Sprint-interval but not continuous exercise increases PGC-1α protein content and p53 phosphorylation in nuclear fractions of human skeletal muscle

Sprint interval training has been reported to induce similar or greater mitochondrial adaptations to continuous training. However, there is limited knowledge about the effects of different exercise types on the early molecular events regulating mitochondrial biogenesis. Therefore, we compared the effects of continuous and sprint interval exercise on key regulatory proteins linked to mitochondrial biogenesis in subcellular fractions of human skeletal muscle. Nineteen men, performed either 24 min of moderate-intensity continuous cycling at 63% of W-Peak (CE), or 4 x 30-s "all-out" cycling sprints (SIE). Muscle samples (vastus lateralis) were collected pre-, immediately (+0 h) and 3 (+3 h) hours postexercise. Nuclear p53 and PHF20 protein content increased at +0 h, with no difference between groups. Nuclear p53 phosphorylation and PGC-1 alpha protein content increased at +0 h after SIE, but not CE. We demonstrate an exercise-induced increase in nuclear p53 protein content, an event that may relate to greater p53 stability - as also suggested by increased PHF20 protein content. Increased nuclear p53 phosphorylation and PGC-1 alpha protein content immediately following SIE but not CE suggests these may represent important early molecular events in the exercise-induced response to exercise, and that SIE is a time-efficient and possibly superior option than CE to promote these adaptations

Ammonium chloride ingestion attenuates exercise-induced mRNA levels in human muscle

Minimizing the decrease in intracellular pH during high-intensity exercise training promotes greater improvements in mitochondrial respiration. This raises the intriguing hypothesis that pH may affect the exercise-induced transcription of genes that regulate mitochondrial biogenesis. Eight males performed 10x2-min cycle intervals at 80% VO2speak intensity on two occasions separated by ~2 weeks. Participants ingested either ammonium chloride (ACID) or calcium carbonate (PLA) the day before and on the day of the exercise trial in a randomized, counterbalanced order, using a crossover design. Biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle before and after exercise. The mRNA level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor co-activator 1α (PGC-1α), citrate synthase, cytochome c and FOXO1 was elevated at rest following ACID (P<0.05). During the PLA condition, the mRNA content of mitochondrial- and glucose-regulating proteins was elevated immediately following exercise (P<0.05). In the early phase (0-2 h) of post-exercise recovery during ACID, PGC-1α, citrate synthase, cytochome C, FOXO1, GLUT4, and HKII mRNA levels were not different from resting levels (P>0.05); the difference in PGC-1α mRNA content 2 h post-exercise between ACID and PLA was not significant (P = 0.08). Thus, metabolic acidosis abolished the early post-exercise increase of PGC-1α mRNA and the mRNA of downstream mitochondrial and glucose-regulating proteins. These findings indicate that metabolic acidosis may affect mitochondrial biogenesis, with divergent responses in resting and post-exercise skeletal muscle

Training intensity modulates changes in PGC-1α and p53 protein content and mitochondrial respiration, but not markers of mitochondrial content in human skeletal muscle

Exercise training has been associated with increased mitochondrial content and respiration. However, no study to date has compared in parallel how training at different intensities affects mitochondrial respiration and markers of mitochondrial biogenesis. Twenty-nine healthy men performed 4 wk (12 cycling sessions) of either sprint interval training [SIT; 4-10 x 30-s all-out bouts at similar to 200% of peak power output (W-Peak)], high-intensity interval training (HIIT; 4-7 x 4-min intervals at similar to 90% W-Peak), or sublactate threshold continuous training (STCT; 20-36 min at similar to 65% W-Peak). The STCT and HIIT groups were matched for total work. Resting biopsy samples (vastus lateralis) were obtained before and after training. The maximal mitochondrial respiration in permeabilized muscle fibers increased significantly only after SIT (25%). Similarly, the protein content of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator (PGC)-1 alpha, p53, and plant homeodomain finger-containing protein 20 (PHF20) increased only after SIT (60-90%). Conversely, citrate synthase activity, and the protein content of TFAM and subunits of the electron transport system complexes remained unchanged throughout. Our findings suggest that training intensity is an important factor that regulates training-induced changes in mitochondrial respiration and that there is an apparent dissociation between training-induced changes in mitochondrial respiration and mitochondrial content. Moreover, changes in the protein content of PGC-1 alpha, p53, and PHF20 are more strongly associated with training-induced changes in mitochondrial respiration than mitochondrial content

