Changes in mitochondrial function and mitochondria associated protein expression in response to 2-weeks of high intensity interval training

PURPOSE: High-intensity short-duration interval training (HIT) stimulates functional and metabolic adaptation in skeletal muscle, but the influence of HIT on mitochondrial function remains poorly studied in humans. Mitochondrial metabolism as well as mitochondrial-associated protein expression were tested in untrained participants performing HIT over a 2-week period. METHODS: Eight males performed a single-leg cycling protocol (12 × 1 min intervals at 120% peak power output, 90 s recovery, 4 days/week). Muscle biopsies (vastus lateralis) were taken pre- and post-HIT. Mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized fibers, citrate synthase (CS) activity and protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator (PGC-1α) and respiratory complex components were measured. RESULTS: HIT training improved peak power and time to fatigue. Increases in absolute oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacities and CS activity were observed, but not in the ratio of CCO to the electron transport system (CCO/ETS), the respiratory control ratios (RCR-1 and RCR-2) or mitochondrial-associated protein expression. Specific increases in OXPHOS flux were not apparent after normalization to CS, indicating that gross changes mainly resulted from increased mitochondrial mass. CONCLUSION: Over only 2 weeks HIT significantly increased mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle independently of detectable changes in mitochondrial-associated and mitogenic protein expression.

Exercise training increases lipid metabolism gene expression in human skeletal muscle

The effects of a single bout of exercise and exercise training on the expression of genes necessary for the transport and beta -oxidation of fatty acids (FA), together with the gene expression of transcription factors implicated in the regulation of FA homeostasis were investigated. Seven human subjects (3 male, 4 female, 28.9 ± 3.1 yr of age, range 20-42 yr, body mass index 22.6 kg/m², range 17-26 kg/m²) underwent a 9-day exercise training program of 60 min cycling per day at 63% peak oxygen uptake (V_{O2 peak}; 104 ± 14 W). On days 1 and 9 of the program, muscle biopsies were sampled from the vastus lateralis muscle at rest, at the completion of exercise, and again 3 h postexercise. Gene expression of key components of FA transport [FA translocase (FAT/CD36), plasma membrane-associated FA-binding protein], beta -oxidation [carntine palmitoyltransferase(CPT) I, beta -hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase] and transcriptional control [peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)alpha , PPARgamma , PPARgamma coactivator 1, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c] were unaltered by exercise when measured at the completion and at 3 h postexercise. Training increased total lipid oxidation by 24% (P < 0.05) for the 1-h cycling bout. This increased capacity for lipid oxidation was accompanied by an increased expression of FAT/CD36 and CPT I mRNA. Similarly, FAT/CD36 protein abundance was also upregulated by exercise training. We conclude that enhanced fat oxidation after exercise training is most closely associated with the genes involved in regulating FA uptake across the plasma membrane (FAT/CD36) and across the mitochondrial membrane (CPT I).

Nitric oxide protects against mitochondrial permeabilizastion induced by gluthathione depletion: role of S-nitrosylation?

Nitric oxide (NO) is known to mediate a multitude of biological effects including inhibition of respiration at cytochrome c oxidase (COX), formation of peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻) by reaction with mitochondrial superoxide (O2^{• −}), and S-nitrosylation of proteins. In this study, we investigated pathways of NO metabolism in lymphoblastic leukemic CEM cells in response to glutathione (GSH) depletion. We found that NO blocked mitochondrial protein thiol oxidation, membrane permeabilization, and cell death. The effects of NO were: (1) independent of respiratory chain inhibition since protection was also observed in CEM cells lacking mitochondrial DNA (ρ⁰) which do not possess a functional respiratory chain and (2) independent of ONOO⁻ formation since nitrotyrosine (a marker for ONOO⁻ formation) was not detected in extracts from cells treated with NO after GSH depletion. However, NO increased the level of mitochondrial protein S-nitrosylation (SNO) determined by the Biotin Switch assay and by the release of NO from mitochondrial fractions treated with mercuric chloride (which cleaves SNO bonds to release NO). In conclusion, these results indicate that NO blocks cell death after GSH depletion by preserving the redox status of mitochondrial protein thiols probably by a mechanism that involves S-nitrosylation of mitochondrial protein thiols.

Potential role of nitric oxide in contraction-stimulated glucose uptake and mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle

• 1. The present review discusses the potential role of nitric oxide (NO) in the: (i) regulation of skeletal muscle glucose uptake during exercise; and (ii) activation of mitochondrial biogenesis after exercise.
• 2. We have shown in humans that local infusion of an NO synthase inhibitor during exercise attenuates increases in skeletal muscle glucose uptake without affecting blood flow. Recent studies from our laboratory in rodents support these findings in humans, although rodent studies from other laboratories have yielded conflicting results.
• 3. There is clear evidence that NO increases mitochondrial biogenesis in non-contracting cells and that NO influences basal skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis. However, there have been few studies examining the potential role of NO in the activation of mitochondrial biogenesis following an acute bout of exercise or in response to exercise training. Early indications are that NO is not involved in regulating the increase in mitochondrial biogenesis that occurs in response to exercise.
• 4. Exercise is considered the best prevention and treatment option for diabetes, but unfortunately many people with diabetes do not or cannot exercise regularly. Alternative therapies are therefore critical to effectively manage diabetes. If skeletal muscle NO is found to play an important role in regulating glucose uptake and/or mitochondrial biogenesis, pharmaceutical agents designed to mimic these effects of exercise may improve glycaemic control.

Uteroplacental insufficiency and reducing litter size alters skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis in a sex-specific manner in the adult rat

Uteroplacental insufficiency has been shown to impair insulin action and glucose homeostasis in adult offspring and may act in part via altered mitochondrial biogenesis and lipid balance in skeletal muscle. Bilateral uterine vessel ligation to induce uteroplacental insufficiency in offspring (Restricted) or sham surgery was performed on day 18 of gestation in rats. To match the litter size of Restricted offspring, a separate cohort of sham litters had litter size reduced to five at birth (Reduced Litter), which also restricted postnatal growth. Remaining litters from sham mothers were unaltered (Control). Offspring were studied at 6 mo of age. In males, both Restricted and Reduced Litter offspring had reduced gastrocnemius PPAR γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1 α) mRNA and protein, and mitochondrial transcription factor A (mtTFA) and cytochrome oxidase (COX) III mRNA (P < 0.05), whereas only Restricted had reduced skeletal muscle COX IV mRNA and protein and glycogen (P < 0.05), despite unaltered glucose tolerance, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) and intramuscular triglycerides. In females, only gastrocnemius mtTFA mRNA was lower in Reduced Litter offspring (P < 0.05). Furthermore, glucose tolerance was not altered in any female offspring, although HOMA and intramuscular triglycerides increased in Restricted offspring (P < 0.05). It is concluded that restriction of growth due to uteroplacental insufficiency alters skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolic characteristics, such as glycogen and lipid levels, in a sex-specific manner in the adult rat in the absence of impaired glucose tolerance. Furthermore, an adverse postnatal environment induced by reducing litter size also restricts growth and alters skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolic characteristics in the adult rat.

