Human Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Branching Enzyme Activities with Exercise and Training

1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. W. Taylor ◽  
J. Stothart ◽  
M. A. Booth ◽  
R. Thayer ◽  
S. Rao

Sixteen healthy male subjects classified as sedentary (8) or active (8), exercised to exhaustion on a bicycle ergometer at a load requiring 70% of their maximal aerobic capacity. Biopsy samples of the vastus lateralis muscle were taken at rest and at the time of fatigue. A 12 week training program increased skeletal muscle glycogen content and branching enzyme activities twofold. The exhaustive submaximal exercise reduced the glycogen levels of the trained group to values similar to the fatigue levels of the non-trained subjects. Skeletal muscle glycogen branching enzyme activities decreased with submaximal exercise to fatigue in all groups. Maximal exercise to fatigue resulted in small increases in the activities of the enzyme. The results of the present study and a previous study (Taylor et al. 1972. Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 50, 411–415) indicate that the activities of the glycogen synthesizing enzymes are highly correlated with the skeletal muscle resting glycogen concentration and the relative fitness of the subjects.

1989 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Martineau ◽  
I. Jacobs

The effects of intramuscular glycogen availability on human temperature regulation were studied in eight seminude subjects immersed in 18 degrees C water for 90 min or until rectal temperature (Tre) decreased to 35.5 degrees C. Each subject was immersed three times over a 3-wk period. Each immersion followed 2.5 days of a specific dietary and/or exercise regimen designed to elicit low (L), normal (N), or high (H) glycogen levels in large skeletal muscle groups. Muscle glycogen concentration was determined in biopsies taken from the vastus lateralis muscle before and after each immersion. Intramuscular glycogen concentration before the immersion was significantly different among the L, N, and H trials (P less than 0.01), averaging 247 +/- 15, 406 +/- 23, and 548 +/- 42 (SE) mmol glucose units.kg dry muscle-1, respectively. The calculated metabolic heat production during the first 30 min of immersion was significantly lower during L compared with N or H (P less than 0.05). The rate at which Tre decreased was more rapid during the L immersion than either N or H (P less than 0.05), and the time during the immersion at which Tre first began to decrease also appeared sooner during L than N or H. The results suggest that low skeletal muscle glycogen levels are associated with more rapid body cooling during water immersion in humans. Higher than normal muscle glycogen levels, however, do not increase cold tolerance.


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (3) ◽  
pp. E541-E544 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Odland ◽  
G. J. Heigenhauser ◽  
G. D. Lopaschuk ◽  
L. L. Spriet

Previous literature has indicated that contraction-induced decreases in malonyl-CoA are instrumental in the regulation of fatty acid oxidation during prolonged submaximal exercise. This study was designed to measure malonyl-CoA in human vastus lateralis muscle at rest and during submaximal exercise. Eight males and one female cycled for 70 min (10 min at 40% and 60 min at 65% maximal O2 uptake). Needle biopsies were obtained at rest and at 10 min, 20 min, and 70 min of exercise. Malonyl-CoA content in preexercise biopsy samples determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was 1.53 +/- 0.18 micromol/kg dry mass (dm). Malonyl-CoA content did not change significantly during exercise (1.39 +/- 0.21 at 10 min, 1.46 +/- 0.14 at 20 min, and 1.22 +/- 0.15 micromol/kg dm at 70 min). In contrast, malonyl-CoA content determined by HPLC in perfused rat red gastrocnemius muscle decreased significantly during 20 min of stimulation at 0.7 Hz [3.44 +/- 0.54 to 1.64 +/- 0.23 nmol/g dm, (n=9)]. We conclude that human skeletal muscle malonyl-CoA content 1) is less than reported in rat skeletal muscle at rest, 2) does not decrease with prolonged submaximal exercise, and 3) is not predictive of increased fatty acid oxidation during exercise.


2010 ◽  
Vol 299 (6) ◽  
pp. E1053-E1060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joachim Nielsen ◽  
Charlotte Suetta ◽  
Lars G. Hvid ◽  
Henrik D. Schrøder ◽  
Per Aagaard ◽  
...  

Previous studies have shown that skeletal muscle glycogen and mitochondria are distributed in distinct subcellular localizations, but the role and regulation of these subcellular localizations are unclear. In the present study, we used transmission electron microscopy to investigate the effect of disuse and aging on human skeletal muscle glycogen and mitochondria content in subsarcolemmal (SS), intermyofibrillar (IMF), and intramyofibrillar (intra) localizations. Five young (∼23 yr) and five old (∼66 yr) recreationally active men had their quadriceps muscle immobilized for 2 wk by whole leg casting. Biopsies were obtained from m. vastus lateralis before and after the immobilization period. Immobilization induced a decrement of intra glycogen content by 54% ( P < 0.001) in both age groups and in two ultrastructurally distinct fiber types, whereas the content of IMF and SS glycogen remained unchanged. A localization-dependent decrease ( P = 0.03) in mitochondria content following immobilization was found in both age groups, where SS mitochondria decreased by 33% ( P = 0.02), superficial IMF mitochondria decreased by 20% ( P = 0.05), and central IMF mitochondria remained unchanged. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate a localization-dependent adaptation to immobilization in glycogen and mitochondria content of skeletal muscles of both young and old individuals. Specifically, this suggests that short-term disuse preferentially affects glycogen particles located inside the myofibrils and that mitochondria volume plasticity can be dependent on the distance to the fiber border.


