Effects of buthionine sulfoximine treatment on diaphragm contractility and SR Ca2+ pump function in rats.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of glutathione (GSH) depletion and cellular oxidation on rat diaphragm contractility and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) function in vitro under basal conditions and following fatiguing stimulation. Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) treatment (n = 10) for 10 days (20 mM in drinking water) reduced (P < 0.05) diaphragm GSH content (nmol/mg protein) and the ratio of GSH to glutathione disulfide (GSH/GSSG) by 91% and 71%, respectively, compared with controls (CTL) (n = 10). Western blotting showed that Hsp70 expression in diaphragm was not increased (P > 0.05) with BSO treatment. As hypothesized, basal peak twitch force (g/mm(2)) was increased (P < 0.05), and fatigability in response to repetitive stimulation (350-ms trains at 100 Hz once every 1 s for 5 min) was also increased (P < 0.05) in BSO compared with CTL. Both Ca(2+) uptake and maximal SERCA activity (mumol.g protein(-1).min(-1)) measured in diaphragm homogenates that were prepared at rest were increased (P < 0.05) with BSO treatment, an effect that could be partly explained by a twofold increase (P < 0.05) in SERCA2a expression with BSO. In response to the 5-min stimulation protocol, both Ca(2+) uptake and maximal SERCA activity were increased (P < 0.05) in CTL but not (P > 0.05) in BSO diaphragm. We conclude that 1) cellular redox state is more optimal for contractile function and fatigability is increased in rat diaphragm following BSO treatment, 2) SERCA2a expression is modulated by redox signaling, and 3) regulation of SERCA function in working diaphragm is altered following BSO treatment.

Oxidative stress and nitric oxide synthase in skeletal muscles of rats with post-infarction, compensated chronic heart failure.

AIM: Involvement of oxidative stress and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms in skeletal muscle cellular adaptations to chronic heart failure (CHF) is controversial, and possible muscle fibre-type heterogeneity in the oxidative stress and NOS responses to CHF have not been examined. Consequently, we hypothesized that the changes in determinants of elevated oxidative and nitrosylative stress associated with CHF would occur in skeletal muscle and would be similar in predominantly type I slow twitch muscle (soleus) and type II fast twitch muscle (plantaris) of rats. METHODS: The purpose of this study was to measure NOS isoforms (endothelial, inducible and neuronal NOS) and antioxidant enzymes (SOD-1, SOD-2, catalase) by protein immunoblot as well as markers of oxidative stress by biochemical assays in soleus and plantaris muscle sections of the rat hind limb. This was performed for control and post-infarction, compensated CHF rats. RESULTS: Twelve weeks after coronary artery ligation-induced moderate CHF, soleus exhibited decreased SOD-1, SOD-2 and eNOS, but increased iNOS and nNOS isoforms assessed by immunoblot. This was associated with elevated lipid and DNA oxidative damage assessed by biochemical assays. In contrast, plantaris muscle exhibited no changes in antioxidant enzymes or NOS isoforms, and had lower lipid and DNA oxidative damage. CONCLUSION: These observations suggest a heretofore unreported muscle fibre-type-specific response of oxidative stress and NOS isoforms to CHF is of importance in understanding the cellular mechanisms of skeletal muscle dysfunction in CHF.

Na+-K+-ATPase properties in rat heart and skeletal muscle 3 mo after coronary artery ligation.

This study was designed to determine whether chronic heart failure (CHF) results in changes in Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase properties in heart and skeletal muscles of different fiber-type composition. Adult rats were randomly assigned to a control (Con; n = 8) or CHF (n = 8) group. CHF was induced by ligation of the left main coronary artery. Examination of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity (means +/- SE) 12 wk after the ligation measured, using the 3-O-methylfluorescein phosphatase assay (3-O-MFPase), indicated higher (P < 0.05) levels in soleus (Sol) (250 +/- 13 vs. 179 +/- 18 nmol.mg protein(-1).h(-1)) and lower (P < 0.05) levels in diaphragm (Dia) (200 +/- 12 vs. 272 +/- 27 nmol.mg protein(-1).h(-1)) and left ventricle (LV) (760 +/- 62 vs. 992 +/- 16 nmol.mg protein(-1).h(-1)) in CHF compared with Con, respectively. Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase protein content, measured by the [(3)H]ouabain binding technique, was higher (P < 0.05) in white gastrocnemius (WG) (166 +/- 12 vs. 135 +/- 7.6 pmol/g wet wt) and lower (P < 0.05) in Sol (193 +/- 20 vs. 260 +/- 8.6 pmol/g wet wt) and LV (159 +/- 10 vs. 221 +/- 10 pmol/g wet wt) in CHF compared with Con, respectively. Isoform content in CHF, measured by Western blot techniques, showed both increases (WG; P < 0.05) and decreases (Sol; P < 0.05) in alpha(1). For alpha(2), only increases [red gastrocnemius (RG), Sol, and Dia; P < 0.05] occurred. The beta(2)-isoform was decreased (LV, Sol, RG, and WG; P < 0.05) in CHF, whereas the beta(1) was both increased (WG and Dia; P < 0.05) and decreased (Sol and LV; P < 0.05). For beta(3), decreases (P < 0.05) in RG were observed in CHF, whereas no differences were found in Sol and WG between CHF and Con. It is concluded that CHF results in alterations in Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase that are muscle specific and property specific. Although decreases in Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase content would appear to explain the lower 3-O-MFPase in the LV, such does not appear to be the case in skeletal muscles where a dissociation between these properties was observed.

