Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of overtraining on skeletal muscle
growth and growth-related gene expression. The rats of overtraining group (OT) and
overtraining recovery group (OTR) were subject to 11 experimental weeks of overtraining
protocol. It was found that the absolute gastrocnemius muscle wet weight of the OT
group was significantly lower than that of the sedentary group (23.6%, P<0.01). Serum
creatine kinase was significantly higher in the OT and OTR groups than the sedentary
group. CD68, CD163, MyoD, myogenin, IL-1β, TNF-α, IGF-I and MGF mRNA did not change
in the OT group as compared with the sedentary group. IL-6 and TGF-β1 mRNA in the
OT group increased significantly as compared with the sedentary group (2.17 fold and
1.78 fold, respectively; P<0.01). IL-10 mRNA decreased significantly in the OT group
(63%, P<0.01) and the OTR group (77%, P<0.01) compared to the sedentary group. COX-2
mRNA decreased significantly in the OT group (60%, P<0.01) and the OTR group (69%,
P<0.01) from the sedentary group. uPA mRNA in the OT group was significantly lower
than that in the sedentary group (32%, P<0.01). These data suggest that inflammatory
cytokines, COX-2 and uPA may play roles in the inhibition of skeletal muscle growth
induced by overtraining.
Key words
overtraining - skeletal muscle - growth - cyclooxygenase-2 - urokinase-type plasminogen
activator - inflammatory cytokines