Biomedical subjects

C Leeuwenburgh

Publications and source records attributed to C Leeuwenburgh.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Oxidative stress and aging. Role of exercise and its influences on antioxidant systems.

Strenuous exercise is characterized by an increased oxygen consumption and disturbance of intracellular prooxidant-antioxidant homeostasis. At least three biochemical pathways, that is, mitochondrial electron transport chain, xanthine oxidase, and polymorphoneutrophil have been identified as potential sources of intracellular free radical generation during exercise. These deleterious reactive oxygen species pose a serious threat to the cellular antioxidant defense system, such as diminished reserve of antioxidant vitamins and glutathione, and have been shown to cause oxidative damage in exercising and/or exercised muscle and other tissues. However, enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants have demonstrated great versatility and adaptability in response to acute and chronic exercise. The delicate balance between prooxidants and antioxidants during exercise may be altered with aging. Study of the complicated interaction between aging and exercise under the influence of reactive oxygen species would provide more definitive information as to how much aged individuals should be involved in physical activity and whether supplementation of nutritional antioxidants would be desirable.

Aging↗

PubMed1998

Isotope dilution mass spectrometric quantification of 3-nitrotyrosine in proteins and tissues is facilitated by reduction to 3-aminotyrosine.

Oxidative damage by reactive nitrogen species has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and other inflammatory diseases. The mechanisms of tissue damage are poorly understood, however, because the toxic intermediates are short-lived. Previous in vitro studies have suggested that 3-nitrotyrosine represents a specific marker of protein oxidation by reactive nitrogen species. The detection of this nitrated aromatic amino acid may thus serve as an indicator of tissue injury by nitrogen species in vivo. Here we describe a highly sensitive and specific analytical method for quantifying free and protein-bound 3-nitrotyrosine. The assay involves acid hydrolysis of proteins, isolation of 3-nitrotyrosine by ion exchange chromatography, and reduction of 3-nitrotyrosine to 3-aminotyrosine with dithionite. The reduced amino acid is then converted to its n-propyl, per-heptafluorobutyryl derivative and quantified by isotope dilution gas chromatography negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Attomole levels of 3-nitrotyrosine can be reproducibly measured in this manner. Quantifying 3-nitrotyrosine levels of tissues by stable isotope dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry should provide a powerful tool for exploring the impact of reactive nitrogen species on oxidative reactions in vivo.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1998

Glutathone and glutathione ethyl ester supplementation of mice alter glutathione homeostasis during exercise.

The present study examined the effect of glutathione (GSH) and glutathione ethyl ester (GSH-E) supplementation on GSH homeostasis and exercise-induced oxidative stress. Male Swiss-Webster mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: starved for 24 h and injected with GSH or GSH-E (6 mmol/kg body wt, i.p.) 1 h before exercise, starved for 24 h and injected with saline (S); and having free access to food and injected with saline (C). Half of each group of mice was killed either after an acute bout of exhaustive swimming (E) or after rest (R). Plasma GSH concentration was 100-160% (P < 0.05) higher in GSH mice vs. C or S mice at rest, whereas GSH-E injection had no effect. Plasma GSH was not affected by exercise in C or S mice, but was 44 and 34% lower (P < 0.05) in E vs. R mice with GSH or GSH-E injection, respectively. S, GSH- and GSH-E-treated mice had significantly lower liver GSH concentration and the GSH:glutathione disulfide (GSSG) ratio than C mice. Hepatic and renal GSH and the GSH:GSSG ratio were significantly lower in E vs. R mice in all groups. GSH-E-treated mice had a significantly smaller exercise-induced decrease in GSH vs. C, S, and GSH-treated mice and no difference in the GSH:GSSG ratio in the kidney. Activities of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase in the liver and kidney were not affected by either GSH treatment or exercise. GSH concentration and the GSH:GSSG ratio in quadriceps muscle were not different among C, S and GSH-treated mice, but significantly lower in GSH-E-treated mice (P < 0.05). Hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) content was greater in exercised mice in all but GSH-E-treated groups. GSH and GSH-E increased MDA levels in the kidney of E vs. R mice, but attenuated exercise-induced lipid peroxidation in muscle. Swim endurance time was approximately 2 h longer in GSH (351 +/- 22 min) and GSH-E (348 +/- 27) than S mice (237 +/- 17). We conclude that 1) acute GSH and GSH-E supplementation at the given doses does not increase tissue GSH content or redox status; 2) both GSH and GSH-E improve endurance performance and prevent muscle lipid peroxidation during prolonged exercise; and 3) while both compounds may impose a metabolic and oxidative stress to the kidney, this side effect is smaller with GSH-E supplementation.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1998

Endurance training alters antioxidant enzyme gene expression in rat skeletal muscle.

