Short-term high-fat diet induces muscle fiber type-selective anabolic resistance to resistance exercise

Time-series transcriptomics reveals distinctive mRNA expression dynamics associated with gene ontology specificity and protein expression in skeletal muscle after electrical stimulation-induced resistance exercise

Resistance exercise upregulates and downregulates the expression of a wide range of genes in skeletal muscle. However, detailed analysis of mRNA dynamics such as response rates and temporal patterns of the transcriptome after resistance exercise has not been performed. We aimed to clarify the dynamics of time-series transcriptomics after resistance exercise. We used electrical stimulation-induced muscle contraction as a resistance exercise model (5 sets × 10 times of 3 s of 100-Hz electrical stimulation) on the tibialis anterior muscle of rats and measured the transcriptome in the muscle before and at 0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 h after muscle contractions by RNA sequencing. We also examined the relationship between the parameters of mRNA dynamics and the increase in protein expression at 12 h after muscle contractions. We found that the function of the upregulated genes differed after muscle contractions depending on their response rate. Genes related to muscle differentiation and response to mechanical stimulus were enriched in the sustainedly upregulated genes. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the magnitude of upregulated mRNA expression and the corresponding protein expression level at 12 h after muscle contractions. Although it has been theoretically suggested, this study experimentally demonstrated that the magnitude of the mRNA response after electrical stimulation-induced resistance exercise contributes to skeletal muscle adaptation via increases in protein expression. These findings suggest that mRNA expression dynamics such as response rate, a sustained upregulated expression pattern, and the magnitude of the response contribute to mechanisms underlying adaptation to resistance exercise.

Potential regulatory role of PGC-1α within the skeletal muscle during metabolic adaptations in response to high-fat diet feeding in animal models

High-fat diet (HFD) feeding in rodents has become an essential tool to critically analyze and study the pathological effects of obesity, including mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) regulates cellular energy metabolism to influence insulin sensitivity, beyond its active role in stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis to facilitate skeletal muscle adaptations in response to HFD feeding. Here, some of the major electronic databases like PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were accessed to update and critically discuss information on the potential role of PGC-1α during metabolic adaptations within the skeletal muscle in response to HFD feeding in rodents. In fact, available evidence suggests that partial exposure to HFD feeding (potentially during the early stages of disease development) is associated with impaired metabolic adaptations within the skeletal muscle, including mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced insulin sensitivity. In terms of implicated molecular mechanisms, these negative effects are partially associated with reduced activity of PGC-1α, together with the phosphorylation of protein kinase B and altered expression of genes involving nuclear respiratory factor 1 and mitochondrial transcription factor A within the skeletal muscle. Notably, metabolic abnormalities observed with chronic exposure to HFD (likely during the late stages of disease development) may potentially occur independently of PGC-1α regulation within the muscle of rodents. Summarized evidence suggests the causal relationship between PGC-1α regulation and effective modulations of mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolic flexibility during the different stages of disease development. It further indicates that prominent interventions like caloric restriction and physical exercise may affect PGC-1α regulation during effective modulation of metabolic processes.

A single session of EMS training induces long-lasting changes in circulating muscle but not cardiovascular miRNA levels: a randomized crossover study

Electromyostimulation (EMS) is used to maintain or build skeletal muscle and to increase cardiopulmonary fitness. Only limited data on the molecular mechanisms induced by EMS are available and effects on circulating microRNAs (c-miRNAs) have not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate whether EMS induces long-term changes in muscle- and cardiovascular-specific c-miRNA levels. Twelve healthy participants (33.0 ± 12.0 yr, 7 women) performed a 20-min whole body EMS training and a time- and intensity-matched whole body circuit training (CT) in random order. Blood samples were drawn pre-/posttraining and at 1.5, 3, 24, 48, and 72 h to determine creatine kinase (CK) and miRNA-21-5p, -126-3p, -133a-3p, -146a-5p, -206-3p, -222-3p, and -499a-5p levels. Muscular exertion was determined using an isometric strength test, and muscle soreness/pain was assessed by questionnaire. EMS participants reported higher muscle soreness 48 and 72 h postexercise and mean CK levels after EMS increased compared with CT at 48 and 72 h (time × group P ≤ 0.01). The EMS session induced a significant elevation of myomiR-206 and -133a levels starting at 1.5 and 3 h after exercise. Both miRNAs remained elevated for 72 h with significant differences between 24 and 72 h (time × group P ≤ 0.0254). EMS did not induce changes in cardiovascular miRNAs and no elevation in any miRNA was detected following CT. Time-course analysis of muscle damage marker CK and c-miR-133a and -206 levels did not suggest a common scheme (P ≥ 0.277). We conclude that a single EMS session induces specific long-lasting changes of miR-206 and miR-133 involved in muscle proliferation and differentiation. A single EMS session does not affect primary cardiovascular miRNA-21-5p, -126-3p, -146a-5p, and -222-3p levels.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our study describes the long-term effects of electromyostimulation (EMS) on circulating miRNA levels. The observed increase of functional myomiR-206 and -133a levels over 72 h suggests long-lasting effects on muscle proliferation and differentiation, whereas cardiovascular miRNAs appear unaffected. Our findings suggest that circulating miRNAs provide useful insight into muscle regeneration processes after EMS and may thus be used to optimize EMS training effects.