Skeletal muscle glycogen phosphorylase a kinetics: effects of adenine nucleotides and caffeine.

This study aimed to determine physiologically relevant kinetic and allosteric effects of P(i), AMP, ADP, and caffeine on isolated skeletal muscle glycogen phosphorylase a (Phos a). In the absence of effectors, Phos a had Vmax = 221 +/- 2 U/mg and Km = 5.6 +/- 0.3 mM P(i) at 30 degrees C. AMP and ADP each increased Phos a Vmax and decreased Km in a dose-dependent manner. AMP was more effective than ADP (e.g., 1 microM AMP vs. ADP: Vmax = 354 +/- 2 vs. 209 +/- 8 U/mg, and Km = 2.3 +/- 0.1 vs. 4.1 +/- 0.3 mM). Both nucleotides were relatively more effective at lower P(i) levels. Experiments simulating a range of contraction (exercise) conditions in which P(i), AMP, and ADP were used at appropriate physiological concentrations demonstrated that each agent singly and in combination influences Phos a activity. Caffeine (50-100 microM) inhibited Phos a (Km approximately 8-14 mM, approximately 40-50% reduction in activity at 2-10 mM P(i)). The present in vitro data support a possible contribution of substrate (P(i)) and allosteric effects to Phos a regulation in many physiological states, independent of covalent modulation of the percentage of total Phos in the Phos a form and suggest that caffeine inhibition of Phos a activity may contribute to the glycogen-sparing effect of caffeine.

Hindlimb unweighting decreases endothelium-dependent dilation and eNOS expression in soleus not gastrocnemius.

We tested the hypothesis that hindlimb unweighting (HLU) decreases endothelium-dependent vasodilation and expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1) in arteries of skeletal muscle with reduced blood flow during HLU. Sprague-Dawley rats (300-350 g) were exposed to HLU (n = 15) or control (n = 15) conditions for 14 days. ACh-induced dilation was assessed in muscle with reduced [soleus (Sol)] or unchanged [gastrocnemius (Gast)] blood flow during HLU. eNOS and SOD-1 expression were measured in feed arteries (FA) and in first-order (1A), second-order (2A), and third-order (3A) arterioles. Dilation to infusion of ACh in vivo was blunted in Sol but not Gast. In arteries of Sol muscle, HLU decreased eNOS mRNA and protein content. eNOS mRNA content was significantly less in Sol FA (35%), 1A arterioles (25%) and 2A arterioles (18%). eNOS protein content was less in Sol FA (64%) and 1A arterioles (65%) from HLU rats. In arteries of Gast, HLU did not decrease eNOS mRNA or protein. SOD-1 mRNA expression was less in Sol 2A arterioles (31%) and 3A arterioles (29%) of HLU rats. SOD-1 protein content was less in Sol FA (67%) but not arterioles. SOD-1 mRNA and protein content were not decreased in arteries from Gast. These data indicate that HLU decreases endothelium-dependent vasodilation, eNOS expression, and SOD-1 expression primarily in arteries of Sol muscle where blood flow is reduced during HLU.

Myoadenylate deaminase deficiency does not affect muscle anaplerosis during exhaustive exercise in humans.

1. Myoadenylate deaminase (AMPD) deficiency is present in 1--2 % of the population. In theory, this deficiency may alter exercise energy metabolism by impairing the purine nucleotide cycle (PNC) and reducing tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle anaplerosis. The role of the PNC in TCA cycle anaplerosis is still a debated issue in physiology. Using patients with the AMPD1 mutation will allow a human 'knockout' approach to answering this question. 2. Muscle AMPD activity and genotype (whole blood AMPD1 analysis) was used to classify participants into three groups: n = 3 with absence of AMPD activity and -/- AMPD1 genotype (homozygous); n = 4 with less than 50 % normal AMPD activity and +/- genotype (heterozygous) and n = 12 with normal AMPD activity and +/+ genotype (control). Biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle before and after incremental cycle ergometry exercise to exhaustion. The muscle biopsies were analysed for AMPD activity, purine nucleotides/nucleosides and bases, creatine, phosphocreatine, amino acids, and the TCA cycle intermediates malate, citrate and fumarate. 3. Time to exhaustion on the cycle ergometer was not different between groups. Muscle adenosine monophosphate increased significantly with exercise for homozygous subjects as compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). Inosine monophosphate increased significantly after exercise for control (P < 0.05) but not for the homozygous subjects. There were no other between-group differences for any other measured variables. 4. In summary, complete and partial muscle AMPD deficiency did not affect TCA cycle anaplerosis, phosphocreatine hydrolysis, energy charge or exercise performance.