1988 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 2046-2050 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Martineau ◽  
I. Jacobs

The purpose of the present study was to clarify the importance of skeletal muscle glycogen as a fuel for shivering thermogenesis in humans during cold-water immersion. Fourteen seminude subjects were immersed to the shoulders in 18 degrees C water for 90 min or until rectal temperature (Tre) decreased to 35.5 degrees C. Biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle and venous blood samples were obtained before and immediately after the immersion. Metabolic rate increased during the immersion to 3.5 +/- 0.3 (SE) times resting values, whereas Tre decreased by 0.9 degrees C to approximately 35.8 degrees C at the end of the immersion. Intramuscular glycogen concentration in the vastus lateralis decreased from 410 +/- 15 to 332 +/- 18 mmol glucose/kg dry muscle, with each subject showing a decrease (P less than 0.001). Plasma volume decreased (P less than 0.001) markedly during the immersion (-24 +/- 1%). After correcting for this decrease, blood lactate and plasma glycerol levels increased by 60 (P less than 0.05) and 38% (P less than 0.01), respectively, whereas plasma glucose levels were reduced by 20% after the immersion (P less than 0.001). The mean expiratory exchange ratio showed a biphasic pattern, increasing initially during the first 30 min of the immersion from 0.80 +/- 0.06 to 0.85 +/- 0.05 (P less than 0.01) and decreasing thereafter toward basal values. The results demonstrate clearly that intramuscular glycogen reserves are used as a metabolic substrate to fuel intensive thermogenic shivering activity of human skeletal muscle.


1994 ◽  
Vol 267 (2) ◽  
pp. R439-R445 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Leeuwenburgh ◽  
R. Fiebig ◽  
R. Chandwaney ◽  
L. L. Ji

Glutathione (GSH) content and antioxidant enzyme activities were investigated in skeletal muscle of young, adult, and old male Fischer 344 rats. Furthermore, the effect of 10 wk of exercise training on these antioxidant systems was evaluated at all ages. In the soleus muscle, GSH concentration increased markedly with age, with no significant change in glutathione disulfide (GSSG) content. Training caused a 30% decrease of GSH (P < 0.05) in the soleus of young rats and a reduction of the GSH-to-GSSG ratio at all ages. Activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), a key enzyme for GSH uptake by muscle, was also significantly decreased with training. GSH, GSSG, and the GSH-to-GSSG ratio were not altered with aging or training in the deep portion of vastus lateralis muscle (DVL). Activities of GSH peroxidase (GPX), GSSG reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and GSH sulfur-transferase were increased significantly with aging in both soleus and DVL. In DVL, training increased GPX and SOD activities in the young rats, whereas in soleus, training decreased GR and CAT activities in the adult rats and GGT and CAT activities in the old rats. Muscle lipid peroxidation was significantly increased with aging in both DVL and soleus but was not affected by training. These data indicate that aging may cause not only an overall elevation of antioxidant enzyme activities but also a fiber-specific adaptation of GSH system in skeletal muscle. Exercise training, although increasing selective antioxidant enzymes in the young rats, does not offer additional protection against oxidative stress in the senescent muscle.


1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 634-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Poland ◽  
Jerry W. Poland ◽  
Richard N. Honey

Though glucocorticoids were previously implicated in the support of myocardial glycogen supercompensation after exercise, it was unclear why skeletal muscle glycogen did not simultaneously supercompensate since it was also exposed to the exercise-induced glucocorticoid increases. The current study shows that glucocorticoids differentially affect cardiac and skeletal muscle glycogen. Following dexamethasone administration (400 μg i.p.) myocardial glycogen peaked at 6 h while glycogen in the soleus, red vastus lateralis, and white vastus lateralis increased more slowly and reached the highest values 17 h postinjection. Concurrently, blood glucose, insulin, and glucagon remained at control levels. Liver glycogen increased within 2 h and continued to rise with a peak value at 17 h. Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels increased and remained high throughout the 26-h experimental period. High FFA levels inhibit glycogenolysis and thus could be partially responsible for glucocorticoid-induced glycogen increases. It is postulated that glycogen supercompensation does not readily occur in skeletal muscles after exercise because of the brevity of the corticosterone and FFA increases and the slowness of the skeletal muscle glycogen response to glucocorticoids.


