Mitochondrial bioenergetics are not associated with myofibrillar protein synthesis rates.

Abstract

Background: Mitochondria represent key organelles influencing cellular homeostasis and have been implicated in the signalling events regulating protein synthesis.

Methods: We examined whether mitochondrial bioenergetics (oxidative phosphorylation and reactive oxygen species (H₂O₂) emission, ROS) measured in vitro in permeabilized muscle fibres represent regulatory factors for integrated daily muscle protein synthesis rates and skeletal muscle mass changes across the spectrum of physical activity, including free-living and bed-rest conditions: n = 19 healthy, young men (26 ± 4 years, 23.4 ± 3.3 kg/m²) and following 12 weeks of resistance-type exercise training: n = 10 healthy older men (70 ± 3 years, 25.2 ± 2.1 kg/m²). Additionally, we evaluated the direct relationship between attenuated mitochondrial ROS emission and integrated daily myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein synthesis rates in genetically modified mice (mitochondrial-targeted catalase, MCAT).

Results: Neither oxidative phosphorylation nor H₂O₂ emission were associated with muscle protein synthesis rates in healthy young men under free-living conditions or following 1 week of bed rest (both P > 0.05). Greater increases in GSSG concentration were associated with greater skeletal muscle mass loss following bed rest (r = -0.49, P < 0.05). In older men, only submaximal mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (corrected for mitochondrial content) was positively associated with myofibrillar protein synthesis rates during exercise training (r = 0.72, P < 0.05). However, changes in oxidative phosphorylation and H₂O₂ emission were not associated with changes in skeletal muscle mass following training (both P > 0.05). Additionally, MCAT mice displayed no differences in myofibrillar (2.62 ± 0.22 vs. 2.75 ± 0.15%/day) and sarcoplasmic (3.68 ± 0.35 vs. 3.54 ± 0.35%/day) protein synthesis rates when compared with wild-type mice (both P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and reactive oxygen emission do not seem to represent key factors regulating muscle protein synthesis or muscle mass regulation across the spectrum of physical activity.