Short-term exercise training increases ACh-induced relaxation and eNOS protein in porcine pulmonary arteries.

We tested the hypothesis that short-term exercise (STEx) training and the associated increase in pulmonary blood flow during bouts of exercise cause enhanced endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in porcine pulmonary arteries and increased expression of endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1) protein. Mature, female Yucatan miniature swine exercised 1 h twice daily on a motorized treadmill for 1 wk (STEx group, n = 7); control pigs (Sed, n = 6) were kept in pens. Pulmonary arteries were isolated from the left caudal lung lobe, and vasomotor responses were determined in vitro. Arterial tissue from the distal portion of this pulmonary artery was processed for immunoblot analysis. Maximal endothelium-dependent (ACh-stimulated) relaxation was greater in STEx (71 +/- 5%) than in Sed (44 +/- 6%) arteries (P < 0.05), and endothelium-independent (sodium nitroprusside-mediated) responses did not differ. Sensitivity to ACh was not altered by STEx training. Immunoblot analysis indicated a 3.9-fold increase in eNOS protein in pulmonary artery tissue from STEx pigs (P < 0.05) with no change in SOD-1 or glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase protein levels. We conclude that STEx training enhances ACh-stimulated vasorelaxation in pulmonary arterial tissue and that this adaptation is associated with increased expression of eNOS protein.

SOD-1 expression in pig coronary arterioles is increased by exercise training.

Coronary arterioles of exercise-trained (EX) pigs have enhanced nitric oxide (NO.)-dependent dilation. Evidence suggests that the biological half-life of NO. depends in part on the management of the superoxide anion. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that expression of cytosolic copper/zinc-dependent superoxide dismutase (SOD)-1 is increased in coronary arterioles as a result of exercise training. Male Yucatan pigs either remained sedentary (SED, n = 4) or were EX (n = 4) on a motorized treadmill for 16-20 wk. Individual coronary arterioles ( approximately 100-microm unpressurized internal diameter) were dissected and frozen. Coronary arteriole SOD-1 protein (via immunoblots) increased as a result of exercise training (2.16 +/- 0.35 times SED levels) as did SOD-1 enzyme activity (measured via inhibition of pyrogallol autooxidation; approximately 75% increase vs. SED). In addition, SOD-1 mRNA levels (measured via RT-PCR) were higher in EX arterioles (1.68 +/- 0.16 times the SED levels). There were no effects of exercise training on the levels of SOD-2 (mitochondrial), catalase, or p67(phox) proteins. Thus chronic aerobic exercise training selectively increases the levels of SOD-1 mRNA, protein, and enzymatic activity in porcine coronary arterioles. Increased SOD-1 could contribute to the enhanced NO.-dependent dilation previously observed in EX porcine coronary arterioles by improving management of superoxide in the vascular cell environment, thus prolonging the biological half-life of NO.

Flow regulation of ecNOS and Cu/Zn SOD mRNA expression in porcine coronary arterioles.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that increased flow through coronary arterioles increases endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) mRNA expression. Single porcine coronary arterioles (ID 100-160 micrometers; pressurized) were cannulated, perfused, and exposed to intraluminal flow sufficient to produce maximal flow-induced dilation of coronary arterioles (high flow; 7.52 +/- 0.22 microliter/min), low flow (0.84 +/- 0.05 microliter/min), or no flow for 2 or 4 h. Mean shear stress was calculated to be 5.7 +/- 1.0 dyn/cm2 for high-flow arterioles and 1. 6 +/- 1.0 dyn/cm2 for low-flow arterioles. At the end of the treatment period, mRNA was isolated from each vessel, and ecNOS and SOD mRNA expression was assessed using a semiquantitative RT-PCR. All data were standardized by coamplifying ecNOS or SOD with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. The results indicate that ecNOS mRNA expression is increased in arterioles exposed to 2 or 4 h of high flow. In contrast, SOD mRNA expression was increased only after 4 h of high flow. Neither gene is induced by exposure to low flow. On the basis of these data, we concluded that ecNOS and SOD mRNA expression is regulated by flow in porcine coronary arterioles. In addition, we concluded that a threshold level of flow and shear stress must be sustained to elicit the upregulation of ecNOS and SOD mRNA expression.

Alterations in AMP deaminase activity and kinetics in skeletal muscle of creatine kinase-deficient mice.

