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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1240-1247 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 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)