L-Carnitine supplement reduces skeletal muscle atrophy induced by prolonged hindlimb suspension in rats

Jiwoong Jang, Jonghoon Park, Hyukki Chang, Kiwon Lim

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    19 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    L-Carnitine was recently found to downregulate the ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP) and increase insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations in animal models. However, the effect of L-carnitine administration on disuse muscle atrophy induced by hindlimb suspension has not yet been studied. Thus, we hypothesized that L-carnitine may have a protective effect on muscle atrophy induced by hindlimb suspension via the Akt1/mTOR and/or UPP. Male Wistar rats were assigned to 3 groups: hindlimb suspension group, hindlimb suspension with L-carnitine administration (1250 mg.kg-1.day-1) group, and pair-fed group adjusted hindlimb suspension. L-Carnitine administration for 2 weeks of hindlimb suspension alleviated the decrease in weight and fiber size in the soleus muscle. In addition, L-carnitine suppressed atrogin-1 mRNA expression, which has been reported to play a pivotal role in muscle atrophy. The present study shows that L-carnitine has a protective effect against soleus muscle atrophy caused by hindlimb suspension and decreased E3 ligase messenger RNA expression, suggesting the possibility that L-carnitine protects against muscle atrophy, at least in part, through the inhibition of the UPP. These observations suggest that L-carnitine could serve as an effective supplement in the decrease of muscle atrophy caused by weightlessness in the fields of clinical and rehabilitative research.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1240-1247
    Number of pages8
    JournalApplied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism
    Volume41
    Issue number12
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2016

    Bibliographical note

    Publisher Copyright:
    © 2016, Canadian Science Publishing. All rights reserved.

    Keywords

    • Catabolic condition
    • Hindlimb suspension
    • L-carnitine
    • Muscle atrophy
    • Muscle-specific ubiquitin E3 ligases
    • Weightless

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
    • Physiology
    • Nutrition and Dietetics
    • Physiology (medical)

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