Changes in serum fast and slow skeletal troponin I concentration following maximal eccentric contractions.
OBJECTIVE
We tested the hypothesis that fast skeletal muscle troponin I (fsTnI) concentration in serum would increase more than those of slow skeletal muscle troponin I (ssTnI) after eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors using a sensitive blood marker to track fibre specific muscle damage.


METHODS
Observational comparison of response in a single experimental group.


METHODS
Eight young men (26.4±6.2 years) performed 210 (35 sets of 6) eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors on an isokinetic dynamometer with one arm. Changes in serum fsTnI and ssTnI concentrations, serum creatine kinase (CK) activity, and maximal voluntary isometric contraction torque (MVIC) before and 1, 2, 3, 4 and 14 days following exercise were analysed by a Student-Newman-Keuls multiple comparison test. The relationship between serum CK activity and fsTnI or ssTnI concentrations was determined using a Pearson's product moment correlation.


RESULTS
Significant (P<0.05) decreases in MVIC and increases in serum CK activity and fsTnI were evident after exercise, but ssTnI did not change. The time course of changes in fsTnI was similar to that of CK, peaking at 4 days post-exercise, and the two were highly correlated (r=0.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Increases in serum fsTnI concentrations reflect muscle damage, and it seems likely that only fast twitch fibres were damaged by eccentric contractions.
Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. dale.chapman@ausport.gov.au
D W
DW
Chapman
J A
JA
Simpson
S
S
Iscoe
T
T
Robins
K
K
Nosaka
D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018656:Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch / Q000502:physiology*; D018657:Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch / Q000502:physiology*; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors; D019415:Torque; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; C581522:TNNI1 protein, human; C518658:TNNI2 protein, human; D019210:Troponin I; D003402:Creatine Kinase