The effects of endurance training on gene expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were investigated in type 2a and 2b skeletal muscles, as well as heart and liver, in the rat. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (4 months old, 300-320 g) were randomly divided into a trained (T, n = 11) and a control (C, n = 10) group and were pair fed a diet consisting of 66% cornstarch and 34% basal diet that contained all essential nutrients. Training was conducted on a treadmill at 25 m x min(-1), 10% grade for 2 h per day, 5 days per week for 10 weeks, resulting in a 79% (p < 0.01) increase in citrate synthase activity in the deep portion of vastus lateralis muscle (DVL, type 2a). Cu-Zn SOD activity was 35% higher (p < 0.01) in DVL of T versus C rats, and Cu-Zn SOD mRNA abundance showed a 125% increase with training (p < 0.05). Cu-Zn SOD protein content was not altered in DVL, but increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the superficial portion of vastus lateralis (type 2b) with training. Trained rats showed a 66% higher (p < 0.05) Mn SOD protein content in DVL, but Mn SOD activity and mRNA abundance were not affected. Training also significantly increased GPX activity by 62% (p < 0.05), without changing its mRNA abundance, in the DVL. Heart and liver showed a 112 and 58% increase (p < 0.01) in Cu-Zn SOD mRNA abundance with training, respectively, but no other training adaptation was detected. These data indicate that endurance training can promote gene expression of muscle antioxidant enzymes in a fiber-specific manner. Training appears to upregulate Cu-Zn SOD mRNA abundance in a number of aerobic tissues, whereas Mn SOD and GPX induction observed in DVL may occur at the post-transcriptional levels.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Markers of protein oxidation by hydroxyl radical and reactive nitrogen species in tissues of aging rats.

Many lines of evidence implicate oxidative damage in aging. Possible pathways include reactions that modify aromatic amino acid residues on proteins. o-Tyrosine is a stable marker for oxidation of protein-bound phenylalanine by hydroxyl radical, whereas 3-nitrotyrosine is a marker for oxidation of protein-bound tyrosine by reactive nitrogen species. To test the hypothesis that proteins damaged by hydroxyl radical and reactive nitrogen accumulate with aging, we used isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure levels of o-tyrosine and 3-nitrotyrosine in heart, skeletal muscle, and liver from young adult (9 mo) and old (24 mo) female Long-Evans/Wistar hybrid rats. We also measured these markers in young adult and old rats that received antioxidant supplements (alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, butylated hydroxytoluene, and ascorbic acid) from the age of 5 mo. We found that aging did not significantly increase levels of protein-bound o-tyrosine or 3-nitrotyrosine in any of the tissues. Antioxidant supplementation had no effect on the levels of protein-bound o-tyrosine and 3-nitrotyrosine in either young or old animals. These observations indicate that the o-tyrosine and 3-nitrotyrosine do not increase significantly in heart, skeletal muscle, and liver in old rats, suggesting that proteins damaged by hydroxyl radical and reactive nitrogen species do not accumulate in these tissues with advancing age.

Aging↗

PubMed1997

Caloric restriction attenuates dityrosine cross-linking of cardiac and skeletal muscle proteins in aging mice.