Circuit resistance training in chronic heart failure improves skeletal muscle mitochondrial ATP production rate—A randomized controlled trial

Background : We aimed to determine the role of skeletal muscle mitochondrial ATP production rate (MAPR) in relation to exercise tolerance after resistance training (RT) in chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods and Results : Thirteen CHF patients (New York Heart Association functional class 2.3 ± 0.5; Left ventricular ejection fraction 26 ± 8%; age 70 ± 8 years) underwent testing for peak total body oxygen consumption (VO_2peak), and resting vastus lateralis muscle biopsy. Patients were then randomly allocated to 11 weeks of RT (n = 7), or continuance of usual care (C; n = 6), after which testing was repeated. Muscle samples were analyzed for MAPR, metabolic enzyme activity, and capillary density. VO_2peak and MAPR in the presence of the pyruvate and malate (P+M) substrate combination, representing carbohydrate metabolism, increased in RT (P < .05) and decreased in C (P < .05), with a significant difference between groups (VO_2peak, P = .005; MAPR, P = .03). There was a strong correlation between the change in MAPR and the change in peak total body oxygen consumption (VO_2peak) over the study (r = 0.875; P < .0001), the change in MAPR accounting for 70% of the change in VO_2peak.

Conclusions : These findings suggest that mitochondrial ATP production is a major determinant of aerobic capacity in CHF patients and can be favorably altered by muscle strengthening exercise.

Zinc and docosahexaenoic acid metabolism in brain cells

This thesis examines the direct interaction of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid) against zinc-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and involvement of bioenergetic regulation as a zinc toxicity target, which may be the initiator of oxidative stress, caspase cascade, alteration in epigenetic patterns and therefore gene expression in human neuronal cells.

High muscle mitochondrial volume and aerobic capacity in a small marsupial (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) reveals flexible links between energy-use levels in mammals

We investigated the muscle structure-function relationships that underlie the aerobic capacity of an insectivorous, small (~15?g) marsupial, Sminthopsis crassicaudata (Family: Dasyuridae), to obtain further insight into energy use patterns in marsupials relative to those in placentals, their sister clade within the Theria (advanced mammals). Disparate hopping marsupials (Suborder Macropodiformes), a kangaroo (Macropus rufus) and a rat-kangaroo (Bettongia penicillata), show aerobic capabilities as high as those of 'athletic' placentals. Equivalent muscle mitochondrial volumes and cardiovascular features support these capabilities. We examined S. crassicaudata to determine whether highly developed aerobic capabilities occur elsewhere in marsupials, rather than being restricted to the more recently evolved Macropodiformes. This was the case. Treadmill-trained S. crassicaudata attained a maximal aerobic metabolic rate (VO2,max or MMR) of 272ml O2min-1kg -1 (N=8), similar to that reported for a small (?20g), 'athletic' placental, Apodemus sylvaticus, 264ml O2min -1kg-1. Hopping marsupials have comparable aerobic levels when body mass variation is considered. Sminthopsis crassicaudata has a basal metabolic rate (BMR) about 75% of placental values but it has a notably large factorial aerobic scope (fAS) of 13, elevated fAS also features in hopping marsupials. The VO2,max of S. crassicaudata was supported by an elevated total muscle mitochondrial volume, which was largely achieved through high muscle mitochondrial volume densities, Vv(mt,f), the mean value being 14.0±1.33%. These data were considered in relation to energy use levels in mammals, particularly field metabolic rate (FMR). BMR is consistently lower in marsupials, but this is balanced by a high fAS, such that marsupial MMR matches that of placentals. However, FMR shows different mass relationships in the two clades, with the FMR of small (<, 125 g) marsupials, such as S. crassicaudata, being higher than that in comparably sized placentals, with the reverse applying for larger marsupials. The flexibility of energy output in marsupials provides explanations for this pattern. Overall, our data refute widely held notions of mechanistically closely linked relationships between body mass, BMR, FMR and MMR in mammals generally.

Skeletal muscle nitric oxide signalling and exercise: a focus on glucose metabolism

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important vasodilator and regulator in the cardiovascular system, and this link was the subject of a Nobel prize in 1998. However, NO also plays many other regulatory roles, including thrombosis, immune function, neural activity, and gastrointestinal function. Low concentrations of NO are thought to have important signaling effects. In contrast, high concentrations of NO can interact with reactive oxygen species, causing damage to cells and cellular components.

