Biochemical evaluation of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes in canine skeletal muscle.
OBJECTIVE
To perform respiratory chain enzymatic activity assays on canine skeletal muscle biopsy specimens and establish reference range values of skeletal muscle enzyme activities for dogs.


METHODS
Biopsy specimens from the vastus lateralis muscle were obtained from 24 dogs (8 sexually intact males and 14 sexually intact females) ranging from 15 months to 6 years of age.


METHODS
Mean values of citrate synthase, cytochrome-c oxidase, succinate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase-cytochrome-c reductase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) dehydrogenase, and NADH dehydrogenase-cytochrome-c reductase activities were established by use of 6 standard spectrophotometric assays for respiratory chain enzyme analysis.


RESULTS
Compared with published data for skeletal muscle enzyme activities in humans, skeletal muscle enzyme activities in dogs were 2- to 4-fold higher. Additionally, citrate synthase activity, a marker for mitochondrial volume, was positively correlated with age in dogs, suggesting that mitochondrial volume increases with age, although no apparent change in respiratory chain enzymatic activity with an increase in age was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Reference range values for skeletal muscle enzyme activities of dogs are needed to accurately interpret results of respiratory chain enzymatic activity assays. During investigation of metabolic myopathies, if skeletal muscle biopsy specimens are evaluated for respiratory chain enzyme kinetics, they should be performed and evaluated in concert with skeletal muscle biopsy specimens from clinically normal animals of the same species.
Wakshlag
Joseph J
JJ
Department of Biomedical Science and Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
Cooper
Barry J
BJ
Wakshlag
Robin R
RR
Kallfelz
Francis A
FA
Barr
Stephen C
SC
Nydam
Daryl V
DV
Dimauro
S
S
D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000378:metabolism*; D045222:Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000201:enzymology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology*; D013053:Spectrophotometry
D045222:Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins