 4E-BP1 phosphorylation significantly decreased after resistance exercise (P < 0.05), but subjects who took 10 or 20 g of protein after exercise showed increased 4E-BP1 from post-exercise dephosphorylation (P < 0.05). S6K1 phosphorylation significantly increased after resistance exercise (P < 0.05), and 20 g of protein further increased S6K1 phosphorylation compared with ingestion of 10 g (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that whey protein intake after resistance exercise activates mTOR signaling in a dose-dependent manner in untrained men.

Sex-related differences in the posture and vertical perception of gait function in patients with Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Although several factors, such as sex and body schema, contribute to gait function, factors for gait dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) have not been elucidated. Postural verticality, a higher-order neural mechanism of gait, is involved in generation of a gait program in healthy individuals; however, its role in patients with PD is unclear. Although subjective postural vertical (SPV), which denotes cognitive information about posture with verticality as the reference axis, is anteriorly and laterally shifted in patients with PD, the presence of sex-related differences in SPV and effect of SPV on gait function remain unclear. Since SPV affects the degree of flexion and lateral bending posture and long-term prognosis of PD, factors affecting SPV in patients with PD should be clarified to improve gait function. RESEARCH QUESTION: Is vertical perception of posture (i.e., SPV) related to gait function in patients with PD? Are there any sex-related differences? METHODS: The gait and SPV were evaluated in 59 adult outpatients with PD (31 men and 28 women) using five gait (step length, walking speed, coefficient of variation of step time [step CV], cadence, and mean gait acceleration [acceleration]) and two SPV (SPV in the sagittal and coronal planes) assessments and compared between the sexes. RESULTS: No sex-related differences were observed in the SPV in patients with PD. The SPV and gait assessments demonstrated no association in men. Walking speed and SPV in the sagittal plane (p = 0.029), and step CV and SPV in the coronal (p = 0.018) and sagittal planes (p = 0.032) were correlated in women. SIGNIFICANCE: Although no sex-related differences in the SPV were observed, our results demonstrated that the SPV is involved in gait function in women but not in men with PD.

Factors associated with return to play following conservative treatment for lumbar spondylolysis among young athletes: A retrospective case series using structural equation modeling.

INTRODUCTION: Lumbar spondylolysis is the most common underlying cause of lower back pain (LBP) in young athletes. Conservative treatment methods are often used to reduce pain and promote healing. Several parameters may affect the duration of conservative treatment, such as the time to return to play (RTP), patient behavior, and physical parameters; however, no study has comprehensively assessed the factors that affect the time to RTP. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the factors associated with the time required for RTP among young athletes with early-stage spondylolysis receiving conservative treatment using structural equation modeling (SEM). METHODS: In this retrospective case series, 137 young athletes (128 males and 9 females, aged 9-18 years) with early-stage lumbar spondylolysis were enrolled. All patients were examined using plain radiography and magnetic resonance imaging and treated conservatively (sports cessation, wearing a corset, therapeutic exercises, and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound radiation). SEM was used to investigate the factors affecting the time to RTP in these patients. RESULTS: The final model included the following factors: spondylolysis laterality, symptom duration, lower-extremity flexibility, treatment interval, patient adherence, and residual LBP. SEM revealed that patient adherence to physician orders (p < 0.01), treatment interval (p < 0.001), and spondylolysis laterality (p < 0.001) contributed directly to shortened RTP. CONCLUSION: Patient adherence is essential for reducing the time to RTP among young athletes receiving conservative treatment for early-stage spondylolysis.

Effects of hindlimb unloading on the mevalonate and mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling pathways in a fast-twitch muscle in rats.

