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Muscle overuse affecting the triceps surae muscle in one leg leads to similar muscle/neuropeptide changes in the exercised and the non‐exercised leg – Studies using an animal model
Author(s) -
Song Yafeng,
Stål Per,
Yu Jiguo,
Lorentzon Ronny,
Forsgren Sture
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.lb30
Subject(s) - triceps surae muscle , medicine , substance p , neuropeptide , muscle tissue , soleus muscle , anatomy , stimulation , endocrinology , skeletal muscle , receptor
Objective A rabbit model for investigating the effects of muscle overuse affecting the triceps surae muscle, including examinations on the magnitude of a neuropeptide which can have pro‐inflammatory properties (substance P [SP]), was used. Method A “kicking machine” was used for New Zealand white rabbits during 1, 3 and 6 weeks of exercise (2h of exercise every second day). Electrical stimulation was given in the plantar flexion phase. Specimens from the experimental (exercised) side as well as from the contralateral side were taken. Morphologic evaluations, immunohistochemistry and ELISA were applied. Results The muscle morphology was affected in response to the exercise in the muscles of both legs. SP immunoreactions were noted for inflammatory cells and neurokinin‐1 receptor was expressed in inflammatory cells and necrotic muscle fibers. ELISA analyses revealed that the SP levels in the soleus muscle part were significantly increased in both the exercised and the non‐exercised leg after 3 and 6 weeks of training, as compared to non‐exercised animals. Conclusions Muscle overuse via this model leads to changes also in the muscle on the contralateral side. The observations show that examining the contralateral side in this animal model is defenetely not optimal when evaluating the response to the exercise. The occurrence of bilateral changes may be related to effects that are inforced via the nervous system.