Oxidative damage, particularly to proteins, has been widely postulated to be a major causative factor in the loss of functional capacity during senescence. The nature of the various mechanisms that may contribute to protein oxidation is only partially understood. In this study, concentrations of two markers for oxidative damage, o,o'-dityrosine and o-tyrosine, were determined using stable isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in four tissues of the mouse, namely heart, skeletal muscle, brain, and liver, during youth (4 months old), adulthood (14 months old), and old (30 months old) age. A comparison was made between mice that had access to unlimited calories with those that were restricted to 60% of the caloric intake of the ad libitum regimen. Caloric restriction of this magnitude extends the average and maximum life span of mice by approximately 40%. In vitro studies demonstrated that o,o'-dityrosine was generated selectively in proteins exposed to tyrosyl radical. o-Tyrosine increased in proteins oxidized with hydroxyl radical, which also resulted in a variable increase in o,o'-dityrosine. In mice fed ad libitum, levels of o,o'-dityrosine increased with age in cardiac and skeletal muscle but not in liver or brain. In contrast, o-tyrosine levels did not rise with age in any of the tissues examined. These results suggest that tyrosyl radical-induced protein oxidation increases selectively with age in skeletal muscle and heart. Caloric restriction prevented the increase in o,o'-dityrosine levels in cardiac and skeletal muscle but did not influence o-tyrosine levels in any of the four tissues. This selective increase in o,o'-dityrosine levels and its prevention by a life-prolonging caloric restriction regimen raise the possibility that oxidation of muscle proteins by tyrosyl radical contributes to the deterioration of cardiac and skeletal muscle function with advancing age.

Aging↗

PubMed1997

Mass spectrometric quantification of markers for protein oxidation by tyrosyl radical, copper, and hydroxyl radical in low density lipoprotein isolated from human atherosclerotic plaques.

Lipoprotein oxidation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. However, the physiologically relevant pathways mediating oxidative damage have not yet been identified. Three potential mechanisms are tyrosyl radical, hydroxyl radical, and redox active metal ions. Tyrosyl radical forms o,o'-dityrosine cross-links in proteins. The highly reactive hydroxyl radical oxidizes phenylalanine residues to o-tyrosine and m-tyrosine. Metal ions oxidize low density lipoprotein (LDL) by poorly understood pathways. To explore the involvement of tyrosyl radical, hydroxyl radical, and metal ions in atherosclerosis, we developed a highly sensitive and quantitative method for measuring levels of o, o'-dityrosine, o-tyrosine, and m-tyrosine in proteins, lipoproteins, and tissue, using stable isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We showed that o,o'-dityrosine was selectively produced in LDL oxidized with tyrosyl radical. Both o-tyrosine and o, o'-dityrosine were major products when LDL was oxidized with hydroxyl radical. Only o-tyrosine was formed in LDL oxidized with copper. Similar profiles of oxidation products were observed in bovine serum albumin oxidized with the three different systems. Applying these findings to LDL isolated from human atherosclerotic lesions, we detected a 100-fold increase in o,o'-dityrosine levels compared to those in circulating LDL. In striking contrast, levels of o-tyrosine and m-tyrosine were not elevated in LDL isolated from atherosclerotic tissue. Analysis of fatty streaks revealed a similar pattern of oxidation products; compared with normal aortic tissue, there was a selective increase in o,o'-dityrosine with no change in o-tyrosine. The detection of a selective increase of o,o'-dityrosine in LDL isolated from vascular lesions is consistent with the hypothesis that oxidative damage in human atherosclerosis is mediated in part by tyrosyl radical. In contrast, these observations do not support a role for free metal ions as catalysts of LDL oxidation in the artery wall.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Reactive nitrogen intermediates promote low density lipoprotein oxidation in human atherosclerotic intima.

Oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) may be of central importance in triggering atherosclerosis. One potential pathway involves the production of nitric oxide (NO) by vascular wall endothelial cells and macrophages. NO reacts with superoxide to form peroxynitrite (ONOO-), a potent agent of LDL oxidation in vitro. ONOO- nitrates the aromatic ring of free tyrosine to produce 3-nitrotyrosine, a stable product. To explore the role of reactive nitrogen species such as ONOO- in the pathogenesis of vascular disease, we developed a highly sensitive and specific method involving gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to quantify 3-nitrotyrosine levels in proteins. In vitro studies demonstrated that 3-nitrotyrosine was a highly specific marker for LDL oxidized by ONOO-. LDL isolated from the plasma of healthy subjects had very low levels of 3-nitrotyrosine (9 +/- 7 micromol/mol of tyrosine). In striking contrast, LDL isolated from aortic atherosclerotic intima had 90-fold higher levels (840 +/- 140 micromol/mol of tyrosine). These observations strongly support the hypothesis that reactive nitrogen species such as ONOO- form in the human artery wall and provide direct evidence for a specific reaction pathway that promotes LDL oxidation in vivo. The detection of 3-nitrotyrosine in LDL isolated from vascular lesions raises the possibility that NO, by virtue of its ability to form reactive nitrogen intermediates, may promote atherogenesis, counteracting the well-established anti-atherogenic effects of NO.

