Histomorphometric Changes of the Masseter Muscle of Rats After a Single Injection of Botulinum Toxin Type A.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) produces structural changes in masticatory muscles. However, not all histomorphometric parameters affected by BoNT-A parameters have been assessed. This study investigated the histomorphometric changes in the masseter muscle of rats after a single injection of BoNT-A. METHODS: Forty-four adult animals were randomly divided into control group (n = 22) and BoNT-A group (n = 22). Controls received a single dose of 0.14 mL/kg of saline in masseter muscles, and the BoNT-A group received a 7 U/Kg of BoNT-A. The groups received the same volume of injected substances. Animals were sacrificed on 7th (n = 5), 14th (n = 5), 21st (n = 5), 28th (n = 4) and 90th (n = 3) days post-treatment. Histological masseter tissue slides were obtained from hematoxylin-eosin treatment and analyzed in optical microscopy regarding muscle cross-sectional area, amount of connective tissue and quantity and diameter of myocytes. For statistical analysis, generalized linear models were used to compare the data (ANOVA). In all test, the significance level of 5% was set. RESULTS: BoNT-A values of cross-sectional area of the masseter muscle were significantly lower than controls (p < 0.01) throughout the study. Regarding myocytes quantity, BoNT-A subgroups presented higher values than controls (p < 0.0001) since the 14th day until the end of the study; however, the diameter of myocytes was smaller in all BoNT-A subgroups (p < 0.0001) in all assessment points. The amount of connective tissue was higher in BoNT-A subgroups (p < 0.0001) throughout the study. CONCLUSION: A single injection of BoNT-A altered the structure of masseter muscle of rats, regarding its histomorphometric parameters. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Prior swimming exercise favors muscle recovery in adult female rats after joint immobilization.

[Purpose] To evaluate the efficacy of pre-exercise on immobilization and subsequent recovery of white gastrocnemius (WG) and soleus (SOL) muscles of female rats. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty, 8-month-old, female Wistar rats were randomly and evenly allocated to six groups: sedentary (S); immobilized sedentary (IS); immobilized/rehabilitated sedentary (IRS); trained (T); immobilized trained (IT); and immobilized/rehabilitated trained (IRT). For four months, T, IT and IRT group animals performed swimming exercise (three sessions per week, 60 minutes per session), while S, IS and IRS groups animals remained housed in cages. After this period, the left hindlimb of the animals from the IS, IRS, IT and IRT groups was immobilized for five days, with the ankle at 90°. After removal of the orthosis, animals from the IRS and IRT groups followed a rehabilitation program based on swimming (five sessions per week, 60 minutes per session) for two weeks. [Results] Immobilization significantly reduced the cross-sectional area of the white gastrocnemius muscle; no changes were observed in the soleus muscles of the trained animals. Transforming growth factor-ß1 protein levels were similar among the trained groups. [Conclusion] Prior swimming prevents hypotrophy of the soleus muscle after immobilization, and protein levels reflected the adaptive capacity of the skeletal muscle.

Treinamento aquático em longo prazo desencadeia alterações elétricas positivas e outros parâmetros em ratas adultas / El entrenamiento acuático en largo plazo produce alteraciones eléctricas positivas y otros parámetros en ratas adultas / Long-term aquatic training triggers positive electrical alterations and other parameters in adult female rats

