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Stretching and electrical stimulation reduce the accumulation of MyoD, myostatin and atrogin-1 in denervated rat skeletal muscle

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Abstract

Denervation causes muscle atrophy and incapacity in humans. Although electrical stimulation (ES) and stretching (St) are commonly used in rehabilitation, it is still unclear whether they stimulate or impair muscle recovery and reinnervation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of ES and St, alone and combined (ES + St), on the expression of genes that regulate muscle mass (MyoD, Runx1, atrogin-1, MuRF1 and myostatin), on muscle fibre cross-sectional area and excitability, and on the expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) in denervated rat muscle. ES, St and ES + St reduced the accumulation of MyoD, atrogin-1 and MuRF1 and maintained Runx1 and myostatin expressions at normal levels in denervated muscles. None of the physical interventions prevented muscle fibre atrophy or N-CAM expression in denervated muscles. In conclusion, although ES, St and ES + St changed gene expression, they were insufficient to avoid muscle fibre atrophy due to denervation.

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Abbreviations

CSA:

Cross-sectional area

ES:

Electrical stimulation

GAPDH:

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

MRFs:

Myogenic regulatory factors

mRNA:

Messenger ribonucleic acid

MuRF1:

Muscle-specific RING Finger protein-1

MyoD:

Myogenic differentiation-1 

N-CAM:

Neural cell adhesion molecule

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

Runx1:

Runt-related transcription factor 1

St:

Stretching

TB:

Toluidine blue/1% borax

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, 07/03160-8) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). D Gigo-Benato and G B Delfino are PhD grant holders supported by FAPESP (Process numbers: 06/52931-4 and 08/03499-8, respectively). T L Russo and J L Q Durigan are post-doctoral grant holders supported by FAPESP (08/05237-0; 08/09408-4, respectively), and S M Peviani is a post-doctoral grant holder supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). The authors are grateful to Teresa F. F. Piassi for her technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, São Paulo, CEP 13565-905, Brazil

    Thiago L. Russo, Sabrina M. Peviani, João L. Q. Durigan, Davilene Gigo-Benato, Gabriel B. Delfino & Tania F. Salvini

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  1. Thiago L. Russo
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  2. Sabrina M. Peviani
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  3. João L. Q. Durigan
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  4. Davilene Gigo-Benato
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  5. Gabriel B. Delfino
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  6. Tania F. Salvini
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Correspondence to Tania F. Salvini.

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Russo, T.L., Peviani, S.M., Durigan, J.L.Q. et al. Stretching and electrical stimulation reduce the accumulation of MyoD, myostatin and atrogin-1 in denervated rat skeletal muscle. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 31, 45–57 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10974-010-9203-z

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