Arteries↗

PubMed1997

Rigorous swim training impairs mitochondrial function in post-ischaemic rat heart.

The effect of rigorous swim training (6 h day-1, 5 days week-1 for an average of 191 h) on mitochondrial respiratory function was investigated in rat heart subjected to in vivo ischaemia reperfusion (I-R). Mitochondria was isolated from the risk region of the left ventricle subjected to 60 min occlusion of the main left coronary artery followed by 30 min reperfusion. Heart weight and heart-to-body weight ratio was increased by 21 and 28% (P < 0.01), respectively, in the trained (T, n = 15) vs. control rats (C, n = 20). I-R per se showed minimal effect on heart mitochondria regardless of training status. In sham, state 4 respiration rate was 26 and 32% (P < 0.05) lower in T vs. C rats, using malate-pyruvate (M-P) and 2-oxoglutarate (OG) as substrates, respectively. Training also reduced state 3 respiration by 28% (M-P) and 50% (OG) (P < 0.01). The respiratory control index (RCI) was unaltered in T with M-P, but decreased with OG (P < 0.01). In vitro exposure to superoxide radicals severely reduced state 4 and 3 respiration and RCI, but T hearts showed greater reductions of state 4 and 3 rates than C. Mitochondria from T hearts also revealed a greater state 4 inhibition by H2O2 and HO. compared with C. A lower glutathione content and a higher gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity (P < 0.05) was observed in T vs. C. It is concluded that rigorous swim training impairs heart mitochondrial function, making them more susceptible to in vivo and in vitro oxidative stress, and that this damaging effect may be related to a diminished glutathione reserve.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Adaptations of glutathione antioxidant system to endurance training are tissue and muscle fiber specific.

The effect of endurance training on glutathione (GSH) status and antioxidant enzyme system was investigated in skeletal muscle, heart, and liver of female Sprague-Dawley rats pair fed an isocaloric diet. Ten weeks of treadmill training (25 m/min, 10% grade for 2 h/day, 5 days/wk) increased citrate synthase activity in the deep vastus lateralis (DVL) and soleus muscles by 79 and 39%, respectively (P < 0.01), but not in the heart or liver. In DVL, GSH content was increased 33% (P < 0.05) with training, accompanied by a 64% (P < 0.05) increase in glutamate content but no change in cysteine. Trained rats showed a 62 and 27% higher GSH peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, respectively (P < 0.05), in DVL compared with control rats. In contrast, GSH content and glutathione reductase (GR) activity in soleus declined with training (P < 0.05), whereas activities of GPX and SOD remained unchanged. Training did not alter GSH status in the liver or plasma but significantly decreased the GSH-to glutathione disulfide ratio in the heart. In addition, GR activity in the liver and GSH sulfur-transferase activity in the heart and DVL were significantly lower in the trained vs control rats DVL muscle had threefold higher gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity compared with other tissues; however no significant alteration was observed in the activity of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase or gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase in the liver, heart, or skeletal muscle. These data indicate that endurance training can cause tissue- and muscle fiber-specific adaptation of antioxidant systems and that GSH homeostasis in extrahepatic tissues may be determined by utilization and uptake of GSH via the gamma-glutamyl cycle.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1997

Fatty streak formation in fat-fed mice expressing human copper-zinc superoxide dismutase.

Studies in vitro have shown that copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) inhibits a number of events putatively involved in atherogenesis, including cell-mediated oxidation of LDL. To investigate whether increased activity of CuZn-SOD reduces atherogenesis in vivo, we examined diet-induced fatty streak formation in CuZn-SOD transgenic mice (n = 24) as compared with their nontransgenic littermates (n = 28). Transgenic animals were originally created by introduction of an EcoRI-BamHI human genomic DNA fragment containing the CuZn-SOD gene and its regulatory elements into B6SJL zygotes. For the current studies, the transgene was bred for 12 generations into the atherosclerosis-susceptible C57BL/6 background. Animals were fed atherogenic diets (15% fat, 1.25% cholesterol, 0.5% Na cholate) starting at 100 weeks of age and extending for 18 weeks. At the end of the diet period, aortic SOD activity was two-fold higher in transgenics than nontransgenics (mean +/- SE: 46.7 +/- 5.8 versus 20.1 +/- 2.4 units/mg of protein, P < .001). Levels of protein-bound amino acid oxidation products (meta-, ortho-, and dityrosine) were either similar or lower in aorta and heart from transgenics as compared with nontransgenics, suggesting that amplification of CuZn-SOD activity above the normal complement had modest inhibitory effects on basal oxidative stress in these tissues. CuZn-SOD overexpression did not reduce the extent of lesion development as analyzed by quantitative lipid staining of serial sections of the proximal aorta; mean lesion areas (+/- SE) were 997 +/- 478 and 943 +/- 221 mu 2 in transgenics and nontransgenics, respectively. Notably, the range of values for lesion area was 2.2-fold greater in transgenics (0-8403 versus 0-3868 mu 2 in nontransgenics). Moreover, within this group, lesion area showed a significant positive correlation with SOD activity (r = .611, P < .03). These results do not support an antiatherogenic effect of Cu-Zn-SOD over expression and raise the possibility that high tissue SOD activity may potentiate atherogenesis in fat-fed atherosclerosis-susceptible mice [corrected].

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1996

Effect of acute exercise on glutathione deficient heart.

The role of glutathione (GSH) in myocardial antioxidant defense was investigated in Swiss-Webster mice either performing swim exercise to exhaustion or rested in both the GSH adequate (GSH-A) and GSH deficient (GSH-D) states. GSH deficiency was accomplished by injecting mice with L-buthionine [S,R]sulfoximine (BSO; 2 nmol/kg body wt, i.p.) and providing BSO (20 mM) in drinking water for 12 days. GSH and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) contents in the GSH-D hearts were decreased to 10 and 8%, respectively, of those in the GSH-A mice. This decrease was associated with a significant decline of the total glutathione level in the liver, skeletal muscle and plasma. Myocardial GSH peroxidase and GSH sulfur-transferase activities decreased significantly following GSH deficiency, whereas superoxide dismutase activity was significantly elevated. GSH deficiency did not affect exercise endurance performance. However, exhaustive exercise decreased GSH content in the myocardium of the GSH-A and GSH-D mice by 22 and 44% (p < 0.05), respectively. The GSH:GSSG ratio was not altered significantly following exercise because of a concomitant decrease in GSSG (p < 0.05). gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase activity was significantly increased after exercise, especially in the GSH-D hearts (72%; p < 0.05). GSH content after exercise correlated negatively with exercise time in both GSH-A and GSH-D mice (p < 0.05). These data indicate that GSH is actively used in the myocardium during prolonged exercise at moderate intensity and that GSH deficiency is tolerated by the heart, possibly compensated for by an increased GSH uptake from the plasma.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Ischaemia-reperfusion induced alterations of mitochondrial function in hypertrophied rat heart.