RESUMO A proposta deste estudo foi avaliar as alterações elétricas cardíacas e os efeitos sobre a massa corporal, consumo hídrico e alimentar, além do peso relativo de órgãos de ratas adultas submetidas a um treinamento de natação em longo prazo. Utilizou-se ratas Wistar adultas, saudáveis e dividas em grupos de n=10, sendo S (sedentárias) e TR (treinadas), que realizaram treinamento aquático de sessenta minutos, três vezes na semana, por 16 semanas. Foram avaliados o peso corporal (P), o consumo hídrico e alimentar, a frequência cardíaca (FC), ângulo do miocárdio (SÂQRS), os intervalos QRS, QTc e PR e o peso relativo dos glândulas adrenais, coração, baço e rins. Para análise estatística, utilizou-se o pacote estatístico SPSS versão 17.0; a distribuição dos dados foi verificada pelo teste de normalidade Kolmogorov-Smirnov. Para os dados com distribuição paramétrica, foi utilizado o teste T de Student, para amostras independentes, e aos dados com distribuição não paramétrica, foi aplicado o teste Mann-Whitney (p<0,05). As ratas do grupo TR apresentaram maior consumo hídrico e alimentar, entretanto, a massa corporal foi semelhante entre os grupos TR e S. O grupo TR apresentou alterações elétricas na FC, ângulo do miocárdio (SÂQRS), onda S e T, demonstrando significativa bradicardia em repouso e possível hipertrofia cardíaca, além da diferença encontrada no peso relativo do baço e dos rins. O protocolo de treinamento utilizado para as ratas adultas favoreceu as alterações elétricas positivas do coração, resultando em bradicardia durante repouso e melhora no condicionamento cardiovascular.

RESUMEN Este estudio tuvo el propósito de evaluar las alteraciones eléctricas cardíacas y los resultados sobre la masa corporal, consumo de agua y alimentos, además del peso relacionado a los órganos de las ratas adultas sometidas a un entrenamiento de natación en largo plazo. Se utilizó de ratas Wistar, adultas, saludables, divididas en grupos de n=10, siendo S (sedentarias) y E (entrenadas), las que realizaron el entrenamiento acuático de 60 minutos, tres veces por semana, durante 16 semanas. Se evaluaron el peso corporal (P), el consumo de agua y alimentos, la frecuencia cardiaca (FC), el ángulo del miocardio (SAQRS), los intervalos QRS, QTc y PR y el peso relacionado a las glándulas adrenales, al corazón, al bazo y a los riñones. En el análisis estadístico se empleó el sistema estadístico SPSS versión 17.0; se evaluó la distribución de los datos a través del test de normalidad Kolmogorov-Smirnov. En los datos con distribución paramétrica se empleó el test t Student, en las muestras independientes y en los datos con distribución no paramétrica se aplicó el test Mann-Whitney (p<0,05). Las ratas del grupo E presentaron un mayor consumo de agua y de alimentos, no obstante, la masa corporal fue semejante entre los grupos E y S. El grupo E presentó alteraciones eléctricas en la FC, en el ángulo del miocardio (SAQRS), ondas S y T, lo que muestra una bradicardia en reposo y una posible hipertrofia cardiaca, además de la diferencia encontrada en el peso del bazo y de los riñones. El protocolo de entrenamiento empleado en las ratas adultas les favoreció las alteraciones eléctricas positivas del corazón, resultando en bradicardia durante reposo y en una mejora de su condición cardiovascular.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to assess cardiac electrical alterations and effects on body weight, water and food consumption, and relative weight of organs of adult female rats submitted to long-term swimming training. We used adult Wistar female rats, healthy, divided into n=10 groups, groups S (sedentary) and TR (trained), which had aquatic training for sixty minutes, three times a week, for 16 weeks. We evaluated body weight (W), water and food consumption, heart rate (HR), myocardial angle (SAQRS), intervals QRS, QTc, and PR, and relative weight of adrenal glands, heart, spleen, and kidneys. For statistical analysis, we used the statistical package "SPSS version 17.0"; data distribution was verified by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test. For data with parametric distribution, we used student's t test for independent samples, while for data with nonparametric distribution we applied Mann-Whitney test (p<0.05). Rats from group TR had higher water and food consumption; however, body weight was similar between groups TR and S. Group TR had electrical alterations in HR, myocardial angle (SAQRS), S and T wave, demonstrating significant bradycardia at rest and possible cardiac hypertrophy, in addition to the difference found for relative weight of spleen and kidney. Training protocol used for adult female rats favored positive electrical changes in the heart, resulting in bradycardia during rest and improvement in cardiovascular fitness.