Koichi Nakazato

Cross-transfer effects of resistance training with blood flow restriction.

PURPOSE This study investigated whether muscle hypertrophy-promoting effects are cross-transferred in resistance training with blood flow restriction, which has been shown to evoke strong endocrine activation. METHODS Fifteen untrained men were randomly assigned into the occlusive training group (OCC, N = 8) and the normal training group (NOR, N = 7). Both groups performed the same unilateral arm exercise (arm curl) at 50% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) without occlusion (three sets, 10 repetitions). Either the dominant or nondominant arm was randomly chosen to be trained (OCC-T, NOR-T) or to serve as a control (OCC-C, NOR-C). After the arm exercise, OCC performed leg exercise with blood flow restriction (30% of 1RM, three sets, 15-30 repetitions), whereas NOR performed the same leg exercise without occlusion. The training session was performed twice a week for 10 wk. In a separate set of experiments, acute changes in blood hormone concentrations were measured after the same leg exercises with (N = 5) and without (N = 5) occlusion. RESULTS Cross-sectional area (CSA) and isometric torque of elbow flexor muscles increased significantly in OCC-T, whereas no significant changes were observed in OCC-C, NOR-T, and NOR-C. CSA and isometric torque of thigh muscles increased significantly in OCC, whereas no significant changes were observed in NOR. Noradrenaline concentration showed a significantly larger increase after leg exercise with occlusion than after exercises without occlusion, though growth hormone and testosterone concentrations did not show significant differences between these two types of exercises. CONCLUSION The results indicate that low-intensity resistance training increases muscular size and strength when combined with resistance exercise with blood flow restriction for other muscle groups. It was suggested that any circulating factor(s) was involved in this remote effect of exercise on muscular size.

mTOR signaling response to resistance exercise is altered by chronic resistance training and detraining in skeletal muscle.

Resistance training-induced muscle anabolism and subsequent hypertrophy occur most rapidly during the early phase of training and become progressively slower over time. Currently, little is known about the intracellular signaling mechanisms underlying changes in the sensitivity of muscles to training stimuli. We investigated the changes in the exercise-induced phosphorylation of hypertrophic signaling proteins during chronic resistance training and subsequent detraining. Male rats were divided into four groups: 1 bout (1B), 12 bouts (12B), 18 bouts (18B), and detraining (DT). In the DT group, rats were subjected to 12 exercise sessions, detrained for 12 days, and then were subjected to 1 exercise session before being killed. Isometric training consisted of maximum isometric contraction, which was produced by percutaneous electrical stimulation of the gastrocnemius muscle every other day. Muscles were removed 24 h after the final exercise session. Levels of total and phosphorylated p70S6K, 4E-BP1, rpS6, and p90RSK levels were measured, and phosphorylation of p70S6K, rpS6, and p90RSK was elevated in the 1B group compared with control muscle (CON) after acute resistance exercise, whereas repeated bouts of exercise suppressed those phosphorylation in both 12B and 18B groups. Interestingly, these phosphorylation levels were restored after 12 days of detraining in the DT group. On the contrary, phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 was not altered with chronic training and detraining, indicating that, with chronic resistance training, anabolic signaling becomes less sensitive to resistance exercise stimuli but is restored after a short detraining period.

Sport-specific Characteristics of Trunk Muscles in Collegiate Wrestlers and Judokas

This study evaluated the sport-specific characteristics of the cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of trunk muscles and trunk muscle strength in wrestlers and judokas. We also examined whether their trunk muscles and muscle strength depended on athletic performance levels in each sport. The subjects comprised 14 male collegiate wrestlers and 14 judokas. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess the trunk muscle CSAs at the L3-4 level parallel to the lumbar disc space. A Biodex System3 was used to measure isokinetic trunk flexor and extensor muscle strength of peak torque, work, average torque, and average power. The absolute and relative CSAs of the trunk muscles in the wrestlers and judokas were significantly different (rectus abdominis: wrestling > judo, P < 0.05; obliques: wrestling < judo, P < 0.05; quadratus lumborum: wrestling < judo, P < 0.01). We confirmed that the absolute and relative trunk extensor and flexor strength of peak torque, work, and average torque were significantly higher in the collegiate wrestlers than in judokas. On athletic performance, the tendency of the CSAs and muscular strength of trunk muscles was not consistent with athletic performance levels in each sport. Our findings indicated that the sport-specific characteristics of the CSAs of the trunk muscles and trunk muscle strength obviously differed between the 2 similar sports. Athletes should practice the sport-specific training of trunk muscles and develop sport specificity in their sports. Particularly, wrestlers have to train in trunk flexion and extension motions, and judokas need to strengthen trunk rotation and lateral flexion motions. This information will be available for athletes as well as strength and technical training coaches in wrestling, judo, and the other sports.