Acute effect of electrical stimulation on muscle protein synthesis and break-down in the soleus muscle of hindlimb unloaded rats

Electrical stimulation (ES) is effective for disuse-induced muscle atrophy. However, the acute effect of ES on muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB) remains unclear. We investigated the effect of a single-session ES treatment on mTORC1 signaling, MPS, and MPB in the soleus muscle of 2-week hindlimb unloaded rats. Sprague Dawley rats (n = 12 male) were randomly divided into control (CON) and hindlimb unloaded (HU) groups. After 2 weeks, the right soleus muscle was percutaneously stimulated and underwent supramaximal isometric contractions. The left soleus muscle served as an internal control. We collected soleus muscle samples 6 h after ES. Two weeks of HU decreased p70S6K and S6rp activation, downstream factors for mTORC1 signaling, and SUnSET method-assessed MPS, but increased the LC3-II/I ratio, an indicator of autophagy. ES on disused muscle successfully activated mTORC1 signaling but did not affect MPS. Contrary, ES decreased ubiquitinated proteins expression and LC3B-II/I ratio. HU might affect mTORC1 activation and MPS differently in response to acute ES possibly due to excessive ROS production caused by ES. Our findings suggest that ES applied to disused skeletal muscles may suppress MPB, but its effect on MPS appears to be attenuated.

Endogenous slow and fast myosin dynamics in myofibers isolated from mice expressing GFP-Myh7 and Kusabira Orange-Myh1

Skeletal muscle consists of slow and fast myofibers in which different myosin isoforms are expressed. Approximately 300 myosins form a single thick filament in the myofibrils, where myosin is continuously exchanged. However, endogenous slow and fast myosin dynamics have not been fully understood. To elucidate those dynamics, here we generated mice expressing green fluorescence protein-tagged slow myosin heavy chain (GFP-Myh7) and Kusabira Orange fluorescence protein-tagged fast myosin heavy chain (KuO-Myh1). First, these mice enabled us to distinguish between GFP- and KuO-myofibers under fluorescence microscopy: GFP-Myh7 and KuO-Myh1 were exclusively expressed in slow myofibers and fast myofibers, respectively. Next, to monitor endogenous myosin dynamics, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) was conducted. The mobile fraction (Mf) of GFP-Myh7 and that of KuO-Myh1 were almost constant values independent of the regions of the myofibers and the muscle portions where the myofibers were isolated. Intriguingly, proteasome inhibitor treatment significantly decreased the Mf in GFP-Myh7 but not in KuO-Myh1 myofibers, indicating that the response to a disturbance in protein turnover depended on muscle fiber type. Taken together, the present results indicated that the mice we generated are promising tools not only for distinguishing between GFP- and KuO-myofibers but also for studying the dynamics of endogenous myosin isoforms by live-cell fluorescence imaging.

(Dys)regulation of Protein Metabolism in Skeletal Muscle of Humans With Obesity

Studies investigating the proteome of skeletal muscle present clear evidence that protein metabolism is altered in muscle of humans with obesity. Moreover, muscle quality (i.e., strength per unit of muscle mass) appears lower in humans with obesity. However, relevant evidence to date describing the protein turnover, a process that determines content and quality of protein, in muscle of humans with obesity is quite inconsistent. This is due, at least in part, to heterogeneity in protein turnover in skeletal muscle of humans with obesity. Although not always evident at the mixed-muscle protein level, the rate of synthesis is generally lower in myofibrillar and mitochondrial proteins in muscle of humans with obesity. Moreover, alterations in the synthesis of protein in muscle of humans with obesity are manifested more readily under conditions that stimulate protein synthesis in muscle, including the fed state, increased plasma amino acid availability to muscle, and exercise. Current evidence supports various biological mechanisms explaining impairments in protein synthesis in muscle of humans with obesity, but this evidence is rather limited and needs to be reproduced under more defined experimental conditions. Expanding our current knowledge with direct measurements of protein breakdown in muscle, and more importantly of protein turnover on a protein by protein basis, will enhance our understanding of how obesity modifies the proteome (content and quality) in muscle of humans with obesity.