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Kohn TA, Knobel S, Donaldson B, van Boom KM, Blackhurst DM, Peart JM, Jensen J, Tordiffe ASW. Does sex matter in the cheetah? Insights into the skeletal muscle of the fastest land animal. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247284. [PMID: 39023116 PMCID: PMC11418166 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The cheetah is considered the fastest land animal, but studies on their skeletal muscle properties are scarce. Vastus lateralis biopsies, obtained from male and female cheetahs as well as humans, were analysed and compared for fibre type and size, and metabolism. Overall, cheetah muscle had predominantly type IIX fibres, which was confirmed by the myosin heavy chain isoform content (mean±s.d. type I: 17±8%, type IIA: 21±6%, type IIX: 62±12%), whereas human muscle contained predominantly type I and IIA fibres (type I: 49±14%, type IIA: 43±8%, type IIX: 7±7%). Cheetahs had smaller fibres than humans, with larger fibres in the males compared with their female counterparts. Citrate synthase (16±6 versus 28±7 µmol min-1 g-1 protein, P<0.05) and 3-hydroxyacyl co-enzyme A dehydrogenase (30±11 versus 47±15 µmol min-1 g-1 protein, P<0.05) activities were lower in cheetahs than in humans, whereas lactate dehydrogenase activity was 6 times higher in cheetahs (2159±827 versus 382±161 µmol min-1 g-1 protein, P<0.001). The activities of creatine kinase (4765±1828 versus 6485±1298, P<0.05 µmol min-1 g-1 protein) and phosphorylase (111±29 versus 216±92 µmol min-1 g-1 protein) were higher in humans, irrespective of the higher type IIX fibres in cheetahs. Superoxide dismutase and catalase, markers of antioxidant capacity, were higher in humans, but overall antioxidant capacity was higher in cheetahs. To conclude, fibre type, fibre size and metabolism differ between cheetahs and humans, with limited differences between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tertius A. Kohn
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, 7530, South Africa
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research and Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa
| | - Samantha Knobel
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
| | - Byron Donaldson
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
| | - Kathryn M. van Boom
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, 7530, South Africa
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research and Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa
| | - Dee M. Blackhurst
- Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
| | - James M. Peart
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
| | - Jørgen Jensen
- Department of Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, 0863 Oslo, Norway
| | - Adrian S. W. Tordiffe
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research and Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa
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Vidal Moreno de Vega C, de Meeûs d’Argenteuil C, Boshuizen B, De Mare L, Gansemans Y, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Deforce D, Goethals K, De Spiegelaere W, Leybaert L, Verdegaal ELJ, Delesalle C. Baselining physiological parameters in three muscles across three equine breeds. What can we learn from the horse? Front Physiol 2024; 15:1291151. [PMID: 38384798 PMCID: PMC10879303 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1291151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Mapping-out baseline physiological muscle parameters with their metabolic blueprint across multiple archetype equine breeds, will contribute to better understanding their functionality, even across species. Aims: 1) to map out and compare the baseline fiber type composition, fiber type and mean fiber cross-sectional area (fCSA, mfCSA) and metabolic blueprint of three muscles in 3 different breeds 2) to study possible associations between differences in histomorphological parameters and baseline metabolism. Methods: Muscle biopsies [m. pectoralis (PM), m. vastus lateralis (VL) and m. semitendinosus (ST)] were harvested of 7 untrained Friesians, 12 Standardbred and 4 Warmblood mares. Untargeted metabolomics was performed on the VL and PM of Friesian and Warmblood horses and the VL of Standardbreds using UHPLC/MS/MS and GC/MS. Breed effect on fiber type percentage and fCSA and mfCSA was tested with Kruskal-Wallis. Breeds were compared with Wilcoxon rank-sum test, with Bonferroni correction. Spearman correlation explored the association between the metabolic blueprint and morphometric parameters. Results: The ST was least and the VL most discriminative across breeds. In Standardbreds, a significantly higher proportion of type IIA fibers was represented in PM and VL. Friesians showed a significantly higher representation of type IIX fibers in the PM. No significant differences in fCSA were present across breeds. A significantly larger mfCSA was seen in the VL of Standardbreds. Lipid and nucleotide super pathways were significantly more upregulated in Friesians, with increased activity of short and medium-chain acylcarnitines together with increased abundance of long chain and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Standardbreds showed highly active xenobiotic pathways and high activity of long and very long chain acylcarnitines. Amino acid metabolism was similar across breeds, with branched and aromatic amino acid sub-pathways being highly active in Friesians. Carbohydrate, amino acid and nucleotide super pathways and carnitine metabolism showed higher activity in Warmbloods compared to Standardbreds. Conclusion: Results show important metabolic differences between equine breeds for lipid, amino acid, nucleotide and carbohydrate metabolism and in that order. Mapping the metabolic profile together with morphometric parameters provides trainers, owners and researchers with crucial information to develop future strategies with respect to customized training and dietary regimens to reach full potential in optimal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Vidal Moreno de Vega
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Research Group of Comparative Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Constance de Meeûs d’Argenteuil
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Research Group of Comparative Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Berit Boshuizen
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Research Group of Comparative Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Wolvega Equine Hospital, Oldeholtpade, Netherlands
| | - Lorie De Mare
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Research Group of Comparative Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Yannick Gansemans
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Filip Van Nieuwerburgh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dieter Deforce
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Klara Goethals
- Biometrics Research Center, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ward De Spiegelaere
- Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Luc Leybaert
- Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Elisabeth-Lidwien J.M.M. Verdegaal
- Thermoregulation Research Group, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia
| | - Cathérine Delesalle
- Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Research Group of Comparative Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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