Effect of very low-intensity resistance training with slow movement on muscle size and strength in healthy older adults

We previously reported that low‐intensity [50% of one repetition maximum (1RM)] resistance training with slow movement and tonic force generation (LST) causes muscle hypertrophy and strength gain in older participants. The aim of this study was to determine whether resistance training with slow movement and much more reduced intensity (30%1RM) increases muscle size and strength in older adults. Eighteen participants (60–77 years) were randomly assigned to two groups. One group performed very low‐intensity (30% 1RM) knee extension exercise with continuous muscle contraction (LST: 3‐s eccentric, 3‐s concentric, and 1‐s isometric actions with no rest between each repetition) twice a week for 12 weeks. The other group underwent intermitted muscle contraction (CON: 1‐s concentric and 1‐s eccentric actions with 1‐s rest between each repetition) for the same time period. The 1RM, isometric and isokinetic strengths, and cross‐sectional image of the mid‐thigh obtained by magnetic resonance imaging were examined before and after the intervention. LST significantly increased the cross‐sectional area of the quadriceps muscle (5·0%, P<0·001) and isometric and isokinetic knee extension strengths (P<0·05). CON failed to increase muscle size (1·1%, P = 0·12), but significantly improved its strength (P<0·05). These results indicate that even if the intensity is as low as 30% 1RM, LST can increase muscle size and strength in healthy older adults. The large total contraction time may be related to muscle hypertrophy and strength gain. LST would be useful for preventing sarcopenia in older individuals.

Ursolic acid stimulates mTORC1 signaling after resistance exercise in rat skeletal muscle

A recent study identified ursolic acid (UA) as a potent stimulator of muscle protein anabolism via PI3K/Akt signaling, thereby suggesting that UA can increase Akt-independent mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) activation induced by resistance exercise via Akt signaling. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of UA on resistance exercise-induced mTORC1 activation. The right gastrocnemius muscle of male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 11 wk was isometrically exercised via percutaneous electrical stimulation (stimulating ten 3-s contractions per set for 5 sets), while the left gastrocnemius muscle served as the control. UA or placebo (PLA; corn oil only) was injected intraperitoneally immediately after exercise. The rats were killed 1 or 6 h after the completion of exercise and the target tissues removed immediately. With placebo injection, the phosphorylation of p70(S6K) at Thr(389) increased 1 h after resistance exercise but attenuated to the control levels 6 h after the exercise. On the other hand, the augmented phosphorylation of p70(S6K) was maintained even 6 h after exercise when UA was injected immediately after exercise. A similar trend of prolonged phosphorylation was observed in PRAS40 Thr(246), whereas UA alone or resistance exercise alone did not alter its phosphorylation level at 6 h after intervention. These results indicate that UA is able to sustain resistance exercise-induced mTORC1 activity.

The order of concurrent endurance and resistance exercise modifies mTOR signaling and protein synthesis in rat skeletal muscle

Concurrent training, a combination of endurance (EE) and resistance exercise (RE) performed in succession, may compromise the muscle hypertrophic adaptations induced by RE alone. However, little is known about the molecular signaling interactions underlying the changes in skeletal muscle adaptation during concurrent training. Here, we used an animal model to investigate whether EE before or after RE affects the molecular signaling associated with muscle protein synthesis, specifically the interaction between RE-induced mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling and EE-induced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: an EE group (treadmill, 25 m/min, 60 min), an RE group (maximum isometric contraction via percutaneous electrical stimulation for 3 × 10 s, 5 sets), an EE before RE group, an EE after RE group, and a nonexercise control group. Phosphorylation of p70S6K, a marker of mTORC1 activity, was significantly increased 3 h after RE in both the EE before RE and EE after RE groups, but the increase was smaller in latter. Furthermore, protein synthesis was greatly increased 6 h after RE in the EE before RE group. Increases in the phosphorylation of AMPK and Raptor were observed only in the EE after RE group. Akt and mTOR phosphorylation were increased in both groups, with no between-group differences. Our results suggest that the last bout of exercise dictates the molecular responses and that mTORC1 signaling induced by any prior bout of RE may be downregulated by a subsequent bout of EE.

