Resistance training and L-arginine supplementation are determinant in genomic stability, cardiac contractility and muscle mass development in rats

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 13; no. 9; p. e0204858
• Main Authors: Stefani, Giuseppe Potrick, Marmett, Bruna, Alves, Jadson Pereira, Möller, Gabriella Berwig, Heck, Thiago Gomes, Frizzo, Matias Nunes, Di Domenico, Marlise, Motta, Gabriela Almeida, Dal Lago, Pedro, Nunes, Ramiro Barcos, Rhoden, Cláudia Ramos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 27.09.2018; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Air pollution; Amino acids; Antioxidants; Arginine; Bioassays; Biology and Life Sciences; Blood levels; Body mass; Cardiovascular diseases; Cell growth; Comet assay; Damage; Damage detection; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Diet; Dietary supplements; DNA; DNA damage; Exercise; Health aspects; Health sciences; Heat shock proteins; Hemodynamics; Hypotheses; Inflammation; Isometric exercise; Laboratories; Leukocytes; Medicine and Health Sciences; Muscle contraction; Muscles; Nutrient deficiency; Physical fitness; Physical training; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Prevention; Rats; Rehabilitation; Resistance training; Rodents; Skeletal muscle; Stability; Strength training; Synergistic effect; Testosterone; Toxicity; Training; Uric acid; Ventricle; Brazil; Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204858

L-arginine supplementation has been related to increased maximum strength and improvement of hemodynamic parameters in several diseases. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of L-arginine supplementation and resistance training on muscle mass, hemodynamic function and DNA damage in healthy rats subjected to a low-arginine concentration diet. Twenty three Wistar rats (290-320g) were divided into 4 groups: Sedentary (SED-Arg, n = 6), Sedentary+Arg (SED+Arg, n = 6), Resistance Training (RT-Arg, n = 5), Resistance Training+Arg (RT+Arg, n = 6). Trained animals performed resistance training protocol in a squat apparatus adapted for rats (4 sets of 10-12 repetitions, 90s of interval, 4x/week, 65-75% of One Maximum Repetition, for 8 weeks). Comet assay was performed to measure DNA damage in leukocytes. The resistance training induced higher muscle mass in trained groups. The L-arginine supplementation increased both gastrocnemius and left ventricle to body mass ratio and increased left ventricle contractility without changing hemodynamic variables. The SED+Arg group showed higher concentration of extracellular heat shock protein 72 (eHSP72) and total testosterone, as well as lower uric acid concentration in blood versus SED-Arg group. The administration of isolated L-arginine supplementation and its association with resistance training promoted less damage in leukocytes DNA. In conclusion, the L-arginine supplementation showed synergistic effect with resistance training regarding leukocyte genomic stability in a low-L-arginine diet scenario.