title: Skeletal muscle of female rats exhibit higher mitochondrial mass and oxidative-phosphorylative capacities compared to males.
abstract: The effect of gender and caloric restriction on mitochondrial content and oxidative-phosphorylative capacities has been investigated in rat gastrocnemius muscle. Muscle protein, mitochondrial protein and DNA contents, enzymatic activities of mitochondrial oxidative and phosphorylative system, mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes, protein levels of complex IV (subunit I and IV) and ATPase, and the gene and protein expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), involved in mitochondrial replication and transcription, were measured in rats of both genders fed ad libitum and subjected to three months of 40% caloric restriction. Compared to males, gastrocnemius muscle of female rats showed higher mitochondrial DNA and protein contents, TFAM protein level, oxidative and phosphorylative machinery and activities, and glutathione peroxidase activity. In conclusion, the present data show a clear gender dimorphism in rat muscle mitochondrial features, which could explain the higher facility of females to adapt to altered metabolic energy situations.
authors.affiliation: Grup de Metabolisme Energètic i Nutrició. Departament de Biología Fonamental i Ciències de la Salut. Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS). Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: Bartomeu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colom
authors.forename: Maria Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Alcolea
authors.forename: Adamo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roca
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: García-Palmer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000502:physiology; D001699:Biometry; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; C489030:Tfam protein, rat; D014157:Transcription Factors