A less-recognized site of NO production is within skeletal muscle, where small increases are thought to have beneficial effects such as regulating glucose uptake and possibly blood flow, but higher levels of production are thought to lead to deleterious effects such as an association with insulin resistance.

This review will discuss the role of NO in skeletal muscle during and following exercise, including in mitochondrial biogenesis, muscle efficiency, and blood flow with a particular focus on its potential role in regulating skeletal muscle glucose uptake during exercise.

Endurance training in obese humans improves glucose tolerance and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and alters muscle lipid content

Muscle fatty acid (FA) metabolism is impaired in obesity and insulin resistance, reflected by reduced rates of FA oxidation and accumulation of lipids. It has been suggested that interventions that increase FA oxidation may enhance insulin action by reducing these lipid pools. Here, we examined the effect of endurance training on rates of mitochondrial FA oxidation, the activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I), and the lipid content in muscle of obese individuals and related these to measures of glucose tolerance. Nine obese subjects completed 8 wk of moderate-intensity endurance training, and muscle biopsies were obtained before and after training. Training significantly improved glucose tolerance, with a reduction in the area under the curve for glucose (P< 0.05) and insulin (P = 0.01) during an oral glucose tolerance test. CPT I activity increased 250% (P = 0.001) with training and became less sensitive to inhibition by malonyl-CoA. This was associated with an increase in mitochondrial FA oxidation (+120%, P < 0.001). Training had no effect on muscle triacylglycerol content; however, there was a trend for training to reduce both the total diacylglcyerol (DAG) content (−15%, P = 0.06) and the saturated DAG-FA species (−27%, P = 0.06). Training reduced both total ceramide content (−42%, P = 0.01) and the saturated ceramide species (−32%, P < 0.05). These findings suggest that the improved capacity for mitochondrial FA uptake and oxidation leads not only to a reduction in muscle lipid content but also a to change in the saturation status of lipids, which may, at least in part, provide a mechanism for the enhanced insulin action observed with endurance training in obese individuals.

Abnormal mitochondrial L-arginine transport contributes to the pathogenesis of heart failure and rexoygenation injury

Impaired mitochondrial function is fundamental feature of heart failure (HF) and myocardial ischemia. In addition to the effects of heightened oxidative stress, altered nitric oxide (NO) metabolism, generated by a mitochondrial NO synthase, has also been proposed to impact upon mitochondrial function. However, the mechanism responsible for arginine transport into mitochondria and the effect of HF on such a process is unknown. We therefore aimed to characterize mitochondrial L-arginine transport and to investigate the hypothesis that impaired mitochondrial L-arginine transport plays a key role in the pathogenesis of heart failure and myocardial injury.

The CDP-Ethanolamine Pathway Regulates Skeletal Muscle Diacylglycerol Content and Mitochondrial Biogenesis without Altering Insulin Sensitivity.

Accumulation of diacylglycerol (DG) in muscle is thought to cause insulin resistance. DG is a precursor for phospholipids, thus phospholipid synthesis could be involved in regulating muscle DG. Little is known about the interaction between phospholipid and DG in muscle; therefore, we examined whether disrupting muscle phospholipid synthesis, specifically phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn), would influence muscle DG content and insulin sensitivity. Muscle PtdEtn synthesis was disrupted by deleting CTP:phosphoethanolamine cytidylyltransferase (ECT), the rate-limiting enzyme in the CDP-ethanolamine pathway, a major route for PtdEtn production. While PtdEtn was reduced in muscle-specific ECT knockout mice, intramyocellular and membrane-associated DG was markedly increased. Importantly, however, this was not associated with insulin resistance. Unexpectedly, mitochondrial biogenesis and muscle oxidative capacity were increased in muscle-specific ECT knockout mice and were accompanied by enhanced exercise performance. These findings highlight the importance of the CDP-ethanolamine pathway in regulating muscle DG content and challenge the DG-induced insulin resistance hypothesis.