Fast-twitch muscles are less susceptible to disuse atrophy, activate the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway, and increase protein synthesis under prolonged muscle disuse conditions. However, the mechanism underlying prolonged muscle disuse-induced mTORC1 signaling activation remains unclear. The mevalonate pathway activates the mTORC1 signaling pathway via the prenylation and activation of Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb). Therefore, we investigated the effects of hindlimb unloading (HU) for 14 days on the mevalonate and mTORC1 signaling pathways in the plantaris muscle, a fast-twitch muscle, in adult male rats. Rats were divided into HU and control groups. The plantaris muscles of both groups were harvested after the treatment period, and the expression and phosphorylation levels of metabolic and intracellular signaling proteins were analyzed using Western blotting. We found that HU increased the expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, and activated the mTORC1 signaling pathway without activating AKT, an upstream activator of mTORC1. Furthermore, HU increased prenylated Rheb. Collectively, these findings suggest that the activated mevalonate pathway may be involved in the activation of the Rheb/mTORC1 signaling pathway without AKT activation in fast-twitch muscles under prolonged disuse conditions.

Fiber-type specific expression of α-actinin isoforms in rat skeletal muscle.

α-Actinins are actin-binding proteins, and two isoforms (α-actinin-2 and -3) are major structural components of the sarcomeric Z line in mammalian skeletal muscle. Based on human and knockout mice studies, α-actinin-3 is thought to be associated with muscle force output and high contraction velocities. However, fiber-type specific expression of α-actinin isoforms is not well understood and may vary among species. In this study, we investigated the expression of α-actinin isoforms and the difference between fiber types in rat skeletal muscle and compared it with those of humans and mice from previous reports. Soleus and plantaris muscles were analyzed immunohistochemically to identify muscle fiber types and α-actinin protein expression. α-Actinin-2 was stained in all muscle fibers in both the soleus and plantaris muscles; i.e., all α-actinin-3 co-expressed with α-actinin-2 in rat skeletal muscles. The proportions of α-actinin-3 expression, regardless of fiber type, were significantly higher in the plantaris (75.8 ± 0.6%) than the soleus (8.0 ± 1.7%). No α-actinin-3 expression was observed in type I fibers, whereas all type IIx+b fibers expressed α-actinin-3. α-Actinin-3 was also expressed in type IIa fibers; however, approximately 75% of type IIa fibers were not stained by α-actinin-3, and the proportion varied between muscles. The proportion of α-actinin-3 expression in type IIa fibers was significantly higher in the soleus muscle than the plantaris muscle. Our results showed that fiber-type specific expression of α-actinin isoforms in rats is more similar to that in humans compared to that of the mouse, whereas the proportion of α-actinin-3 protein varied between muscles.

Exercise training improves obesity-induced inflammatory signaling in rat brown adipose tissue.

Chronic inflammation is considered as an etiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) of obese animals shows increased inflammation. Regular exercise has anti-inflammatory effects; however, the effects of exercise training on BAT inflammation in obese animals remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of exercise training on inflammation-related signaling in the BAT of obese and diabetic rats. Male Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, an obese/diabetic rodent model, were randomly divided into either sedentary (n = 11) or exercise training (n = 8) groups. Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO; n = 9) rats were used as the nondiabetic sedentary controls. Exercise training using a treadmill was conducted 4 days per week for 20 weeks, starting at 5 weeks old. As a result, exercise training attenuated the phosphorylation levels of p65 and mitogen-activated protein kinases in the BAT of OLETF rats, concurrently with the improvement of obesity and systemic glucose tolerance. Moreover, exercise training decreased oxidative stress and increased the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protein levels in the BAT. Conversely, exercise training did not alter the expression levels of uncoupling protein-1 and oxidative phosphorylation-related proteins in the BAT, which were lower in the OLETF rats than the LETO rats. In conclusion, our data suggest that exercise training prevents the activation of inflammatory signaling in the BAT of obese/diabetic rats.

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies CDKN1A as a Novel Locus Associated with Muscle Fiber Composition.

Muscle fiber composition is associated with physical performance, with endurance athletes having a high proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers compared to power athletes. Approximately 45% of muscle fiber composition is heritable, however, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) underlying inter-individual differences in muscle fiber types remain largely unknown. Based on three whole genome SNP datasets, we have shown that the rs236448 A allele located near the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A) gene was associated with an increased proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers in Russian (n = 151; p = 0.039), Finnish (n = 287; p = 0.03), and Japanese (n = 207; p = 0.008) cohorts (meta-analysis: p = 7.9 × 10−5. Furthermore, the frequency of the rs236448 A allele was significantly higher in Russian (p = 0.045) and Japanese (p = 0.038) elite endurance athletes compared to ethnically matched power athletes. On the contrary, the C allele was associated with a greater proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibers and a predisposition to power sports. CDKN1A participates in cell cycle regulation and is suppressed by the miR-208b, which has a prominent role in the activation of the slow myofiber gene program. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the rs236448 C allele was associated with increased CDKN1A expression in whole blood (p = 8.5 × 10−15) and with greater appendicular lean mass (p = 1.2 × 10−5), whereas the A allele was associated with longer durations of exercise (p = 0.044) reported amongst the UK Biobank cohort. Furthermore, the expression of CDKN1A increased in response to strength (p < 0.0001) or sprint (p = 0.00035) training. Accordingly, we found that CDKN1A expression is significantly (p = 0.002) higher in the m. vastus lateralis of strength athletes compared to endurance athletes and is positively correlated with the percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers (p = 0.018). In conclusion, our data suggest that the CDKN1A rs236448 SNP may be implicated in the determination of muscle fiber composition and may affect athletic performance.

The MOTS-c K14Q polymorphism in the mtDNA is associated with muscle fiber composition and muscular performance.

Human skeletal muscle fiber is heterogenous due to its diversity of slow- and fast-twitch fibers. In human, slow-twitched fiber gene expression is correlated to MOTS-c, a mitochondria-derived peptide that has been characterized as an exercise mimetic. Within the MOTS-c open reading frame, there is an East Asian-specific m.1382A>C polymorphism (rs111033358) that changes the 14th amino acid of MOTS-c (i.e., K14Q), a variant of MOTS-c that has less biological activity. Here, we examined the influence of the m.1382A>C polymorphism causing MOTS-c K14Q on skeletal muscle fiber composition and physical performance. The myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms (MHC-I, MHC-IIa, and MHC-IIx) as an indicator of muscle fiber composition were assessed in 211 Japanese healthy individuals (102 men and 109 women). Muscular strength was measured in 86 physically active young Japanese men by using an isokinetic dynamometer. The allele frequency of the m.1382A>C polymorphism was assessed in 721 Japanese athletes and 873 ethnicity-matched controls. The m.1382A>C polymorphism genotype was analyzed by TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay. Individuals with the C allele of the m.1382A>C exhibited a higher proportion of MHC-IIx, an index of fast-twitched fiber, than the A allele carriers. Men with the C allele of m.1382A>C exhibited significantly higher peak torques of leg flexion and extension. Furthermore, the C allele frequency was higher in the order of sprint/power athletes (6.5%), controls (5.1%), and endurance athletes (2.9%). Additionally, young male mice were injected with the MOTS-c neutralizing antibody once a week for four weeks to mimic the C allele of the m.1382A>C and assessed for protein expression levels of MHC-fast and MHC-slow. Mice injected with MOTS-c neutralizing antibody showed a higher expression of MHC-fast than the control mice. These results suggest that the C allele of the East Asian-specific m.1382A>C polymorphism leads to the MOTS-c K14Q contributes to the sprint/power performance through regulating skeletal muscle fiber composition.

Hydrogen sulfide donor protects against mechanical ventilation-induced atrophy and contractile dysfunction in the rat diaphragm.

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a clinical tool providing adequate alveolar ventilation in patients that require respiratory support. Although a life-saving intervention for critically ill patients, prolonged MV results in the rapid development of inspiratory muscle weakness due to both diaphragmatic atrophy and contractile dysfunction; collectively known as "ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction" (VIDD). VIDD is a severe clinical problem because diaphragmatic weakness is a risk factor for difficulties in weaning patients from MV. Currently, no standard treatment to prevent VIDD exists. Nonetheless, growing evidence reveals that hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) possesses cytoprotective properties capable of protecting skeletal muscles against several hallmarks of VIDD, including oxidative damage, accelerated proteolysis, and mitochondrial damage. Therefore, we used an established animal model of MV to test the hypothesis that treatment with sodium sulfide (H2 S donor) will defend against VIDD. Our results confirm that sodium sulfide was sufficient to protect the diaphragm against both MV-induced fiber atrophy and contractile dysfunction. H2 S prevents MV-induced damage to diaphragmatic mitochondria as evidenced by protection against mitochondrial uncoupling. Moreover, treatment with sodium sulfide prevented the MV-induced activation of the proteases, calpain, and caspase-3 in the diaphragm. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that treatment with a H2 S donor protects the diaphragm against VIDD. These outcomes provide the first evidence that H2 S has therapeutic potential to protect against MV-induced diaphragm weakness and to reduce difficulties in weaning patients from the ventilator. Study Highlights WHAT IS THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC? Mechanical ventilation (MV) results in diaphragm atrophy and contractile dysfunction, known as ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction (VIDD). VIDD is important because diaphragm weakness is a risk factor for problems in weaning patients from MV. Currently, no accepted treatment exists to protect against VIDD. Growing evidence reveals that hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) donors protect skeletal muscle against ischemia-reperfusion-induced injury. Nonetheless, it is unknown if treatment with a H2 S donor can protect against VIDD. WHAT QUESTION DID THIS STUDY ADDRESS? Can treatment with an H2 S donor protect against VIDD? WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD TO OUR KNOWLEDGE? This study provides the first evidence that treatment with a H2 S donor protects against VIDD. HOW MIGHT THIS CHANGE CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE? These new findings provide the basis for further exploration of H2 S donors as a therapy to prevent VIDD and reduce the risk of problems in weaning patients from MV.

Blood flow restriction in human skeletal muscle during rest periods after high-load resistance training down-regulates miR-206 and induces Pax7.

BACKGROUD: Blood flow restriction (BFR) with low-intensity resistance training has been shown to result in hypertrophy of skeletal muscle. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that BFR during the rest periods between acute, high-intensity resistance exercise sessions (70% of 1 repetition maximum, 7 sets with 10 repetitions) enhances the effects of the resistance training. METHODS: A total of 7 healthy young men performed squats, and between sets BFR was carried out on one leg while the other leg served as a control. Because BFR was applied during rest periods, even severe occlusion pressure (approximately 230 mmHg), which almost completely blocked blood flow, was well-tolerated by the participants. Five muscle-specific microRNAs were measured from the biopsy samples, which were taken 2 h after the acute training. RESULTS: Doppler data showed that the pattern of blood flow recovery changed significantly between the first and last BFR. microRNA-206 levels significantly decreased in the BFR leg compared to the control. The mRNA levels of RAC-ß serine/threonine-protein kinase v22, nuclear respiratory factor 1, vascular endothelial growth factor, lupus Ku autoantigen protein p70 genes (p < 0.05), and paired box 7 (p < 0.01) increased in the BFR leg. The protein levels of paired box 7, nuclear respiratory factor 1, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α did not differ between the BFR leg and the control leg. CONCLUSION: BFR, during the rest periods of high-load resistance training, could lead to mRNA elevation of those proteins that regulate angiogenesis, mitochondrial biogenesis, and muscle hypertrophy and repair. However, BFR also can cause DNA damage, judging from the increase in mRNA levels of lupus Ku autoantigen protein p70.

Genotype Score for Iron Status Is Associated with Muscle Fiber Composition in Women.