1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 300-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Ramamani ◽  
M M Aruldhas ◽  
P Govindarajulu

Although reports on sex steroids have implicated them as promoting protein synthesis and also providing extra strength to the skeletal muscle, it remains unclear whether sex steroids affect glycogen metabolism to provide energy for skeletal muscle functions, since glycogen metabolism is one of the pathways that provides energy for the skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation cycle. The purpose of the current study was to show that testosterone and estradiol act differentially on skeletal muscles from different regions, differentially with reference to glycogen metabolism. To study this hypothesis, healthy mature male Wistar rats (90-120 days of age, weighing about 180-200 g) were castrated (a bilateral orchidectomy was performed to test the significance of skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism in the absence of testosterone). One group of castrated rats was supplemented with testosterone (100 µg/100 g body weight, i.m., for 30 days from day 31 postcastration onwards). To test whether estradiol has any effect on male skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism 17beta-estradiol (5 µg/100 g body weight, i.m., for 30 days from day 31 postcastration onwards) was administered to orchidectomized rats. To test whether these sex steroids have any differential effect on skeletal muscles from different regions, skeletal muscles from the temporal region (temporalis), muscle of mastication (masseter), forearm muscle (triceps and biceps), thigh muscle (vastus lateralis and gracilis), and calf muscle (gastrocnemius and soleus) were considered. Castration enhanced blood glucose levels and decreased glycogen stores in skeletal muscle from head, jaw, forearm, thigh, and leg regions. This was accompanied by diminished activity of glycogen synthetase and enhanced activity of muscle phosphorylase. Following testosterone supplementation to castrated rats, a normal pattern of all these parameters was maintained. Estradiol administration to castrated rats did not bring about any significant alteration in any of the parameters. The data obtained suggest a stimulatory effect of testosterone on skeletal muscle glycogenesis and an inhibitory effect on glycogenolysis. Estradiol did not play any significant role in the skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism of male rats.Key words: testosterone, estradiol, skeletal muscle, glycogen metabolism.


1976 ◽  
Vol 231 (2) ◽  
pp. 614-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
RK Conlee ◽  
MJ Rennie ◽  
WW Winder

To test whether skeletal muscle glycogen concentration is related to food consumption, glycogen content was determined in red (R) and white (W) vastus lateralis and in soleus (S) muscles from six groups of ad libitum-fed rats killed at 4-h intervals and from 24-h-fasted animals killed at 0800 and 1600 h. The animal quarters were illuminated between 0700 and 1900 h. Glycogen values exhibited a peak at 0800 h and a nadir at 2000 h. These changes bore no relationship to blood glucose and lactate or plasma free fatty acids, glucagon, insulin, and corticosterone concentrations. Fasting resulted in reductions of glycogen content of 49% (S), 47% (R), and 29% (W) in animals killed at 0800h, but at 1600h changes were only 23% (RY), 17% (W), and 8% (S). The smaller changes at 1600 h were apparently due to lower glycogen levels in the tissues of the fed animals. It was concluded that skeletal muscle exhibits a diurnal variation in glycogen content, and that, contrary to accepted belief, fating significantly alters muscle glycogen concentration.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 1655-1672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akira Uruno ◽  
Yoko Yagishita ◽  
Fumiki Katsuoka ◽  
Yasuo Kitajima ◽  
Aki Nunomiya ◽  
...  

Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor 2) contributes to the maintenance of glucose homeostasisin vivo. Nrf2 suppresses blood glucose levels by protecting pancreatic β cells from oxidative stress and improving peripheral tissue glucose utilization. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which Nrf2 contributes to the maintenance of glucose homeostasis, we generated skeletal muscle (SkM)-specificKeap1knockout (Keap1MuKO) mice that express abundant Nrf2 in their SkM and then examined Nrf2 target gene expression in that tissue. InKeap1MuKOmice, blood glucose levels were significantly downregulated and the levels of the glycogen branching enzyme (Gbe1) and muscle-type PhKα subunit (Phka1) mRNAs, along with those of the glycogen branching enzyme (GBE) and the phosphorylasebkinase α subunit (PhKα) protein, were significantly upregulated in mouse SkM. Consistent with this result, chemical Nrf2 inducers promotedGbe1andPhka1mRNA expression in both mouse SkM and C2C12 myotubes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated that Nrf2 binds theGbe1andPhka1upstream promoter regions. InKeap1MuKOmice, muscle glycogen content was strongly reduced and forced GBE expression in C2C12 myotubes promoted glucose uptake. Therefore, our results demonstrate that Nrf2 induction in SkM increases GBE and PhKα expression and reduces muscle glycogen content, resulting in improved glucose tolerance. Our results also indicate that Nrf2 differentially regulates glycogen metabolism in SkM and the liver.


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