Ciliary neurotrophic factor prevents unweighting-induced functional changes in rat soleus muscle

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) Vol. 88; no. 5; pp. 1623 - 1630
• Main Authors: Fraysse, B, Guillet, C, Huchet-Cadiou, C, Camerino, D. Conte, Gascan, H, Leoty, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Am Physiological Soc 01.05.2000; American Physiological Society
• Subjects: Anatomy & physiology; Animals; Atrophy; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight - physiology; Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor - pharmacology; Flow rates; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hindlimb Suspension; Isometric Contraction - drug effects; Isometric Contraction - physiology; Male; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Muscular system; Neurology; Potassium - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Rodents; Striated muscle. Tendons; Vertebrates: osteoarticular system, musculoskeletal system; Weightlessness; Rat; Rodentia; Environmental factor; Weightlessness; Striated muscle; Ciliary neurotrophic factor; Soleus muscle; Atrophy; Prevention; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Simulation; Microgravity; Biological receptor
• ISSN: 8750-7587; 1522-1601
• DOI: 10.1152/jappl.2000.88.5.1623

1  Laboratoire de Physiologie Générale, Faculté des Sciences Nantes, 4322 Nantes Cedex 3; 2  Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U298, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Angers, 49033 Angers Cedex, France; and 3  Unità di Farmacologia, Dipartimento Farmacobilogico, Università degli Studi di Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy The purpose of the present work was to see whether changes in rat soleus characteristics due to 3 wk of hindlimb suspension could be modified by ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) treatment. Throughout the tail suspension period, the cytokine was delivered by means of an osmotic pump (flow rate 16 µg · kg 1 · h 1 ) implanted under the hindlimb skin. In contrast to extensor digitorum longus, CNTF treatment was able to reduce unweighting-induced atrophy in the soleus. Twitch and 146 mM potassium (K) tensions, measured in small bundles of unloaded soleus, decreased by 48   and 40%, respectively. Moreover, the time to peak tension and the time constant of relaxation of the twitch were 48 and 54% faster, respectively, in unloaded soleus than in normal muscle. On the contrary, twitch and 146 mM K contracture generated in CNTF-treated unloaded and normal soleus were not different. CNTF receptor- mRNA expression increased in extensor digitorum longus and soleus unloaded nontreated muscles but was similar in CNTF-treated unloaded muscles. The present results demonstrate that exogenously provided CNTF could prevent functional changes occurring in soleus innervated muscle subject to unweighting. ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor- ; mammalian skeletal muscle; hindlimb unweighting