Human muscle fiber composition is heterogeneous and mainly determined by genetic factors. A previous study reported that experimentally induced iron deficiency in rats increases the proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibers. Iron status has been reported to be affected by genetic factors. As the TMPRSS6 rs855791 T/C and HFE rs1799945 C/G polymorphisms are strongly associated with iron status in humans, we hypothesized that the genotype score (GS) based on these polymorphisms could be associated with the muscle fiber composition in humans. Herein, we examined 214 Japanese individuals, comprising of 107 men and 107 women, for possible associations of the GS for iron status with the proportion of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms (I, IIa, and IIx) as markers of muscle fiber composition. No statistically significant correlations were found between the GS for iron status and the proportion of MHC isoforms in all participants. When the participants were stratified based on sex, women showed positive and negative correlations of the GS with MHC-IIa (age-adjusted p = 0.020) and MHC-IIx (age-adjusted p = 0.011), respectively. In contrast, no correlation was found in men. In women, a 1-point increase in the GS was associated with 2.42% higher MHC-IIa level and 2.72% lower MHC-IIx level. Our results suggest that the GS based on the TMPRSS6 rs855791 T/C and HFE rs1799945 C/G polymorphisms for iron status is associated with muscle fiber composition in women.

Are Genome-Wide Association Study Identified Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Associated With Sprint Athletic Status? A Replication Study With 3 Different Cohorts.

PURPOSE: To replicate previous genome-wide association study identified sprint-related polymorphisms in 3 different cohorts of top-level sprinters and to further validate the obtained results in functional studies. METHODS: A total of 240 Japanese, 290 Russians, and 593 Brazilians were evaluated in a case-control approach. Of these, 267 were top-level sprint/power athletes. In addition, the relationship between selected polymorphisms and muscle fiber composition was evaluated in 203 Japanese and 287 Finnish individuals. RESULTS: The G allele of the rs3213537 polymorphism was overrepresented in Japanese (odds ratio [OR]: 2.07, P = .024) and Russian (OR: 1.93, P = .027) sprinters compared with endurance athletes and was associated with an increased proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibers in Japanese (P = .02) and Finnish (P = .041) individuals. A meta-analysis of the data from 4 athlete cohorts confirmed that the presence of the G/G genotype rather than the G/A+A/A genotypes increased the OR of being a sprinter compared with controls (OR: 1.49, P = .01), endurance athletes (OR: 1.79, P = .001), or controls + endurance athletes (OR: 1.58, P = .002). Furthermore, male sprinters with the G/G genotype were found to have significantly faster personal times in the 100-m dash than those with G/A+A/A genotypes (10.50 [0.26] vs 10.76 [0.31], P = .014). CONCLUSION: The rs3213537 polymorphism found in the CPNE5 gene was identified as a highly replicable variant associated with sprinting ability and the increased proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibers, in which the homozygous genotype for the major allele (ie, the G/G genotype) is preferable for performance.

Potential roles of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin pathway for mitochondrial protein degradation in disuse-induced soleus muscle atrophy in adult rats.

Excessive nitric oxide (NO) production and mitochondrial dysfunction can activate protein degradation in disuse-induced skeletal muscle atrophy. However, the increase in NO production in atrophied muscles remains controversial. In addition, although several studies have investigated the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin pathway, a mitophagy pathway, in atrophied muscle, the involvement of this pathway in soleus muscle atrophy is unclear. In this study, we investigated the involvement of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and the PINK1/Parkin pathway in soleus muscle atrophy induced by 14 days of hindlimb unloading (HU) in adult rats. HU lowered the weight of the soleus muscles. nNOS expression showed an increase in atrophied soleus muscles. Although HU increased malondialdehyde as oxidative modification of the protein, it decreased 6-nitrotryptophan, a marker of protein nitration. Additionally, the nitrosocysteine content and S-nitrosylated Parkin were not altered, suggesting the absence of excessive nitrosative stress after HU. The expression of PINK1 and Parkin was also unchanged, whereas the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), which is required for Parkin activity, was reduced in atrophied soleus muscles. Moreover, we observed accumulation and reduced ubiquitination of high molecular weight mitofusin 2, which is a target of Parkin, in atrophied soleus muscles. These results indicate that excessive NO is not produced in atrophied soleus muscles despite nNOS accumulation, suggesting that excessive NO dose not mediate in soleus muscle atrophy at least after 14 days of HU. Furthermore, the PINK1/Parkin pathway may not play a role in mitophagy at this time point. In contrast, the activity of Parkin may be downregulated because of reduced HSP70 expression, which may contribute to attenuated degradation of target proteins in the atrophied soleus muscles after 14 days of HU. The present study provides new insights into the roles of nNOS and a protein degradation pathway in soleus muscle atrophy.