Alterations in the competency of the creatine kinase system elicit numerous structural and metabolic compensations, including changes in purine nucleotide metabolism. We evaluated molecular and kinetic changes in AMP deaminase from skeletal muscles of mice deficient in either cytosolic creatine kinase alone (M-CK-/-) or also deficient in mitochondrial creatine kinase (CK-/-) compared with wild type. We found that predominantly fast-twitch muscle, but not slow-twitch muscle, from both M-CK-/- and CK-/- mice had much lower AMP deaminase; the quantity of AMP deaminase detected by Western blot was correspondingly lower, whereas AMP deaminase-1 (AMPD1) gene expression was unchanged. Kinetic analysis of AMP deaminase from mixed muscle revealed negative cooperativity that was significantly greater in creatine kinase deficiencies. Treatment of AMP deaminase with acid phosphatase abolished negative cooperative behavior, indicating that a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle may be important in the regulation of AMP deaminase.

Molecular and kinetic alterations of muscle AMP deaminase during chronic creatine depletion.

We examined a possible mechanism to account for the maintenance of peak AMP deamination rate in fast-twitch muscle of rats fed the creatine analog beta-guanidinopropionic acid (beta-GPA), in spite of reduced abundance of the enzyme AMP deaminase (AMPD). AMPD enzymatic capacity (determined at saturating AMP concentration) and AMPD protein abundance (Western blot) were coordinately reduced approximately 80% in fast-twitch white gastrocnemius muscle by beta-GPA feeding over 7 wk. Kinetic analysis of AMPD in the soluble cell fraction demonstrated a single Michaelis-Menten constant (Km; approximately 1.5 mM) in control muscle extracts. An additional high-affinity Km (approximately 0.03 mM) was revealed at low AMP concentrations in extracts of beta-GPA-treated muscle. The kinetic alteration in AMPD reflects increased molecular activity at low AMP concentrations; this could account for high rates of deamination in beta-GPA-treated muscle in situ, despite the loss of AMPD enzyme protein. The elimination of this kinetic effect by treatment of beta-GPA-treated muscle extracts with acid phosphatase in vitro suggests that phosphorylation is involved in the kinetic control of skeletal muscle AMPD in vivo.

Exercise causes branched-chain oxoacid dehydrogenase dephosphorylation but not AMP deaminase binding.

The responses of AMP deaminase (AMPD) and branched-chain oxoacid dehydrogenase (BCOAD) to moderate (70% maximal O2 consumption for 90 min) followed by intense (90% maximal O2 consumption to exhaustion) cycling exercise were evaluated in the active skeletal muscle of human subjects (n = 8). The exercise conditions invoke different energy demands and ammonia production rates. Active muscle and plasma ammonia concentrations continuously increased throughout moderate exercise in the absence of significant inosine 5-monophosphate accumulation. The free activity of AMPD decreased during moderate exercise (by approximately 25-35%), whereas myosin-bound activity did not change. BCOAD was significantly dephosphorylated (activated) at 5 min and was continuously dephosphorylated during moderate exercise (to a maximum of approximately 21%). Ammonia accumulation rate increased dramatically during the higher intensity exercise accompanied by inosine monophosphate accumulation of approximately 2 mmol/kg dry muscle. The higher intensity exercise caused no further changes in AMPD activity distribution or BCOAD dephosphorylation. Resting muscle percent bound AMPD was notably higher than values previously reported for rat muscle. Increases in percent bound AMPD during exercise were the result of decreases in the sum of free and bound activities and not increases in bound activity. The results of this study do not support a role for myosin binding in the activation of AMPD in human skeletal muscle.

Caffeine and exercise: metabolism and performance.

Caffeine ingestion prior to prolonged exercise delays fatigue. However, the mechanisms involved are very unclear. Caffeine is associated with elevated plasma epinephrine but the metabolic impact of this is uncertain. Glycogen sparing occurs in active muscle, at least in the first few minutes, but studies have generally failed to demonstrate enhanced fat metabolism. The demethylation of caffeine by the hepatic cytochrome P-450 oxygenases begins within minutes and dimethylxanthines (especially paraxanthine) are generated. These compounds appear in the plasma within an hour of caffeine ingestion and may have effects on tissues that have been attributed to caffeine and/or epinephrine. While the most widely supported theory is that caffeine and other methylxanthines are adenosine receptor antagonists, this action alone cannot explain all of the observed responses. Nevertheless, habituation to and withdrawal from caffeine are associated with up and down regulation of adenosine receptors. One study demonstrated marked differences in the effects of caffeine on the plasma concentrations of epinephrine and dimethylxanthines between caffeine users and nonusers. Caffeine is clearly a very active drug that has many effects on humans including increasing exercise endurance. This can be associated with muscle glycogen sparing and elevated plasma epinephrine, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown.