Heat stress increases myonuclear number and fiber size via satellite cell activation in rat regenerating soleus fibers

Transcriptional modulation of heat shock proteins and adipogenic regulators in bovine adipocytes following heat exposure

This research endeavored to elucidate the transcriptional modulation of heat shock proteins and adipogenic regulators in bovine subcutaneous adipocytes following thermal exposure. Post-differentiation, mature adipocytes were subjected to three treatments of control (CON), moderate (MHS), and extreme (EHS) heat stress. These treatments consist of thermal conditions at temperatures of 38 °C (CON), 39.5 °C (MHS), or 41 °C (EHS) along with of 3 or 12 h. There was no statistically significant variations observed in the gene expressions of HSP27 and HSP70 when comparing CON with MHS across both exposures. Contrastingly, when comparing CON with EHS, an upregulation (P < 0.01) in HSP27 gene expression was evident for both 3 and 12 h of incubation, while HSP70 gene expression exhibited elevation (P < 0.01) at the 3-h mark, with no change observed at 12 h. Protein quantification, however, revealed an elevation (P < 0.01) in HSP27 and HSP70 for both CON vs. MHS and CON vs. EHS at the 12-h exposure. This trend in protein level mirrored (P < 0.05) that of proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ). Elevated (P < 0.05) protein levels of fatty acid synthase (FAS) were exclusively discernible in the CON vs. MHS. Increased (P < 0.01) transcriptional activity of PPARγ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), and FAS was evident in the CON vs. EHS comparison. Complementary to these molecular findings, an augmented lipid droplet accumulation was observed (P < 0.01) in EHS-exposed adipocytes progressively from day 6 through day 9. Our current study highlights how different levels and lengths of heat stress can impact the activity of important heat-related proteins and factors that play a role in fat development in beef cattle. These findings can help guide strategies to manage how beef cattle are exposed to heat, which can affect fat storage and ultimately the quality of the meat's marbling.

Effects of heat stress exposure on porcine muscle satellite cells

Heat stress (HS) affects cell culture as well as animal production. Although there have been many reports on the disparate effects of heat stress, its effects on mammalian muscle stem cells are still unclear. In this study, we isolated porcine muscle satellite cells (PMSCs) from the femurs of 1-day-old piglets, and cultured them under three temperature conditions: 37 °C, 39 °C, and 41 °C. Exposure to HS not only decreased the viability and proliferation rates of PMSCs, but also regulated the cell cycle and induced apoptosis. High-temperature culture conditions decreased both protein and gene expression of Pax7, a proliferation and maintenance marker of muscle satellite cells, whereas it increased both protein and gene expression of MyoG, a differentiation marker, and promoted myotube formation in the early stage of differentiation induction. In addition, the protein and gene expression of several heat shock proteins (HSPs) in PMSCs increased due to heat treatment. In conclusion, HS induced the cell cycle arrest of PMSCs, thereby reducing the proliferation rate. In addition, high-temperature culture conditions promoted the formation of myotubes at the early stage of differentiation of PMSCs without additives.

Temperature Fluctuations Modulate Molecular Mechanisms in Skeletal Muscle and Influence Growth Potential in Beef Steers

Our investigation elucidated the effects of severe temperature fluctuations on cellular and physiological responses in beef cattle. Eighteen Red Angus beef steers with an average body weight of 351 ± 24.5 kg were divided into three treatment groups: 1) Control (CON), exposed to a temperature-humidity index (THI) of 42 for 6 h without any temperature changes; 2) Transport (TP), subjected to a one-mile trailer trip with a THI of 42 for 6 h; and 3) Temperature swing (TS), exposed to a one-mile trailer trip with a THI shift from 42 to 72-75 for 3 h. Our findings indicate that TS can induce thermal stress in cattle, regardless of whether the overall temperature level is excessively high or not. Behavioral indications of extreme heat stress in the cattle were observed, including extended tongue protrusion, reduced appetite, excessive salivation, and increased respiratory rate. Furthermore, we observed a pronounced overexpression (P < 0.05) of heat shock proteins (HSPs) 20, 27, and 90 in response to the TS treatment in the longissimus muscle (LM). Alterations in signaling pathways associated with skeletal muscle growth were noted, including the upregulation (P < 0.01) of Pax7, Myf5, and myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms. In addition, an increase (P < 0.05) in transcription factors associated with adipogenesis was detected (P < 0.05), such as PPARγ, C/EBPα, FAS, and SCD in the TS group, suggesting the potential for adipose tissue accumulation due to temperature fluctuations. Our data illustrated the potential impacts of these temperature fluctuations on the growth of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in beef cattle.

Heat shock protein 27 regulates myogenic and self-renewal potential of bovine satellite cells under heat stress

While satellite cells play a key role in the hypertrophy, repair, and regeneration of skeletal muscles, their response to heat exposure remains poorly understood, particularly in beef cattle. This study aimed to investigate the changes in the transcriptome, proteome, and proliferation capability of bovine satellite cells in response to different levels of heat stress (HS) and exposure times. Satellite cells were isolated from 3-mo-old Holstein bulls (body weight: 77.10 ± 2.02 kg) and subjected to incubation under various temperature conditions: 1) control (38 °C; CON), 2) moderate (39.5 °C; MHS), and extreme (41 °C; EHS) for different durations ranging from 0 to 48 h. Following 3 h of exposure to extreme heat (EHS), satellite cells exhibited significantly increased gene expression and protein abundance of heat shock proteins (HSPs; HSP70, HSP90, HSP20) and paired box gene 7 (Pax7; P < 0.05). HSP27 expression peaked at 3 h of EHS and remained elevated until 24 h of exposure (P < 0.05). In contrast, the expression of myogenic factor 5 (Myf5) and paired box gene 3 (Pax3) was decreased by EHS compared to the control at 3 h of exposure (P < 0.05). Notably, the introduction of HSP27 small interference RNA (siRNA) transfection restored Myf5 expression to control levels, suggesting an association between HSP27 and Myf5 in regulating the self-renewal properties of satellite cells upon heat exposure. Immunoprecipitation experiments further confirmed the direct binding of HSP27 to Myf5, supporting its role as a molecular chaperone for Myf5. Protein-protein docking algorithms predicted a high probability of HSP27-Myf5 interaction as well. These findings indicate that extreme heat exposure intrinsically promotes the accumulation of HSPs and modulates the early myogenic regulatory factors in satellite cells. Moreover, HSP27 acts as a molecular chaperone by binding to Myf5, thereby regulating the division or differentiation of satellite cells in response to HS. The results of this study provide a better understanding of muscle physiology in heat-stressed cells, while unraveling the intricate molecular mechanisms that underlie the HS response in satellite cells.

The Effect of Single Bout Treatment of Heat or Cold Intervention on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Induced by Eccentric Contraction

We studied the preventive effects of heat or cold therapy after repeated eccentric contraction against torque reduction, muscle soreness, and range of motion (ROM) due to delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). A total of 42 healthy male subjects were randomly allocated into three groups: the HEAT group received heat therapy using an ultra-short-wave device; the ICE group received ice therapy using an ice pack; the Control group received no intervention. The measurements included maximal voluntary isometric, concentric, and eccentric elbow flexion torque, elbow extension ROM, pressure pain threshold, and muscle soreness with stretching muscle thickness and echo intensity. The measurements were taken before (pre), after (post), after (t-post), one-four days after, and seven days after the muscle damage protocol. The results showed the main effect of time on all measurements, but no significant interactions were observed. The results of this study suggest that heat or cold therapy in the first 30 min after intense eccentric exercise is insufficient to exert a preventive effect against DOMS.

Insect peptide CopA3 promotes proliferation and PAX7 and MYOD expression in porcine muscle satellite cells

Insects are a valuable natural source that can produce a variety of bioactive compounds due to their increasing species diversity. CopA3 is an antimicrobial peptide derived from Copris tripartitus (i.e., the dung beetle). It is known to increase the proliferation of colonic epithelial and neuronal stem cells by regulating cell cycle. This research hypothesized that CopA3 can promote the proliferation of porcine muscle satellite cells (MSCs). The effects of CopA3 on porcine MSCs, which are important for muscle growth and regeneration, remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of CopA3 on porcine MSCs. According to viability results, we designed four groups: control (without CopA3) and three treatment groups (treated with 5,10, and 25 μg/mL of CopA3). At a CopA3 concentration of 5 μg/mL and 10 μg/mL, the proliferation of MSCs increased more than that observed in the control group. Furthermore, compared to that in the control, CopA3 treatment increased the S phase but decreased the G0/G1 phase ratio. Additionally, early and late apoptotic cells were found to be decreased in the 5 μg/mL group. The expressions of the myogenesis-related transcription factor PAX7 and MYOD proteins were significantly upregulated in the 5 μg/mL and 10 μg/mL groups, whereas the MYOG protein remained undetected in all group. This study suggested that CopA3 promotes muscle cell proliferation by regulating the cell cycle of MSCs and can regulate the activity of MSCs by increasing the expressions of PAX7 and MYOD.

Role of macrophages during skeletal muscle regeneration and hypertrophy-Implications for immunomodulatory strategies

Skeletal muscle is a plastic tissue that regenerates ad integrum after injury and adapts to raise mechanical loading/contractile activity by increasing its mass and/or myofiber size, a phenomenon commonly refers to as skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Both muscle regeneration and hypertrophy rely on the interactions between muscle stem cells and their neighborhood, which include inflammatory cells, and particularly macrophages. This review first summarizes the role of macrophages in muscle regeneration in various animal models of injury and in response to exercise-induced muscle damage in humans. Then, the potential contribution of macrophages to skeletal muscle hypertrophy is discussed on the basis of both animal and human experiments. We also present a brief comparative analysis of the role of macrophages during muscle regeneration versus hypertrophy. Finally, we summarize the current knowledge on the impact of different immunomodulatory strategies, such as heat therapy, cooling, massage, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and resolvins, on skeletal muscle regeneration and their potential impact on muscle hypertrophy.

Effects of Physical Agents on Muscle Healing with a Focus on Animal Model Research

Skeletal muscle injury is caused by a variety of events, such as muscle laceration, contusions, or strain. Muscle fibers respond to minor damage with immediate repair mechanisms that reseal the cell membrane. On the other hand, repair of irreversibly damaged fibers is achieved by activation of muscle precursor cells. Muscle repair is not always perfect, especially after severe damage, and can lead to excessive fibroblast proliferation that results in the formation of scar tissue within muscle fibers. Remaining scar tissue can impair joint movement, reduce muscular strength, and inhibit exercise ability; therefore, to restore muscle function, minimizing the extent of injury and promoting muscle regeneration are necessary. Various physical agents, such as cold, thermal, electrical stimulation, and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy, have been reported as treatments for muscle healing. Although approaches based on the muscle regeneration process have been under development, the most efficacious physiological treatment for muscle injury remains unclear. In this review, the influence of these physical agents on muscle injury is described with a focus on research using animal models.

Considerations, possible contraindications, and potential mechanisms for deleterious effect in recreational and athletic use of selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) in lieu of anabolic androgenic steroids: A narrative review

Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are testosterone and testosterone-derivative compounds sporadically employed by athletes and increasingly used recreationally to acquire a competitive edge or improve body composition. Nevertheless, users are subject to undesired side effects majorly associated with tissue-specific androgen receptor (AR) binding-mediated actions. More recently, selective AR modulators (SARMs) have gained popularity towards delivering androgen-associated anabolic actions with hopes of minimal androgenic effects. While several SARMs are in preclinical and clinical phases intended for demographics subject to hypogonadism, muscle wasting, and osteoporosis, several athletic organizations and drug testing affiliates have realized the increasingly widespread use of SARMs amongst competitors and have subsequently banned their use. Furthermore, recreational users are haphazardly acquiring these compounds from the internet and consuming doses several times greater than empirically reported. Unfortunately, online sources are rife with potential contamination, despite a prevailing public opinion suggesting SARMs are innocuous AAS alternatives. Considering each agent has a broad range of supporting evidence in both human and non-human models, it is important to comprehensively evaluate the current literature on commercially available SARMs to gain better understanding of their efficacy and if they can truly be considered a safer AAS alternative. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to discuss the current evidence regarding AAS and SARM mechanisms of action, demonstrate the efficacy of several prominent SARMs in a variety of scientific trials, and theorize on the wide-ranging contraindications and potential deleterious effects, as well as potential future directions regarding acute and chronic SARM use across a broad range of demographics.

Heat therapy improves body composition and muscle function but does not affect capillary or collateral growth in a model of obesity and hindlimb ischemia

Heat therapy (HT) has emerged as a potential adjunctive therapy to alleviate the symptoms of peripheral artery disease (PAD), but the mechanisms underlying the positive effects of this treatment modality remain undefined. Using a model of diet-induced obesity (DIO) and ischemia-induced muscle damage, we tested the hypothesis that HT would alter body composition, promote vascular growth and mitochondrial biogenesis, and improve skeletal muscle function. Male DIO C57Bl/6J mice underwent bilateral ligation of the femoral artery and were randomly allocated to receive HT or a control intervention for 30 min daily over 3 wk. When compared with a group of lean, sham-operated animals, ligated DIO mice exhibited increases in body and fat masses, exercise intolerance, and contractile dysfunction of the isolated soleus (SOL) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles. Repeated HT averted an increase in body mass induced by high-fat feeding due to reduced fat accrual. Fat mass was ∼25% and 29% lower in the HT group relative to controls after 2 and 3 wk of treatment, respectively. Muscle mass relative to body mass and maximal absolute force of the EDL, but not SOL, were higher in animals exposed to HT. There were no group differences in skeletal muscle capillarization, the expression of angiogenic factors, mitochondrial content, and the diameter of the gracilis arteries. These findings indicate that HT reduces diet-induced fat accumulation and rescues skeletal muscle contractile dysfunction. This practical treatment may prove useful for diabetic and obese PAD patients who are unable to undergo conventional exercise regimens.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The epidemic of obesity-related dyslipidemia and diabetes is a central cause of the increasing burden of peripheral artery disease (PAD), but few accessible therapies exist to mitigate the metabolic and functional abnormalities in these patients. We report that daily exposure to heat therapy (HT) in the form of lower-body immersion in water heated to 39 °C for 3 weeks attenuates fat accumulation and weight gain, and improves muscle strength in obese mice with femoral artery occlusion.

Response of turkey pectoralis major muscle satellite cells to hot and cold thermal stress: Effect of growth selection on satellite cell proliferation and differentiation

Satellite cell (SCs), the main progenitors for post-hatch poultry muscle growth, has maximal mitotic activity and sensitivity to temperature during the first week after hatch. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of hot and cold temperatures on the proliferation and differentiation of SCs from pectoralis major (P. major) muscle of fast-growing 1-week-old Nicholas commercial (NC) turkeys compared to Randombred Control Line 2 (RBC2) turkeys representing commercial turkeys from 1966. Three temperature regimens were used: SCs proliferation at 38 °C (control) with differentiation at 43° or 33 °C; proliferation at 43° or 33 °C with differentiation at 38 °C; or both proliferation and differentiation at 43°, 38°, or 33°C. Satellite cell proliferation and differentiation increased at 43 °C and decreased at 33 °C in both lines. When a thermal challenge was administered during proliferation, greater stimulatory or suppressive effects on differentiation were observed compared to if the thermal challenge was applied only during differentiation in both lines. Expression of myoblast determination protein 1 during proliferation showed a higher increase in the NC line compared to the RBC2 line at 43 °C. Increased myogenin expression was observed in all hot treatment groups in the NC line but was only observed in the RBC2 line if the hot treatment was administered throughout proliferation and differentiation. Cold treatment suppressed myogenin expression independent of line. These results suggest turkey P. major muscle SCs are more sensitive to environmental temperatures during proliferation, and SCs from growth-selected NC turkeys are more sensitive to thermal stress compared to the RBC2 turkeys.

Dedifferentiation of human epidermal melanocytes in vitro by long-term trypsinization

Human epidermal melanocytes can be induced to form melanocyte spheroids and revert to immature characteristics by long-term trypsinization (LTT). To further explore the biological characteristics of melanocytes after LTT and to study the underlying mechanism. Melanocytes were subjected to long-term (2 h) trypsinization in this study, after which their viability, proliferation and autophagy were characterized. The expression of melanocyte markers [human melanoma black45 (HMB45), tyrosinase (TYR) and Nestin] was detected and relative expression levels of mRNAs encoding TYR, Nestin, c-Kit and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) were determined. After LTT, more short spindle-shaped melanocytes appeared and viability assays demonstrated that most melanocytes survived that treatment but had decreased proliferation rates compared to the untreated controls. There was a significant increase in autophagy of melanocytes after LTT and the expression of TYR was decreased compared with untreated control melanocytes. There were no significant differences in the expression of HMB45 or Nestin between the two groups. Compared with untreated melanocytes, levels of message ribonucleic acid (mRNAs) encoding TYR, c-Kit and MITF were decreased after LTT, while Nestin mRNA levels were increased. These results clarified that Long-term treatment with trypsin causes the dedifferentiation of mature epidermal melanocytes in vitro.

The tolerance of human epidermal cells to trypsinization in vitro

To characterize the tolerance of different types of human epidermal cells to trypsinization in vitro and develop a new method to separate and purify melanocytes according to their tolerance to trypsinization. Epidermal cells were obtained by separating the epidermis from human foreskins. Some of those cells were used for routine culture, and then were subjected to differential trypsin digestion. The remaining epidermal cells were resuspended in a 0.25% trypsin solution and then were neutralized by the addition of bovine serum at different time points. Immunofluorescence staining of HMB45, K15 and vimentin was used to identify melanocytes, keratinocytes and fibroblasts, respectively. We found that Keratinocytes, melanocytes and fibroblasts are primary cells obtained from conventional cultures of human skin. Purified keratinocytes and melanocytes can be obtained by conventional differential trypsin digestion, but fibroblasts in the melanocyte population quickly gain a survival advantage after passage. With longer trypsin digestion times, the number of adherent cells decreased, the time required for cell attachment increased, and the proportion of melanocytes increased. There were no obvious keratinocytes in cell populations obtained after 12 h of trypsinization of epidermal cells, and more short spindle-shaped melanocytes appeared, all of which were HMB45-positive. In conclusion, the tolerance of human epidermal melanocytes to trypsinization in vitro was better than epidermal keratinocytes, and that property can be used to purify melanocytes and was better than traditional differential trypsin digestion. The morphology of cells that survived the long-term trypsin digestion changed and they had good proliferative activity, but seemed to be more immature.

Skeletal muscle adaptations to heat therapy

The therapeutic effects of heat have been harnessed for centuries to treat skeletal muscle disorders and other pathologies. However, the fundamental mechanisms underlying the well-documented clinical benefits associated with heat therapy (HT) remain poorly defined. Foundational studies in cultured skeletal muscle and endothelial cells, as well as in rodents, revealed that episodic exposure to heat stress activates a number of intracellular signaling networks and promotes skeletal muscle remodeling. Renewed interest in the physiology of HT in recent years has provided greater understanding of the signals and molecular players involved in the skeletal muscle adaptations to episodic exposures to HT. It is increasingly clear that heat stress promotes signaling mechanisms involved in angiogenesis, muscle hypertrophy, mitochondrial biogenesis, and glucose metabolism through not only elevations in tissue temperature but also other perturbations, including increased intramyocellular calcium and enhanced energy turnover. The few available translational studies seem to indicate that the earlier observations in rodents also apply to human skeletal muscle. Indeed, recent findings revealed that both local and whole-body HT may promote capillary growth, enhance mitochondrial content and function, improve insulin sensitivity and attenuate disuse-induced muscle wasting. This accumulating body of work implies that HT may be a practical treatment to combat skeletal abnormalities in individuals with chronic disease who are unwilling or cannot participate in traditional exercise-training regimens.

Distinct effects of thermal treatments after lengthening contraction on mechanical hyperalgesia and exercise-induced physiological changes in rat muscle

Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common but displeasing event induced by excessive muscle use or unaccustomed exercise and characterized by tenderness and movement-related pain in the exercised muscle. Thermal therapies, either icing or heating applied to muscles immediately after exercise, have been used as therapeutic interventions for DOMS. However, the mechanisms of their analgesic effects, and physiological and metabolic changes in the muscle during thermal therapy, remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of both thermal treatments on mechanical hyperalgesia of DOMS and physiological and muscle metabolite changes using the rat DOMS model induced by lengthening contraction (LC) to the gastrocnemius muscle. Heating treatment just after LC induced analgesic effects, while rats with icing treatment showed mechanical hyperalgesia similar to that of the LC group. Furthermore, increased physiological responses (e.g., muscle temperature and blood flow) following the LC were significantly kept high only in the rats with heating treatment. In addition, heating treatment increased metabolites involved in the improvement of blood flow and oxidative metabolisms in the exercised muscle. The results indicated that heating treatment just after LC has analgesic effects on DOMS, which might be mediated partly through the improvement of muscle oxidative metabolisms by changes in metabolites and elevated physiological responses.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Physiological effects of thermal therapy in the muscle and its mechanisms of analgesic effects remain unclear. The results indicated that heating, but not icing, treatment just after lengthening contractions induced analgesic effects in the rat muscle. Increases in hemodynamics, muscle temperature, and metabolites such as nicotinamide were more prominent in heating treatment, consistent with improvement of muscle oxidative metabolisms, which might reduce chemical factors to induce mechanical hyperalgesia.

Could Heat Therapy Be an Effective Treatment for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases? A Narrative Review

Neurodegenerative diseases involve the progressive deterioration of structures within the central nervous system responsible for motor control, cognition, and autonomic function. Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are among the most common neurodegenerative disease and have an increasing prevalence over the age of 50. Central in the pathophysiology of these neurodegenerative diseases is the loss of protein homeostasis, resulting in misfolding and aggregation of damaged proteins. An element of the protein homeostasis network that prevents the dysregulation associated with neurodegeneration is the role of molecular chaperones. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are chaperones that regulate the aggregation and disaggregation of proteins in intracellular and extracellular spaces, and evidence supports their protective effect against protein aggregation common to neurodegenerative diseases. Consequently, upregulation of HSPs, such as HSP70, may be a target for therapeutic intervention for protection against neurodegeneration. A novel therapeutic intervention to increase the expression of HSP may be found in heat therapy and/or heat acclimation. In healthy populations, these interventions have been shown to increase HSP expression. Elevated HSP may have central therapeutic effects, preventing or reducing the toxicity of protein aggregation, and/or peripherally by enhancing neuromuscular function. Broader physiological responses to heat therapy have also been identified and include improvements in muscle function, cerebral blood flow, and markers of metabolic health. These outcomes may also have a significant benefit for people with neurodegenerative disease. While there is limited research into body warming in patient populations, regular passive heating (sauna bathing) has been associated with a reduced risk of developing neurodegenerative disease. Therefore, the emerging evidence is compelling and warrants further investigation of the potential benefits of heat acclimation and passive heat therapy for sufferers of neurodegenerative diseases.

Role of 72-kDa Heat Shock Protein in Heat-stimulated Regeneration of Injured Muscle in Rat

The regeneration of injured muscles is facilitated by intermittent heat stress. The 72-kDa heat shock protein (HSP72), the level of which is increased by heat stress, is likely involved in this effect, but the precise mechanism remains unclear. This study was conducted to investigate the localization and role(s) of HSP72 in the regenerating muscles in heat-stressed rats using immunohistochemistry. Heat stress was applied by immersion of the rat lower body into hot water (42C, 30 min, every other day) following injection of bupivacaine into the soleus muscles. After 1 week, we found that HSP72 was expressed at high levels not only in the surviving myofibers but also in the blood vessels of the regenerating muscles in heated rats. In addition, leukocytes, possibly granulocytes, expressing cluster of differentiation 43 within the blood capillaries surrounding the regenerating myofibers also highly expressed HSP72. In contrast, marked expression of HSP72 was not observed in the intact or regenerating muscles without heat stress. These results suggest that heat-stress-induced HSP72 within the myofibers, blood vessels, and circulating leukocytes may play important roles in enhancing regeneration of injured muscles by heat stress. Our findings would be useful to investigate cell-specific role(s) of HSP72 during skeletal muscle regeneration.

Heat therapy improves soleus muscle force in a model of ischemia-induced muscle damage

Leg muscle ischemia in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) leads to alterations in skeletal muscle morphology and reduced leg strength. We tested the hypothesis that exposure to heat therapy (HT) would improve skeletal muscle function in a mouse model of ischemia-induced muscle damage. Male 42-wk-old C57Bl/6 mice underwent ligation of the femoral artery and were randomly assigned to receive HT (immersion in a water bath at 37°C, 39°C, or 41°C for 30 min) or a control intervention for 3 wk. At the end of the treatment, the animals were anesthetized and the soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles were harvested for the assessment of contractile function and examination of muscle morphology. A subset of animals was used to examine the impact of a single HT session on the expression of genes involved in myogenesis and the regulation of muscle mass. Relative soleus muscle mass was significantly higher in animals exposed to HT at 39°C compared with the control group (control: 0.36 ± 0.01 mg/g versus 39°C: 0.40 ± 0.01 mg/g, P = 0.024). Maximal absolute force of the soleus was also significantly higher in animals treated with HT at 37°C and 39°C (control: 274.7 ± 6.6 mN; 37°C: 300.1 ± 7.7 mN; 39°C: 299.5 ± 10 mN, P < 0.05). In the soleus, but not the EDL muscle, a single session of HT enhanced the mRNA expression of myogenic factors as well as of both positive and negative regulators of muscle mass. These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of HT are muscle specific and dependent on the treatment temperature in a model of PAD. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to comprehensively examine the impact of temperature and muscle fiber type composition on the adaptations to repeated heat stress in a model of ischemia-induced muscle damage. Exposure to heat therapy (HT) at 37°C and 39°C, but not at 41°C, improved force development of the isolated soleus muscle. These results suggest that HT may be a practical therapeutic tool to restore muscle mass and strength in patients with peripheral artery disease.

Impact of different temperature stimuli on the expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms during recovery from bupivacaine-induced muscle injury in rats

Limited information exists regarding the impact of different temperature stimuli on myosin heavy chain (MyHC) expression in skeletal muscle during recovery from injury. Therefore, this experiment investigated the impact of both cold and heat exposure on the MyHC isoform profile in the rat soleus during recovery from injury. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, bupivacaine-injected (BPVC), BPVC with icing, and BPVC with heat stress groups. Muscle injury was induced by intramuscular injection of bupivacaine into soleus muscles of male Wistar rats. Icing treatment (0°C for 20 min) was performed immediately after the injury. Intermittent heat stress (42°C for 30 min on alternating days) was carried out during 2-14 days after bupivacaine injection. In response to injury, a transient increase in developmental, IId/x, and IIb MyHC isoforms, as well as various types of hybrid fibers, followed by the recovery of the MyHC profile toward the control level, was noted in the regeneration of the soleus. The restoration of the MyHC profile in the regenerating muscle at whole-muscle and individual myofiber levels was partially delayed by icing but facilitated by heat stress. In addition, the application of repeated heat stress promoted the recovery of soleus muscle mass toward the control level following injury. We conclude that compared with acute and immediate cold (icing) treatment, chronic and repeated heat stress may be a more appropriate treatment for the enhancement of both normalization of the MyHC profile and restoration of muscle mass following injury. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cold exposure (icing), but not heat exposure, has been well accepted as a first-aid treatment for accidental and/or sports-related injuries. However, recent evidence suggests the negative impact of icing treatment on skeletal muscle regeneration following injury. Here, we demonstrated that acute/immediate icing treatment delayed the restoration of the myosin heavy chain (MyHC) profile, but intermittent hyperthermia, repeated for several days, facilitated the recovery of both muscle mass and the MyHC profile in the regeneration of skeletal muscle following injury.