Vitamin C administration attenuates overload‐induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy in rats

This study aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin C administration on skeletal muscle hypertrophy induced by mechanical overload in rats.

Dietary apple polyphenols have preventive effects against lengthening contraction-induced muscle injuries.

We examined whether polyphenols from dietary apple have protective effects against exercise-induced muscle strain injury. Sixteen male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into the apple polyphenol (APP; N=8) and control (CON; N=8) groups. The APP and the CON groups were fed diets with and without 5% APP, respectively. After a 3-wk feeding period, the gastrocnemii of the animals were subject to lengthening contractions with electrical stimulation and forced ankle dorsiflexion. Isometric torques were measured before and after the lengthening contractions and on days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 after the contractions. On day 7, the animals were sacrificed and the gastrocnemii harvested. Thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances, protein carbonyl, and mRNA of antioxidative proteins in the muscles were quantified. The APP group had significantly lower torque deficits than the CON group on days 3, 5, and 7 after the eccentric contractions. The thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances and protein carbonyl levels in the case of the APP group were significantly lower than those in the case of the CON group. The APP group had significantly higher glutathione-S-transferase alpha1 mRNA levels than the CON group. Therefore, we conclude that dietary APPs have protective effects against lengthening contraction-induced muscle injury.

Effect of increased excursion of the ankle on the severity of acute eccentric contraction-induced strain injury in the gastrocnemius: an in vivo rat study.

Background Although muscle strain injury models are frequently employed, highly invasive procedures, including surgical intervention, are typically used to produce these models. In this study, a minimally invasive model of acute strain injury was produced with a single eccentric contraction. Hypothesis The authors tested whether the severity of strain injury in the in vivo gastrocnemius depends on the excursion of the ankle. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Animals were randomly assigned to 2 groups: a small range of motion group (90°-105°, n = 10) and a large range of motion group (90°-125°, n = 10). Tetanically activated gastrocnemius muscles with percutaneous electrical stimulation were simultaneously elongated by forced dorsiflexion of the ankle joint. Results Isometric tetanic force of the large range of motion group was significantly lower than the pretreatment control 1, 2, and 3 days after treatment. Such reduction was not observed in the small range of motion group. Apparent pathologic damage was observed in the large range of motion group throughout the study period of 10 days. Conclusions A larger range of motion causes more damage in eccentric contraction by using the in vivo model. Clinical Relevance This in vivo model is useful to elucidate mechanisms of prevention and recovery of strain injury.

The role of mTOR signalling in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass in a rodent model of resistance exercise.

Resistance exercise (RE) activates signalling by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and it has been suggested that rapamycin-sensitive mTOR signalling controls RE-induced changes in protein synthesis, ribosome biogenesis, autophagy, and the expression of peroxisome proliferator gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α). However, direct evidence to support the aforementioned relationships is lacking. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the role of rapamycin-sensitive mTOR in the RE-induced activation of muscle protein synthesis, ribosome biogenesis, PGC-1α expression and hypertrophy. The results indicated that the inhibition of rapamycin-sensitive mTOR could prevent the induction of ribosome biogenesis by RE, but it only partially inhibited the activation of muscle protein synthesis. Likewise, the inhibition of rapamycin-sensitive mTOR only partially blocked the hypertrophic effects of chronic RE. Furthermore, both acute and chronic RE promoted an increase in PGC-1α expression and these alterations were not affected by the inhibition of rapamycin-sensitive mTOR. Combined, the results from this study not only establish that rapamycin-sensitive mTOR plays an important role in the RE-induced activation of protein synthesis and the induction of hypertrophy, but they also demonstrate that additional (rapamycin-sensitive mTOR-independent) mechanisms contribute to these fundamentally important events.