Heart failure alters matrix metalloproteinase gene expression and activity in rat skeletal muscle

Heart failure is associated with a skeletal muscle myopathy with cellular and extracellular alterations. The hypothesis of this investigation is that extracellular changes may be associated with enhanced mRNA expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). We examined MMP mRNA expression and MMP activity in Soleus (SOL), extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and diaphragm (DIA) muscles of young Wistar rat with monocrotaline-induced heart failure. Rats injected with saline served as age-matched controls. MMP2 and MMP9 mRNA contents were determined by RT-PCR and MMP activity by electrophoresis in gelatin-containing polyacrylamide gels in the presence of SDS under non-reducing conditions. Heart failure increased MMP9 mRNA expression and activity in SOL, EDL and DIA and MMP2 mRNA expression in DIA. These results suggest that MMP changes may contribute to the skeletal muscle myopathy during heart failure.

Chicken skeletal muscle-associated macroarray for gene discovery

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Growth characteristics of skeletal muscle tissue in Oreochromis niloticus larvae fed on a lysine supplemented diet

The effect of lysine amino acid supplementation on the growth characteristics and morphological pattern of skeletal muscle tissue in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus larvae was evaluated. There were four treatments (T) with increasing levels of lysine supplement (T1 = 0.0%: T2 =1.1%; T3 = 1.7%; T4 = 4.0%) and one treatment with a commercial diet (T5). In all treatments, morphological and histochemical muscle tissue analyses were similar. Two distinct layers were identified: a superficial red layer, more developed in the lateral line region, formed by fibres with intense to moderate NADH-TR reaction and strong acid-stable mATPase activity, and a deep white one, most of the Muscle mass, formed by fibres with weak NADH-TR reaction and strong alkali-stable mATPase activity. There was an intermediate layer between these two layers with fibres exhibiting either weak acid-stable or acid-labile mATPase activity. Body mass increase was significantly higher in T5 than in the lysine treatments (T1-T4). There was no difference in number and diameters of muscle fibres between lysine treatments. In T5, muscle fibre diameter and number were higher. The frequency of red fibres with diameters <= 8 mu m was higher in the lysine treatments, and with diameters between 16 and 24 mu m, was higher in T5. Most white fibre diameters in T5 were significantly larger than 24 mu m and in T1-T4 were between 8 and 16 mu m. Cell proliferation was higher in the lysine treatments and muscle growth in T5 was mainly by fibre hypertrophy. (c) 2005 the Fisheries Society of the British

High-Intensity Resistance Training with Insufficient Recovery Time Between Bouts Induce Atrophy and Alterations in Myosin Heavy Chain Content in Rat Skeletal Muscle

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Chronic heart failure-induced skeletal muscle atrophy, necrosis, and changes in myogenic regulatiory factors

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Differential MMP-2 and MMP-9 Activity and Collagen Distribution in Skeletal Muscle from pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) During Juvenile and Adult Growth Phases

Here, we evaluated collagen distribution and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in skeletal muscle of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) during juvenile and adult growth phases. Muscle samples from juvenile and adult fishes were processed by histochemistry for collagen system fibers and for gelatin-zymography for MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities analysis. Picrosirius staining revealed a myosept, endomysium, and perimysium-like structures in both growth phases and muscle types, with increased areas of collagen fibers in adults, mainly in red muscle. Reticulin staining showed that reticular fibers in the endomysium-like structure were thinner and discontinuous in the red muscle fibers. The zymography revealed clear bands of the pro-MMP-9, active-MMP-9, intermediate-MMP-2, and active-MMP-2 forms in red and white muscle in both growth phases. MMP-2 activity was more intense in juvenile than adult muscle fibers. Comparing the red and white muscle types, MMP-2 activity was significantly higher in red muscle in adult phase only. The activity of MMP-9 forms was similar in juvenile red and white muscles and in the adult red muscle, without any activity in adult white muscle. In conclusion, our results show that, in pacu, the higher activities of MMP-2 and -9 are associated with the rapid muscle growth in juvenile age and in adult fish, these activities are related with a different red and white muscle physiology. This study may contribute to the understanding muscle growth mechanisms and may also contribute to analyse red and the white muscle parameters of firmness and softness, respectively, of the commercial product. Anat Rec, 292:387-395, 2009. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Differential expression of myogenic regulatory factor MyoD in pacu skeletal muscle (Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg 1887: Serrasalminae, Characidae, Teleostei) during juvenile and adult growth phases

