Coordinated collagen and muscle protein synthesis in human patella tendon and quadriceps muscle after exercise.

We hypothesized that an acute bout of strenuous, non-damaging exercise would increase rates of protein synthesis of collagen in tendon and skeletal muscle but these would be less than those of muscle myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins. Two groups (n = 8 and 6) of healthy young men were studied over 72 h after 1 h of one-legged kicking exercise at 67% of maximum workload (W(max)). To label tissue proteins in muscle and tendon primed, constant infusions of [1-(13)C]leucine or [1-(13)C]valine and flooding doses of [(15)N] or [(13)C]proline were given intravenously, with estimation of labelling in target proteins by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Patellar tendon and quadriceps biopsies were taken in exercised and rested legs at 6, 24, 42 or 48 and 72 h after exercise. The fractional synthetic rates of all proteins were elevated at 6 h and rose rapidly to peak at 24 h post exercise (tendon collagen (0.077% h(-1)), muscle collagen (0.054% h(-1)), myofibrillar protein (0.121% h(-1)), and sarcoplasmic protein (0.134% h(-1))). The rates decreased toward basal values by 72 h although rates of tendon collagen and myofibrillar protein synthesis remained elevated. There was no tissue damage of muscle visible on histological evaluation. Neither tissue microdialysate nor serum concentrations of IGF-I and IGF binding proteins (IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-4) or procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide changed from resting values. Thus, there is a rapid increase in collagen synthesis after strenuous exercise in human tendon and muscle. The similar time course of changes of protein synthetic rates in different cell types supports the idea of coordinated musculotendinous adaptation.

The effect of resistance training combined with timed ingestion of protein on muscle fiber size and muscle strength.

Acute muscle protein metabolism is modulated not only by resistance exercise but also by amino acids. However, less is known about the long-term hypertrophic effect of protein supplementation in combination with resistance training. The present study was designed to compare the effect of 14 weeks of resistance training combined with timed ingestion of isoenergetic protein vs carbohydrate supplementation on muscle fiber hypertrophy and mechanical muscle performance. Supplementation was administered before and immediately after each training bout and, in addition, in the morning on nontraining days. Muscle biopsy specimens were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle and analyzed for muscle fiber cross-sectional area. Squat jump and countermovement jump were performed on a force platform to determine vertical jump height. Peak torque during slow (30 degrees s-1) and fast (240 degrees s-1) concentric and eccentric contractions of the knee extensor muscle was measured in an isokinetic dynamometer. After 14 weeks of resistance training, the protein group showed hypertrophy of type I (18% +/- 5%; P < .01) and type II (26% +/- 5%; P < .01) muscle fibers, whereas no change above baseline occurred in the carbohydrate group. Squat jump height increased only in the protein group, whereas countermovement jump height and peak torque during slow isokinetic muscle contraction increased similarly in both groups. In conclusion, a minor advantage of protein supplementation over carbohydrate supplementation during resistance training on mechanical muscle function was found. However, the present results may have relevance for individuals who are particularly interested in gaining muscle size.

Enhanced procollagen processing in skeletal muscle after a single bout of eccentric loading in humans.

Increases in procollagen processing within skeletal muscle have previously been reported in small animal models only. While indirect measurements in humans have suggested an increase procollagen processing, no intra-skeletal muscle measurements have confirmed these findings. In this study, eight young healthy male subjects performed a single bout of unaccustomed high intensity eccentric exercise on one leg, with the contralateral leg being the control. A significant increase in the muscle interstitial concentration of the N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PINP) was observed (day 0: 1.96 +/- 0.44 ng ml(-1), day 2: 1.94 +/- 0.32 ng ml(-1), day 4: 3.90 +/- 1.03 ng ml(-1), day 8: 7.23 +/- 2.34 ng ml(-1)*, *P < 0.05 vs. basal and control) with no change being noted in the control leg. By day 2 post-exercise, an increase in the histological immunoreactivity of PINP and the N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type III (PIIINP) was also shown in the exercising leg only. Further, from day 2 post-exercise, immunoreactivity for tenascin C and reactive macrophages (CD68+ cells) was seen within the perimysial and endomysial connective tissue of the exercising leg only, indicating a high mechanical load and inflammation. This study shows that following a single bout of high intensity eccentric exercise there is an increase in procollagen processing within skeletal muscle in humans.

Changes in satellite cells in human skeletal muscle after a single bout of high intensity exercise.

No studies to date have reported activation of satellite cells in vivo in human muscle after a single bout of high intensity exercise. In this investigation, eight individuals performed a single bout of high intensity exercise with one leg, the contralateral leg being the control. A significant increase in mononuclear cells staining for the neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) and fetal antigen 1 (FA1) were observed within the exercised human vastus lateralis muscle on days 4 and 8 post exercise. In addition, a significant increase in the concentration of the FA1 protein was determined in intramuscular dialysate samples taken from the vastus lateralis muscle of the exercising leg (day 0: 1.89 +/- 0.82 ng ml(-1); day 2: 1.68 +/- 0.37 ng ml(-1); day 4: 3.26 +/- 1.29 ng ml(-1), P < 0.05 versus basal; day 8: 4.68 +/- 2.06 ng ml(-1), P < 0.05 versus basal and control). No change was noted in the control leg. Despite this increase in N-CAM- and FA1-positive mononuclear cells, an increased expression of myogenin and the neonatal isoform of the myosin heavy chain (MHCn) was not observed. Interestingly, myofibre lesions resulting from extensive damage to the proteins within the myofibre, particularly desmin or dystrophin, were not observed, and hence did not appear to induce the expression of either N-CAM or FA1. We therefore propose that satellite cells can be induced to re-enter the cell growth cycle after a single bout of unaccustomed high intensity exercise. However, a single bout of exercise is not sufficient for the satellite cell to undergo terminal differentiation.

Effect of load during electrical stimulation training in spinal cord injury.

Electrical stimulation training is known to alter skeletal muscle characteristics after a spinal cord injury, but the effect of load on optimizing the training protocol has not been fully investigated. This study investigated two electrical-stimulation training regimes with different loads on intramuscular parameters of the paralyzed lower limbs. Six paraplegic individuals with a spinal cord injury underwent electrical stimulation training (45 min daily for 3 days per week for 10 weeks). One leg was trained statically with load, and the contralateral leg was trained dynamically with minimal load. Isometric force assessed with 35-HZ stimuli increased significantly in both legs from baseline, with the static-trained leg also being significantly higher than the dynamic-trained leg. The vastus lateralis muscle of the statically trained leg showed a significant increase in type I fibers, fiber cross-sectional area, capillary-to-fiber ratio, and citrate synthase activity when compared to both baseline and the dynamically trained leg. Relative oxygenation of the vastus lateralis muscle as determined by near infrared spectroscopy was also significantly greater after static training. This study indicates that the load that is applied to paralyzed muscle during an electrical stimulation training program is an important factor in determining the amount of muscle adaptation that can be achieved.