Gender-dependent differences of mitochondrial function and oxidative stress in rat skeletal muscle at rest and after exercise training

Figures & data

Table 1. Effects of gender and training on body weight at the end of the protocol.

		Body weight (g) 13 weeks old
Untrained	Male (n = 8)	422 ± 10
	Female (n = 10)	272 ± 5^$$$
Trained	Male (n = 8)	380 ± 10**
	Female (n = 10)	257 ± 3*^$$$

Notes: Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. A two-way ANOVA and the Student’s t-tests were used. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 trained vs. untrained, ^$$$P < 0.01 female vs. male.

Figure 1. Effects of gender and training on (a) oxygen consumption V_O2, (b) ATP production V_ATP, and (c) ^•OH production V_•OH rates in permeabilized gastrocnemius muscle fibers of untrained (white histogram) and trained Wistar rats (gray histogram). V_O2 and V_ATP were measured in the absence (V₀) and in the presence (V_max) of ADP and V_•OH was measured only in the presence of ADP. Values are means ± SEM. A two-way ANOVA and Student’s t-tests were used to compare trained vs. untrained and female vs. male rats. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. Nd = not detected and Nm = not measured.

Figure 2. Effects of gender and training on the vulnerability of mitochondrial function to ROS exposure. Oxygen consumption V_O2 was measured under V₀ and V_max conditions, and V_ATP under V_max conditions, in permeabilized gastrocnemius muscle fibers of untrained (white histogram) and trained rats (gray histogram). V_O2(max) and V_ATP were measured after 30 minutes of incubation in buffer A containing H₂O₂+ FeCl₂ for treated fibers and in buffer A alone for untreated fibers. The change in respiratory and ATP rates is expressed relative to fibers without H₂O₂ and FeCl₂ according to this formula: [(V_Treated−V_Untreated)/V_Untreated] × 100. Values are means ± SEM. A two-way ANOVA and the Student’s t-tests were used to compare trained vs. untrained and female vs. male rats. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.

Figure 3. Effects of gender and training on SOD (U/mg protein), CAT (H₂O₂/minute/mg protein), and Gpx(μmol NADPH oxidized/minute/mg protein) in gastrocnemius muscle of untrained (white histogram) and trained rats (gray histogram). Values are means ± SEM. A two-way ANOVA and the Student’s t-tests were used to compare trained vs. untrained and female vs. male rats, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.

Figure 4. Effects of gender and training on MDA (lipid peroxidation index) content in gastrocnemius muscle of untrained (white histogram) and trained rats (gray histogram). Values are means ± SEM. A two-way ANOVA and the Student’s t-tests were used to compare trained vs. untrained and female vs. male rats, *P < 0.05.