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

EFFECTS of CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION DURING RESISTANCE TRAINING on MYOSIN HEAVY CHAIN (MHC) EXPRESSION IN RAT SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Quantitative expression of myogenic regulatory factors MyoD and myogenin in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) skeletal muscle during growth

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Growth hormone attenuates skeletal muscle changes in experimental chronic heart failure

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of growth hormone (GH) on morphology and myogenic regulatory factors (MRF) gene expression in skeletal muscle of rats with ascending aortic stenosis (AAS) induced chronic heart failure.Design: Male 90-100 g Wistar rats were subjected to thoracotomy. AAS was created by placing a stainless-steel clip on the ascending aorta. Twenty five weeks after surgery, rats were treated with daily subcutaneous injections of recombinant human GH (2 mg/kg/day; AAS-GH group) or saline (AAS group) for 14 days. Sham-operated animals served as controls. Left ventricular (LV) function was assessed before and after treatment. IGF-1 serum levels were measured by ELISA. After anesthesia, soleus muscle was frozen in liquid nitrogen. Histological sections were stained with HE and picrosirius red to calculate muscle fiber cross-sectional area and collagen fractional area, respectively. MRF myogenin and MyoD expression was analyzed by reverse transcription PCR.Results: Body weight was similar between groups. AAS and AAS-GH groups presented dilated left atrium, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LV mass index: Control 1.90 +/- 0.15; AAS 3.11 +/- 0.44; AAS-GH 2.94 +/- 0.47 g/kg; p < 0.05 AAS and AAS-GH vs. Control), and reduced LV posterior wall shortening velocity. Soleus muscle fiber area was significantly lower in AAS than in Control and AAS-GH groups; there was no difference between AAS-GH and Control groups. Collagen fractional area was significantly higher in MS than Control; AAS-GH did not differ from both Control and AAS groups. Serum IGF-1 levels decreased in AAS compared to Control. MyoD mRNA was significantly higher in AAS-GH than AAS; there was no difference between AAS-GH and Control groups. Myogenin mRNA levels were similar between groups.Conclusion: In rats with aortic stenosis-induced heart failure, growth hormone administration increases MyoD gene expression above non-treated animal levels, preserves muscular trophism and attenuates interstitial fibrosis. These results suggest that growth hormone may have a potential role as an adjuvant therapy for chronic heart failure. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ischaemia and reperfusion effects on skeletal muscle tissue: morphological and histochemical studies

This was a study on the oxidative stress due to ischaemia (I) and reperfusion (R) in skeletal muscle tissue. Using a tourniquet, groups of rats were submitted to ischaemia for 4 h, followed by different reperfusion periods. The animals were divided in four groups: control; 4 h of ischaemia (IR); 4 h of ischaemia plus 1 h reperfusion (IR-1 h); 4 h of ischaemia plus 24 h reperfusion (IR-24 h); and 4 h of ischaemia plus 72 h reperfusion (IR-72 h). At the end of the procedures, samples of soleus muscle were collected and frozen in n-hexane at -70 degrees C. Cryostat sections were submitted to haematoxylin-eosin, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-tetrazolium reductase (NADH-TR) stains. An additional muscle sample was processed for electron microscopy. No alterations were found in control animals. IR group showed fibres had normal aspect besides some round, acidophilic and hypertrophic fibres. There were several fibres with angular outlines and smaller diameters in this group compared with control group. NADH-TR/SDH reaction was moderately intense in most fibres. In some fibres, cytoplasm showed areas without activity and other fibres had very intense reactivity. IR-1 h group showed oedema hypercontracted fibres with disorganized myofibrils, mitochondria with focal lesions and dilated sarcoplasmic reticulum. NADH-TR/SDH reaction was moderate to weak. IR-24 h showed intense inflammatory infiltrate in the endomysium and perimysium. NADH-TR/SDH reaction was similar to IR-1 h. IR-72 h showed necrotic fibres, areas with inflammatory infiltrate, reduced muscle fibres at different stages of necrosis and phagocytosis, and many small round and basophilic fibres characterizing a regeneration process. NADH-TR/SDH reaction was weak to negative. Our results suggest that ischaemia and the subsequent 1-, 24- and 72-h reperfusions induced progressive histological damage. Although progressive, it may be reversible because there were ultrastructural signs of recovery after 72-h reperfusion. This recovery could in part be due to the low oxidative stress identified by the morphological and histochemical analysis.

Maternal protein restriction induce skeletal muscle changes without altering the MRFs MyoD and myogenin expression in offspring

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)