Modification of Neuromuscular Junction Protein Expression by Exercise and Doxorubicin.

PURPOSE: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly effective antitumor agent widely used in cancer treatment. However, it is well established that DOX induces muscular atrophy and impairs force production. Although no therapeutic interventions exist to combat DOX-induced muscle weakness, endurance exercise training has been shown to reduce skeletal muscle damage caused by DOX administration. Numerous studies have attempted to identify molecular mechanisms responsible for exercise-induced protection against DOX myotoxicity. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which endurance exercise protects against DOX-induced muscle weakness remain elusive. In this regard, impairments to the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) are associated with muscle wasting, and studies indicate that physical exercise can rescue NMJ fragmentation. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that exercise protects against DOX-induced myopathy by preventing detrimental changes to key proteins responsible for maintenance of the NMJ. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to sedentary or exercise-trained groups. Exercise training consisted of a 5-d treadmill habituation period followed by 10 d of running (60 min·d, 30 m·min, 0% grade). After the last training bout, exercise-trained and sedentary animals were paired with either placebo (saline) or DOX (20 mg·kg i.p.) treatment. Two days after drug treatment, the soleus muscle was excised for subsequent analyses. RESULTS: Our results indicate that endurance exercise training prevents soleus muscle atrophy and contractile dysfunction in DOX-treated animals. These adaptations were associated with the increased expression of the following neurotrophic factors: brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor, and neurotrophin-3. In addition, exercise enhanced the expression of receptor-associated protein of the synapse and the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) subunits AChRß, AChRδ, and AChRγ in DOX-treated animals. CONCLUSION: Therefore, upregulating neurotrophic factor and NMJ protein expression may be an effective strategy to prevent DOX-induced skeletal muscle dysfunction.

PPARGC1A rs8192678 and NRF1 rs6949152 Polymorphisms Are Associated with Muscle Fiber Composition in Women.

PPARGC1A rs8192678 G/A (Gly482Ser) and NRF1 rs6949152 A/G polymorphisms have been associated with endurance athlete status, endurance performance phenotypes, and certain health-related markers of different pathologies such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. We hypothesized that they could be considered interesting candidates for explaining inter-individual variations in muscle fiber composition in humans. We aimed to examine possible associations of these polymorphisms with myosin heavy-chain (MHC) isoforms as markers of muscle fiber compositions in vastus lateralis muscle in a population of 214 healthy Japanese subjects, aged between 19 and 79 years. No significant associations were found in men for any measured variables. In contrast, in women, the PPARGC1A rs8192678 A/A genotype was significantly associated with a higher proportion of MHC-I (p = 0.042) and with a lower proportion of MHC-IIx (p = 0.033), and the NRF1 rs6949152 AA genotype was significantly associated with a higher proportion of MHC-I (p = 0.008) and with a lower proportion of MHC IIx (p = 0.035). In women, the genotype scores of the modes presenting the most significant results for PPARGC1A rs8192678 G/A (Gly482Ser) and NRF1 rs6949152 A/G polymorphisms were significantly associated with MHC-I (p = 0.0007) and MHC IIx (p = 0.0016). That is, women with combined PPARGC1A A/A and NRF1 A/A genotypes presented the highest proportion of MHC-I and the lowest proportion of MHC-IIx, in contrast to women with combined PPARGC1A GG+GA and NRF1 AG+GG genotypes, who presented the lowest proportion of MHC-I and the highest proportion of MHC-IIx. Our results suggest possible associations between these polymorphisms (both individually and in combination) and the inter-individual variability observed in muscle fiber composition in women, but not in men.