Mitochondrial adaptations to high-volume exercise training are rapidly reversed after a reduction in training volume in human skeletal muscle

Increased mitochondrial content and respiration have both been reported after exercise training. However, no study has directly compared how different training volumes influence mitochondrial respiration and markers of mitochondrial biogenesis. Ten healthy men performed high-intensity interval cycling during 3 consecutive training phases; 4 wk of normal-volume training (NVT; 3/wk), followed by 20 d of high-volume training (HVT; 2/d) and 2 wk of reduced-volume training (RVT; 5 sessions). Resting biopsy samples (vastus lateralis) were obtained at baseline and after each phase. No mitochondrial parameter changed after NVT. After HVT, mitochondrial respiration and citrate synthase activity (similar to 40-50%), as well as the protein content of electron transport system (ETS) subunits (similar to 10-40%), and that of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1 alpha), NRF1, mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), PHF20, and p53 (similar to 65-170%) all increased compared to baseline; mitochondrial specific respiration remained unchanged. After RVT, all the mitochondrial parameters measured except citrate synthase activity (similar to 36% above initial) were not significantly different compared to baseline (all P > 0.05). Our findings demonstrate that training volume is an important determinant of training-induced mitochondrial adaptations and highlight the rapid reversibility of human skeletal muscle to a reduction in training volume

Absorção de nutrientes e resposta à adubação em linhagens de tomateiro Nutrient uptake and response to fertilization of tomato inbred lines

Vinte e nove linhagens de tomateiro rasteiro foram avaliadas quanto à eficiência de absorção de nutrientes e resposta à adubação, em dois ensaios, no ano de 2006, na Embrapa Hortaliças. No primeiro ensaio aplicou-se 1/3 da dosagem de fertilizante utilizada no segundo. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com três repetições. As linhagens foram classificadas quanto à eficiência na absorção de nutrientes e reposta à adubação baseando-se nos incrementos de índice DRIS e nos incrementos de produtividade. Os valores críticos para eficiência na absorção e resposta à adubação foram as médias de incremento de índice DRIS e produtividade, respectivamente. As linhagens diferenciaram-se quanto à eficiência na absorção dos nutrientes e quanto à resposta à adubação. Foram consideradas responsivas à adubação e eficientes na absorção de nutrientes as linhagens 03, 04, 05, 09 e 22, para o N; 03, 04, 09, 13, 15 e 29, para o P; 03, 05, 10, 21, 22, 25 e 27, para o K; 05, 10, 21, 22, 25, 27 e 29, para o Ca; 04, 13, 15, 27 e 29, para o S e B; e 03, 05, 09, 10 e 27, para o Cu. As linhagens com os melhores desempenhos foram a 27, na absorção dos nutrientes, e 03, 04, 05 e 29, na responsividade à adubação.<br>Twenty nine processing tomato inbred lines were evaluated for their efficiency in nutrient uptake and in their response to fertilization. Two field assays were carried out at Embrapa Hortaliças, Brazil, with distinct fertilization dosages in 2006. In the first assay 1/3 of the total fertilization was applied when compared with the second assay. The experiments were conducted using a completely randomized design with three replications. The criteria to rank the inbred lines in both assays were the DRIS (Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System) index value and fruit yield. The critical values in order to distinguish efficient versus non-efficient as well as responsive versus non-responsive inbred lines were the average increase in both DRIS index value and fruit yield. Differences were detected among inbred lines for the uptake efficiency for all nutrients and for response to fertilization. The inbred lines 03, 40, 09 and 22 were classified as responsive to fertilization and efficient in N uptake; the lines 03, 04, 09, 13, 15 and 29 were for P; 03, 05, 10, 21, 22, 25 and 27 for K, 05, 10, 21, 22, 25, 27 and 29 for Ca; 04, 13, 15, 27 and 29 for S and B; 03, 05, 09, 10 and 27 for Cu. The inbred lines with the best performance were 27 in relation to nutrient absorption, and the lines 03, 04, 05 and 29 in relation to fertilization response