The impact of in vivo ischaemia and ischaemia-reperfusion (I-R) on mitochondrial respiratory function was investigated in hypertrophied (HP) hearts with aortic constriction compared with control hearts using an open-chest rat surgical model. Moreover, mitochondrial susceptibility to superoxide radicals (O2-.) in vitro was examined in HP and control hearts with or without I-R. With the site I substrates pyruvate-malate, mitochondrial state 4 (basal) respiration and the respiratory control index (RCI) were not affected by either ischaemia alone or I-R in both HP and control hearts. State 3 (ADP-stimulated) respiration was increased with I-R in control hearts, but showed a reduction after I-R in the HP hearts. Exposure of mitochondria to O2-. (20 nM hypoxanthine in the presence of 0.13 unit mL-1 xanthine oxidase) significantly increased state 4 respiration, whereas state 3 respiration and RCI were decreased in all treatment groups. I-R hearts in both HP and control showed greater increases in state 4 respiration with O2-. than either sham or ischaemic hearts. HP hearts exhibited a significantly lesser extent of inhibition in state 3 respiration and RCI by O2-. compared with control hearts. These changes in mitochondrial respiratory properties were not observed with the site II substrate succinate. Myocardial reduced vs. oxidized glutathione ratio was significantly decreased after I-R in both control and HP hearts. Malondialdehyde content showed an increase with I-R, but the increase was significant only in control hearts. These data indicate that short-term in vivo I-R does not impair heart mitochondrial respiratory function, but renders the organelles more vulnerable to imposed oxidative stress. Mitochondria from the HP hearts are more resistant to free radical damage under normal and ischaemic conditions; however, this advantage is severely compromised after reperfusion.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Alteration of glutathione and antioxidant status with exercise in unfed and refed rats.

The influences of food deprivation and refeeding on glutathione (GSH) status, antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation in response to an acute bout of exercise were investigated in the liver and skeletal muscles of male Sprague-Dawley rats randomly divided into three groups: starved for 48 h without refeeding; starved for 48 h and refed for 24 or 48 h. Half of each group of rats was exercised on a treadmill until exhaustion and killed immediately, whereas the other half group was killed at rest. Food-deprived rats had significantly lower liver GSH concentration and GSH:glutathione disulfide (GSSG) ratio. Malondialdehyde concentrations in the liver and skeletal muscle were both higher in the starved than in the refed rats (P < 0.05). Refed rats had significantly greater liver GSH level, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities and plasma insulin concentration than unfed rats. Exercised 24- and 48-h refed rats had 27% and 31 % lower liver GSH (P < 0.05), respectively, and a 21 % lower GSH:GSSG ratio (P < 0.05) than their rested counterparts. Plasma insulin concentrations were significantly lower, whereas glucagon concentrations were greater in the exercised than in the rested rats. Muscle GSH concentration was significantly lower in the food-deprived than in the refed rats (P < 0.05) but was unaffected by exercise. Exercised 24-h refed rats had significantly elevated muscle GSSG concentration compared with rested rats, along with a higher GSH peroxidase and a lower gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity (P < 0.05). These data indicate that both food deprivation-refeeding and exhaustive exercise influence liver and skeletal muscle glutathione status and that these changes may be controlled by hepatic glutathione synthesis and release due to hormonal stimulation.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Glutathione depletion in rested and exercised mice: biochemical consequence and adaptation.

The effect of chronic in vivo glutathione (GSH) depletion by L-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine (BSO) on intracellular and interorgan GSH regulation was investigated in mice both at rest and after an acute bout of exhaustive swim exercise. BSO treatment for 12 days decreased concentrations of GSH in the liver, kidney, quadriceps muscle, and plasma to 28, 15, 7, and 35%, respectively, compared to GSH-adequate mice. In most tissues, with the exception of the kidney, this decrease was associated with a concomitant decrease of glutathione disulfide (GSSG) such that the GSH/GSSG ratio was maintained. GSH depletion caused adaptive changes in several enzymes related to GSH regulation, such as liver glutathione peroxidase (-25%), kidney gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (+20%), glutathione disulfide reductase (+131%) and glutathione sulfur-transferase (+53%). There was an apparent down-regulation of muscle gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (-56%) in the GSH-depleted mice, which contributed to a conservation of plasma GSH. Exhaustive exercise in the GSH-adequate state severely depleted GSH content in the liver (-55%) and kidney (-35%), whereas plasma and muscle GSH levels remained constant. However, exercise in the GSH-depleted state exacerbated GSH deficit in the liver (-57%), kidney (-33%), plasma (-65%), and muscle (-25%) in the absence of adequate reserves of liver GSH. Hepatic lipid peroxidation increased by 220 and 290%, respectively, after exhaustive exercise in the GSH-adequate and -depleted mice. We conclude that GSH homeostasis is essential for the prooxidant-antioxidant balance during prolonged physical exercise.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1994

Aging and exercise training in skeletal muscle: responses of glutathione and antioxidant enzyme systems.

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.

Aging↗