Effect of a combination of astaxanthin supplementation, heat stress, and intermittent reloading on satellite cells during disuse muscle atrophy

We examined the effect of a combination of astaxanthin (AX) supplementation, repeated heat stress, and intermittent reloading (IR) on satellite cells in unloaded rat soleus muscles. Forty-nine male Wistar rats (8-week-old) were divided into control, hind-limb unweighting (HU), IR during HU, IR with AX supplementation, IR with repeated heat stress (41.0-41.5 °C for 30 min), and IR with AX supplementation and repeated heat stress groups. After the experimental period, the antigravitational soleus muscle was analyzed using an immunohistochemical technique. Our results revealed that the combination of dietary AX supplementation and heat stress resulted in protection against disuse muscle atrophy in the soleus muscle. This protective effect may be partially due to a higher satellite cell number in the atrophied soleus muscle in the IR/AX/heat stress group compared with the numbers found in the other groups. We concluded that the combination treatment with dietary AX supplementation and repeated heat stress attenuates soleus muscle atrophy, in part by increasing the number of satellite cells.

Impact of heat therapy on recovery after eccentric exercise in humans

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of heat therapy (HT) on functional recovery, the skeletal muscle expression of angiogenic factors, macrophage content, and capillarization after eccentric exercise in humans. Eleven untrained individuals (23.8 ± 0.6 yr) performed 300 bilateral maximal eccentric contractions of the knee extensors. One randomly selected thigh was treated with five daily 90-min sessions of HT, whereas the opposite thigh received a thermoneutral intervention. Peak isokinetic torque of the knee extensors was assessed at baseline and daily for 4 days and fatigue resistance was assessed at baseline and 1 and 4 days after the eccentric exercise session. Muscle biopsies were obtained 2 wk before and 1 and 5 days after the eccentric exercise bout. There were no differences between thighs in the overall recovery profile of peak torque. However, the thigh exposed to HT had greater fatigue resistance than the thigh exposed to the thermoneutral intervention. The change from baseline in mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was higher at day 1 in the thigh exposed to HT. Protein levels of VEGF and angiopoietin 1 were also significantly higher in the thigh treated with HT. The number of capillaries around type II fibers decreased similarly in both thighs at day 5. Exposure to HT had no impact on macrophage content. These results suggest that HT accelerates the recovery of fatigue resistance after eccentric exercise and promotes the expression of angiogenic factors in human skeletal muscle. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We investigated whether exposure to local heat therapy (HT) accelerates recovery after a bout of eccentric exercise in humans. Compared with a thermoneutral control intervention, HT improved fatigue resistance of the knee extensors and enhanced the expression of the angiogenic mediators vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin 1. These results suggest that HT hastens functional recovery and enhances the expression of regulatory factors involved in muscle repair after eccentric exercise in humans.

Effects of intermittent hyperbaric exposure on endurance and interval exercise performance in well-trained mice

NEW FINDINGS

What is the central question of this study? Intermittent hyperbaric exposure (1.3 atmospheres absolute with 20.9% O₂ ) enhances endurance capacity by facilitating oxidative and glycolytic capacities in skeletal muscle. It remains unclear whether this strategy enhances endurance performance in well-trained individuals. What is the main finding and its importance? Hyperbaric exposure with endurance training enhanced oxidative and glycolytic capacities and protein levels of mitochondrial transcription factor A, dynamin-related protein-1 and heat shock protein 70. Hyperbaric exposure with sprint interval training increased the proportion of type I muscle fibres and promoted capillary growth and muscle fibre hypertrophy. These results may lead to a new strategy for enhancing exercise capacity in well-trained mice.

ABSTRACT

The study was designed to clarify the mechanisms by which hyperbaric exposure (1.3 atmospheres absolute with 20.9% O₂ ) improves endurance and interval exercise capacities in highly trained mice. Male mice in the training group were housed in a cage with a wheel activity device for 7 weeks from 5 weeks old. Voluntary running markedly increased maximal endurance capacity by 6.4-fold. Trained mice were then subjected to either endurance treadmill training (20-32.5 m min^-1 ) or sprint interval training (5 s run-10 s rest, 30-42.5 m min^-1 ) with (HypET or HypSIT, respectively) and without (ET or SIT, respectively) 1 h hyperbaric exposure for 4 weeks. Maximal endurance capacity was significantly increased by HypET and HypSIT, and maximal interval capacity was significantly enhanced by HypSIT. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha expression levels were markedly increased after HypET and HypSIT. Activity levels of 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase, citrate synthase and phosphofructokinase in the red gastrocnemius muscle were increased more by HypET than by ET. Protein levels of mitochondrial transcription factor A, dynamin-related protein-1 and heat shock protein 70 were increased more by HypET than by ET. The proportion of type I fibres in the soleus muscle was remarkably increased by HypSIT. Capillary-to-fibre ratio values in the white gastrocnemius were increased more by HypSIT than by SIT. These results suggest that hyperbaric exposure has beneficial effects for endurance and interval training to improve exercise capacity in highly trained mice.

Endurance performance is enhanced by intermittent hyperbaric exposure via up-regulation of proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis in mice

This study was designed to (1) investigate the effects of acute hyperbaric exposure on muscle mRNA expression levels, and (2) clarify the mechanisms by which intermittent hyperbaric exposure improves endurance capacity. Experiment 1: Male mice were subjected to acute 1-h hyperbaric exposure (1.3 atmospheres absolute with 20.9% O₂). The expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) mRNA significantly increased in the soleus (7.2-fold) and red gastrocnemius muscles (Gr, 5.1-fold) 3 h after hyperbaric exposure. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) mRNA levels significantly increased in the plantaris (PL, 2.9-fold) and Gr (2.3-fold) 3 h after hyperbaric exposure. Experiment 2: Mice were subjected to exercise training with (HypTr) and without (Tr) 1-h hyperbaric exposure for 4 weeks. Increases in maximal exercise capacity were significantly greater in HypTr than in Tr. In PL, activity levels of 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase and citrate synthase (CS) were significantly greater in HypTr than in Tr. CS and phosphofructokinase activities both markedly increased in the white gastrocnemius muscle (Gw) in HypTr only. PGC-1α expression in the nucleus was significantly greater in HypTr than in Tr in PL (4.8-fold), Gr (3.2-fold), and Gw (15-fold). Protein levels of mitochondrial transcription factor A and heat shock protein 70 significantly increased after training with hyperbaric exposure. These results suggest that exercise training with intermittent hyperbaric exposure represents a beneficial strategy for increasing endurance performance by facilitating oxidative and glycolytic capacities and the expression of proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis in the hindlimb muscles.

Regenerative Effects of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor on Restoration of Thyroarytenoid Muscle Atrophy Caused by Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Transection

OBJECTIVES

Vocal fold atrophy following unilateral vocal fold paralysis is caused by atrophy of the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle and remains a challenge. Medialization procedures are popular treatment options; however, hoarseness often remains due to the reduction in mass or tension of the TA muscle. Therefore, in addition to medialization procedures, TA muscle reinnervation is desirable. In vivo studies have shown the potential for basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) to affect muscular and nerve regeneration. The present study aimed to examine the regenerative effects of bFGF on restoration of TA muscle atrophy caused by recurrent laryngeal nerve transection.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective animal experiments with controls.

METHODS

TA muscle atrophy was induced by unilateral transection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. One month after transection, different doses (200 ng, 100 ng, 10 ng) of bFGF in 50 µL were repeatedly injected into the TA muscle four times with an interval of 1 week between injections. Saline only was injected in the sham group. Larynges were harvested for histologic and immunohistochemical examination 4 weeks after the final injection.

RESULTS

The cross-sectional TA muscle area was significantly larger in the bFGF-treated groups compared with the sham-treated groups. Immunohistochemistry indicated that bFGF significantly increases the number of neuromuscular junctions and satellite cells in the TA muscle.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that local application of bFGF to the TA muscle may improve TA muscle atrophy caused by recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis. Furthermore, bFGF may have regenerative effects on both nerves and muscles.

Nucleoprotein supplementation enhances the recovery of rat soleus mass with reloading after hindlimb unloading-induced atrophy via myonuclei accretion and increased protein synthesis

Hindlimb unloading results in muscle atrophy and a period of reloading has been shown to partially recover the lost muscle mass. Two of the mechanisms involved in this recovery of muscle mass are the activation of protein synthesis pathways and an increase in myonuclei number. The additional myonuclei are provided by satellite cells that are activated by the mechanical stress associated with the reloading of the muscles and eventually incorporated into the muscle fibers. Amino acid supplementation with exercise also can increase skeletal muscle mass through enhancement of protein synthesis and nucleotide supplements can promote cell cycle activity. Therefore, we hypothesized that nucleoprotein supplementation, a combination of amino acids and nucleotides, would enhance the recovery of muscle mass to a greater extent than reloading alone after a period of unloading. Adult rats were assigned to 4 groups: control, hindlimb unloaded (HU; 14 days), reloaded (5 days) after hindlimb unloading (HUR), and reloaded after hindlimb unloading with nucleoprotein supplementation (HUR + NP). Compared with the HUR group, the HUR + NP group had larger soleus muscles and fiber cross-sectional areas, higher levels of phosphorylated rpS6, and higher numbers of myonuclei and myogenin-positive cells. These results suggest that nucleoprotein supplementation has a synergistic effect with reloading in recovering skeletal muscle properties after a period of unloading via rpS6 activation and satellite cell differentiation and incorporation into the muscle fibers. Therefore, this supplement may be an effective therapeutic regimen to include in rehabilitative strategies for a variety of muscle wasting conditions such as aging, cancer cachexia, muscular dystrophy, bed rest, and cast immobilization.

Effects of icing or heat stress on the induction of fibrosis and/or regeneration of injured rat soleus muscle

The effects of icing or heat stress on the regeneration of injured soleus muscle were investigated in male Wistar rats. Bupivacaine was injected into soleus muscles bilaterally to induce muscle injury. Icing (0 °C, 20 min) was carried out immediately after the injury. Heat stress (42 °C, 30 min) was applied every other day during 2-14 days after the bupivacaine injection. Injury-related increase in collagen deposition was promoted by icing. However, the level of collagen deposition in heat-stressed animals was maintained at control levels throughout the experimental period and was significantly lower than that in icing-treated animals at 15 and 28 days after bupivacaine injection. Furthermore, the recovery of muscle mass, protein content, and muscle fiber size of injured soleus toward control levels was partially facilitated by heat stress. These results suggest that, compared with icing, heat stress may be a beneficial treatment for successful muscle regeneration at least by reducing fibrosis.

Heat therapy promotes the expression of angiogenic regulators in human skeletal muscle

Heat therapy has been shown to promote capillary growth in skeletal muscle and in the heart in several animal models, but the effects of this therapy on angiogenic signaling in humans are unknown. We evaluated the acute effect of lower body heating (LBH) and unilateral thigh heating (TH) on the expression of angiogenic regulators and heat shock proteins (HSPs) in healthy young individuals. Exposure to LBH (n = 18) increased core temperature (Tc) from 36.9 ± 0.1 to 37.4 ± 0.1°C (P < 0.01) and average leg skin temperature (Tleg) from 33.1 ± 0.1 to 39.6 ± 0.1°C (P < 0.01), but did not alter the levels of circulating angiogenic cytokines and bone marrow-derived proangiogenic cells (CD34(+)CD133(+)). In skeletal muscle, the change in mRNA expression from baseline of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin 2 (ANGPT2), chemokines CCL2 and CX3CL1, platelet factor-4 (PF4), and several members of the HSP family was higher 30 min after the intervention in the individuals exposed to LBH (n = 11) compared with the control group (n = 12). LBH also reduced the expression of transcription factor FOXO1 (P = 0.03). Exposure to TH (n = 14) increased Tleg from 32.8 ± 0.2 to 40.3 ± 0.1°C (P < 0.05) but Tc remained unaltered (36.8 ± 0.1°C at baseline and 36.9 ± 0.1°C at 90 min). This intervention upregulated the expression of VEGF, ANGPT1, ANGPT2, CCL2, and HSPs in skeletal muscle but did not affect the levels of CX3CL1, FOXO-1, and PF4. These findings suggest that both LBH and TH increase the expression of factors associated with capillary growth in human skeletal muscle.

