Home HOME General Physiology and Biophysics 2016 General Physiology and Biophysics Vol.35, No.4, p.425–432, 2016

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Quarterly, 80 pp. per issue
Founded: 1982
ISSN  1338-4325 (online)

Published in English

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General Physiology and Biophysics Vol.35, No.4, p.425–432, 2016

Title: L-arginine supplementation attenuates capillary regression without increasing integrated succinate dehydrogenase activity and VEGF expression in skeletal muscle during hindlimb unloading
Author: Kensaku Uchida, Minoru Tanaka, Hiroyo Kondo, Akihiko Ishihara, Hidemi Fujino
Abstract: Decreased capillary number is observed in atrophied muscle. The change in capillary number is regulated by angiogenic factors. L-arginine enhances expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), angiogenic factor, in skeletal muscle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of L-arginine supplementation on capillary regression during hindlimb unloading. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into four treatment groups: (1) control, (2) L-arginine supplementation, (3) hindlimb unloading, and (4) hindlimb unloading with L-arginine supplementation. Hindlimb unloading resulted in a decrease of capillary-to-muscle fibre (C/F) ratio, eNOS expression, and integrated succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity. L-arginine supplementation attenuated the decrease in both eNOS expression and C/F ratio, although it did not increase integrated SDH activity in skeletal muscle. These results indicate that L-arginine supplementation is effective for maintaining capillary number in atrophied muscle, and that elevation of eNOS expression may be one mechanism associated with these responses.
Keywords: L-arginine — Muscle atrophy — Capillary regression — Angiogenic factor
Published online: 06-Oct-2016
Year: 2016, Volume: 35, Issue: 4 Page From: 425, Page To: 432
doi:10.4149/gpb_2016016


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