Mitochondrial accumulation of doxorubicin in cardiac and diaphragm muscle following exercise preconditioning.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly effective anthracycline antibiotic. Unfortunately, the clinical use of DOX is limited by the risk of deleterious effects to cardiac and respiratory (i.e. diaphragm) muscle, resulting from mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In this regard, exercise is demonstrated to protect against DOX-induced myotoxicity and prevent mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the protective mechanisms are currently unclear. We hypothesized that exercise may induce protection by increasing the expression of mitochondria-specific ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and reducing mitochondrial DOX accumulation. Our results confirm this finding and demonstrate that two weeks of exercise preconditioning is sufficient to prevent cardiorespiratory dysfunction.

Exercise Training Prevents Doxorubicin-induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction of the Liver.

PURPOSE: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly effective chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of a broad spectrum of cancers. However, clinical use of DOX is limited by irreversible and dose-dependent hepatotoxicity. The liver is the primary organ responsible for the clearance of antineoplastic agents, and evidence indicates that hepatotoxicity occurs as a result of impaired mitochondrial efficiency during DOX metabolism. In this regard, exercise training is sufficient to improve mitochondrial function and protect against DOX-induced cytotoxicity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether short-term exercise preconditioning is sufficient to protect against DOX-induced liver mitochondrionopathy. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats (4-6 months old) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) sedentary, treated with saline; 2) sedentary, treated with DOX; 3) exercise trained, treated with saline; and 4) exercise trained, treated with DOX. Exercise-trained animals underwent 5 d of treadmill running habituation followed by 10 d of running for 60 min·d (30 m·min; 0% grade). After the last training bout, exercise-trained and sedentary animals were injected with either DOX (20 mg·kg i.p.) or saline. Two days after drug treatment, the liver was removed and mitochondria were isolated. RESULTS: DOX treatment induced mitochondrial dysfunction of the liver in sedentary animals because of alterations in mitochondrial oxidative capacity, biogenesis, degradation, and protein acetylation. Furthermore, exercise preconditioning protected against DOX-mediated liver mitochondrionopathy, which was associated with the maintenance of mitochondrial oxidative capacity and protein acetylation. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that endurance exercise training protects against DOX-induced liver mitochondrial dysfunction, which was attributed to modifications in organelle oxidative capacity and mitochondrial protein acetylation.

Increased SOD2 in the diaphragm contributes to exercise-induced protection against ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction.

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a life-saving intervention for many critically ill patients. Unfortunately, prolonged MV results in rapid diaphragmatic atrophy and contractile dysfunction, collectively termed ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction (VIDD). Recent evidence reveals that endurance exercise training, performed prior to MV, protects the diaphragm against VIDD. While the mechanism(s) responsible for this exercise-induced protection against VIDD remain unknown, increased diaphragm antioxidant expression may be required. To investigate the role that increased antioxidants play in this protection, we tested the hypothesis that elevated levels of the mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) is required to achieve exercise-induced protection against VIDD. Cause and effect was investigated in two ways. First, we prevented the exercise-induced increase in diaphragmatic SOD2 via delivery of an antisense oligonucleotide targeted against SOD2 post-exercise. Second, using transgene overexpression of SOD2, we determined the effects of increased SOD2 in the diaphragm independent of exercise training. Results from these experiments revealed that prevention of the exercise-induced increases in diaphragmatic SOD2 results in a loss of exercise-mediated protection against MV-induced diaphragm atrophy and a partial loss of protection against MV-induced diaphragmatic contractile dysfunction. In contrast, transgenic overexpression of SOD2 in the diaphragm, independent of exercise, did not protect against MV-induced diaphragmatic atrophy and provided only partial protection against MV-induced diaphragmatic contractile dysfunction. Collectively, these results demonstrate that increased diaphragmatic levels of SOD2 are essential to achieve the full benefit of exercise-induced protection against VIDD.