Substantive hemodynamic and thermal strain upon completing lower-limb hot-water immersion; comparisons with treadmill running

Exercise induces arterial flow patterns that promote functional and structural adaptations, improving functional capacity and reducing cardiovascular risk. While heat is produced by exercise, local and whole-body passive heating have recently been shown to generate favorable flow profiles and associated vascular adaptations in the upper limb. Flow responses to acute heating in the lower limbs have not yet been assessed, or directly compared to exercise, and other cardiovascular effects of lower-limb heating have not been fully characterized. Lower-limb heating by hot-water immersion (30 min at 42°C, to the waist) was compared to matched-duration treadmill running (65-75% age-predicted heart rate maximum) in 10 healthy, young adult volunteers. Superficial femoral artery shear rate assessed immediately upon completion was increased to a greater extent following immersion (mean ± SD: immersion +252 ± 137% vs. exercise +155 ± 69%, interaction: p = 0.032), while superficial femoral artery flow-mediated dilation was unchanged in either intervention. Immersion increased heart rate to a lower peak than during exercise (immersion +38 ± 3 beats·min^-1 vs. exercise +87 ± 3 beats·min^-1, interaction: p < 0.001), whereas only immersion reduced mean arterial pressure after exposure (−8 ± 3 mmHg, p = 0.012). Core temperature increased twice as much during immersion as exercise (+1.3 ± 0.4°C vs. +0.6 ± 0.4°C, p < 0.001). These data indicate that acute lower-limb hot-water immersion has potential to induce favorable shear stress patterns and cardiovascular responses within vessels prone to atherosclerosis. Whether repetition of lower-limb heating has long-term beneficial effects in such vasculature remains unexplored.

Deficiency of heat shock transcription factor 1 suppresses heat stress-associated increase in slow soleus muscle mass of mice

AIM

Effects of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) deficiency on heat stress-associated increase in slow soleus muscle mass of mice were investigated.

METHODS

Both HSF1-null and wild-type mice were randomly assigned to control and heat-stressed groups. Mice in heat-stressed group were exposed to heat stress (41 °C for 60 min) in an incubator without anaesthesia.

RESULTS

Significant increase in wet and dry weights, and protein content of soleus muscle in wild-type mice was observed seven days after the application of the heat stress. However, heat stress had no impact on soleus muscle mass in HSF1-null mice. Neither type of mice exhibited much effect of heat stress on HSF mRNA expression (HSF1, HSF2 and HSF4). On the other hand, heat stress upregulated heat shock proteins (HSPs) at the mRNA (HSP72) and protein (HSP72 and HSP110) levels in wild-type mice, but not in HSF1-null mice. The population of Pax7-positive nuclei relative to total myonuclei of soleus muscle in wild-type mice was significantly increased by heat stress, but not in HSF1-null mice. Furthermore, the absence of HSF1 gene suppressed heat stress-associated phosphorylation of Akt and p70 S6 kinase (p-p70S6K) in soleus muscle.

CONCLUSION

Heat stress-associated increase in skeletal muscle mass may be induced by HSF1 and/or HSF1-mediated stress response that activates muscle satellite cells and Akt/p70S6K signalling pathway.

PEDF-derived peptide promotes skeletal muscle regeneration through its mitogenic effect on muscle progenitor cells

In response injury, intrinsic repair mechanisms are activated in skeletal muscle to replace the damaged muscle fibers with new muscle fibers. The regeneration process starts with the proliferation of satellite cells to give rise to myoblasts, which subsequently differentiate terminally into myofibers. Here, we investigated the promotion effect of pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF) on muscle regeneration. We report that PEDF and a synthetic PEDF-derived short peptide (PSP; residues Ser(93)-Leu(112)) induce satellite cell proliferation in vitro and promote muscle regeneration in vivo. Extensively, soleus muscle necrosis was induced in rats by bupivacaine, and an injectable alginate gel was used to release the PSP in the injured muscle. PSP delivery was found to stimulate satellite cell proliferation in damaged muscle and enhance the growth of regenerating myofibers, with complete regeneration of normal muscle mass by 2 wk. In cell culture, PEDF/PSP stimulated C2C12 myoblast proliferation, together with a rise in cyclin D1 expression. PEDF induced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, Akt, and STAT3 in C2C12 myoblasts. Blocking the activity of ERK, Akt, or STAT3 with pharmacological inhibitors attenuated the effects of PEDF/PSP on the induction of C2C12 cell proliferation and cyclin D1 expression. Moreover, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine pulse-labeling demonstrated that PEDF/PSP stimulated primary rat satellite cell proliferation in myofibers in vitro. In summary, we report for the first time that PSP is capable of promoting the regeneration of skeletal muscle. The signaling mechanism involves the ERK, AKT, and STAT3 pathways. These results show the potential utility of this PEDF peptide for muscle regeneration.

Modulating exercise-induced hormesis: Does less equal more?

Hormesis encompasses the notion that low levels of stress stimulate or upregulate existing cellular and molecular pathways that improve the capacity of cells and organisms to withstand greater stress. This notion underlies much of what we know about how exercise conditions the body and induces long-term adaptations. During exercise, the body is exposed to various forms of stress, including thermal, metabolic, hypoxic, oxidative, and mechanical stress. These stressors activate biochemical messengers, which in turn activate various signaling pathways that regulate gene expression and adaptive responses. Historically, antioxidant supplements, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and cryotherapy have been favored to attenuate or counteract exercise-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. However, reactive oxygen species and inflammatory mediators are key signaling molecules in muscle, and such strategies may mitigate adaptations to exercise. Conversely, withholding dietary carbohydrate and restricting muscle blood flow during exercise may augment adaptations to exercise. In this review article, we combine, integrate, and apply knowledge about the fundamental mechanisms of exercise adaptation. We also critically evaluate the rationale for using interventions that target these mechanisms under the overarching concept of hormesis. There is currently insufficient evidence to establish whether these treatments exert dose-dependent effects on muscle adaptation. However, there appears to be some dissociation between the biochemical/molecular effects and functional/performance outcomes of some of these treatments. Although several of these treatments influence common kinases, transcription factors, and proteins, it remains to be determined if these interventions complement or negate each other, and whether such effects are strong enough to influence adaptations to exercise.

Postexercise whole body heat stress additively enhances endurance training-induced mitochondrial adaptations in mouse skeletal muscle

A recent study demonstrated that heat stress induces mitochondrial biogenesis in C2C12 myotubes, thereby implying that heat stress may be an effective treatment to enhance endurance training-induced mitochondrial adaptations in skeletal muscle. However, whether heat stress actually induces mitochondrial adaptations in skeletal muscle in vivo is unclear. In the present study, we report the novel findings that 1) whole body heat stress produced by exposure of ICR mice to a hot environment (40°C, 30 min/day, 5 days/wk, 3 wk) induced mitochondrial adaptations such as increased mitochondrial enzyme activity (citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase) and respiratory chain protein content (complexes I–V) in skeletal muscle in vivo and 2) postexercise whole body heat stress additively enhanced endurance training-induced mitochondrial adaptations (treadmill running, 25 m/min, 30 min/day, 5 days/wk, 3 wk). Moreover, to determine the candidate mechanisms underlying mitochondrial adaptations, we investigated the acute effects of postexercise whole body heat stress on the phosphorylation status of cellular signaling cascades that subsequently induce mitochondrial gene transcription. We found that whole body heat stress boosted the endurance exercise-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, increased the phosphorylation status of p70S6K, a biomarker of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 activity, and unexpectedly dephosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase and its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase in skeletal muscle. Our present observations suggest that heat stress can act as an effective postexercise treatment. Heat stress treatment appeared to be clinically beneficial for people who have difficulty participating in sufficient exercise training, such as the elderly, injured athletes, and patients.

Heat stress promotes skeletal muscle regeneration after crush injury in rats

Influences of heat stress on skeletal muscle regeneration were examined in experimental rats. After crush injury to the Extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL) of the left hindlimb, animals were randomly divided into non-heat and heat groups. In the latter, packs filled with hot water (42°C) were percutaneously applied to the injured EDL muscle for 20min to the front of the lower leg, soon after the injury. During the early stages of muscle regeneration, due to the heat stress, secondary degeneration at the injured site progressed faster, and migration of macrophages, proliferation and differentiation of satellite cells were facilitated. At 14 and 28 days after the injury, the ratio of regenerating muscle fibers exhibiting central nuclei in the heat treated group was significantly lower than that in the non-heat group, and cross sectional area in the heat group was evidently larger than that in the non-heat group. Moreover, in the heat group, the ratio of collagen fiber area at 14 and 28 days after the injury was smaller than in the non-heat group. Together, these findings suggest that acceleration of degeneration processes by heat stress soon after injury is likely to promote skeletal muscle regeneration and inhibit collagen deposition.

A novel approach to collecting satellite cells from adult skeletal muscles on the basis of their stress tolerance

Stem cells are generally collected using flow cytometry, but this method is not applicable when the cell surface marker is not well determined. Satellite cells, which are skeletal muscle stem cells, have the ability to regenerate damaged muscles and are expected to be applicable for treatment of muscle degeneration. Although the transcription factor Pax7 is a known specific marker of satellite cells, it is not located on the cell surface and therefore flow cytometry is not directly applicable. In the present study, we turned our attention to the stress tolerance of adult stem cells, and we propose long-term trypsin incubation (LTT) as a novel approach to collecting satellite cells from mouse and human skeletal muscles. LTT led to a remarkable increase in the ratio of Pax7(+) cells that retain normal myogenic stem cell function. In particular, human Pax7(+) cells made up approximately 30% of primary cultured cells, whereas after LTT, the ratio of Pax7(+) cells increased up to ∼80%, and the ratio of Pax7(+) and/or MyoD(+) myogenic cells increased to ∼95%. Once transplanted, LTT-treated cells contributed to subsequent muscle regeneration following repetitive muscle damage without additional cell transplantation. The stress tolerance of Pax7(+) cells is related to heat shock protein 27 and αB-crystallin, members of the small heat shock protein family. This approach, based on the stress resistance of adult stem cells, is a safe and inexpensive method of efficiently collecting human satellite cells and may also be used for collecting other tissue stem cells whose surface marker is unknown.

Acute heat stress prior to downhill running may enhance skeletal muscle remodeling

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are chaperones that are known to have important roles in facilitating protein synthesis, protein assembly and cellular protection. While HSPs are known to be induced by damaging exercise, little is known about how HSPs actually mediate skeletal muscle adaption to exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a heat shock pretreatment and the ensuing increase in HSP expression on early remodeling and signaling (2 and 48 h) events of the soleus (Sol) muscle following a bout of downhill running. Male Wistar rats (10 weeks old) were randomly assigned to control, eccentric exercise (EE; downhill running) or heat shock + eccentric exercise (HS; 41°C for 20 min, 48 h prior to exercise) groups. Markers of muscle damage, muscle regeneration and intracellular signaling were assessed. The phosphorylation (p) of HSP25, Akt, p70s6k, ERK1/2 and JNK proteins was also performed. As expected, following exercise the EE group had increased creatine kinase (CK; 2 h) and mononuclear cell infiltration (48 h) compared to controls. The EE group had an increase in p-HSP25, but there was no change in HSP72 expression, total protein concentration, or neonatal MHC content. Additionally, the EE group had increased p-p70s6k, p-ERK1/2, and p-JNK (2 h) compared to controls; however no changes in p-Akt were seen. In contrast, the HS group had reduced CK (2 h) and mononuclear cell infiltration (48 h) compared to EE. Moreover, the HS group had increased HSP72 content (2 and 48 h), total protein concentration (48 h), neonatal MHC content (2 and 48 h), p-HSP25 and p-p70s6k (2 h). Lastly, the HS group had reduced p-Akt (48 h) and p-ERK1/2 (2 h). These data suggest that heat shock pretreatment and/or the ensuing HSP72 response may protect against muscle damage, and enhance increases in total protein and neonatal MHC content following exercise. These changes appear to be independent of Akt and MAPK signaling pathways.

Early response of heat shock proteins to functional overload of the soleus and plantaris in rats and mice

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are important factors in the response of skeletal muscles to chronic increases or decreases in activation and loading. The purpose of this study was to compare species-, time- and muscle-dependent changes in protein expression of Hsp20, Hsp25, αB-crystallin, Hsp72 and Hsp90 in response to functional overload (FO) in rats and mice. We compared protein levels of Hsp20, Hsp25, αB-crystallin, Hsp72 and Hsp90 in soleus and plantaris in baseline conditions and following 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 7 days (rats) or 3 and 7 days (mice) of FO. Baseline levels of all HSPs were higher in rat soleus than plantaris, whereas only baseline expression of Hsp20 was higher in mouse soleus than plantaris. Levels of Hsp72 and Hsp90 were higher in plantaris and soleus of FO than control mice and rats after 3 and 7 days of FO. Protein levels and phosphorylation of Hsp25 in mouse plantaris and soleus were higher than control levels after 3 and 7 days of FO, except for soleus at 3 days. αB-crystallin levels were higher in plantaris of FO than control mice after 3 and 7 days of FO and in FO than control rats after 7 days of FO. Heat shock protein 20 was the least responsive, increasing only in 7 day FO rat plantaris compared with control rats. Overall, the results demonstrate that levels of both large and small HSPs increase with FO, suggesting a contributory role during the compensatory hypertrophy response.

Notch and Wnt signaling, physiological stimuli and postnatal myogenesis

Adult skeletal muscle stem cells, termed satellite cells are imperative to muscle regeneration. Much work has been performed on satellite cell identification and the subsequent activation of the myogenic response but the regulation of satellite cells including its activation is not well elucidated. The purpose of this review article is to synthesize what the literature reveals in regards to the current understanding of satellite cells including their contribution to muscle repair and growth following physiological stimuli. In addition, this review article will describe the recent findings on the roles of the classic developmental signaling pathways, Notch and Wnt, to the myogenic response in various muscle injury models. This purpose of this summary is to bring awareness of the impact that muscle contraction models have on the local and systemic environment of adult muscle stem cells which will be beneficial for comprehending and treatment development for muscle -associated ailments and other organ diseases.