Response of growth and myogenic factors in human skeletal muscle to strength training.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the response to different strength training techniques of growth and myogenic factors in human skeletal muscle, with particular emphasis on satellite cell (SC) activation.


METHODS
24 volunteers were divided into two groups and performed a 6-week strength training (group A trained with maximum contraction and group B had training combined with maximum contractions, ballistic movement and stretching-shortening cycles). Muscle biopsies were obtained from triceps brachii 3 days before and 7 days after training. For estimating gene expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), mechano growth factor (MGF), MyoD and myogenin, real-time RT-PCR was performed.


RESULTS
In group A, there was an increase in the 1 repeat maximum (1RM), but no change in V(max) (maximum movement velocity) and an increase in MHC (myosin heavy chain) IIa and a decrease in MHC IIx; in group B both 1RM and V(max) increased significantly along with an increase in MHC IIa and a decrease in MHC I. The MGF gene expression increased significantly in both groups (by 1160% and 59%, respectively), and IGF-1 increased only in group A (by 335%). MyoD and myogenin gene expression increased in group A (by 107% and 94%, respectively) but did not change in group B.


CONCLUSIONS
Response of growth and myogenic factors occurs during muscular adaptation to a prolonged training, and strength training with different strategies caused different responses with respect to gene expression of these factors. These results suggest that SC activation is involved in the muscular adaptation process to training and might be attributed to MHC isoform transition.
Liu
Y
Y
Section of Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Cardiology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. yuefei.liu@uniklinik-ulm.de
Heinichen
M
M
Wirth
K
K
Schmidtbleicher
D
D
Steinacker
J M
JM
D001706:Biopsy; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D017570:MyoD Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018008:Myogenin / Q000378:metabolism; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D055070:Resistance Training; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D032496:Satellite Cells, Skeletal Muscle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
D017570:MyoD Protein; D018008:Myogenin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I