title: Changes in energy metabolism in the quadriceps femoris after a single bout of acute exhaustive swimming in rats: a ³¹P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the value of (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31)P-MRS) in in vivo assessment of exhaustive exercise-induced injury in skeletal muscle. We aimed to evaluate the value of a (31)P-MRS study using the quadriceps femoris after a single bout of acute exhaustive swimming in rats, and the correlation between (31)P-MRS and histological changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control, half-exhaustive, and exhaustive exercise groups. (31)P-MRS of the quadriceps femoris of the right lower limb was performed immediately after swimming exercise to detect Pi, PCr, and β-ATP. The Pi/PCr, Pi/β-ATP, PCr/β-ATP, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were calculated and pH measured. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic potential of (31)P-MRS in identifying and distinguishing the three groups. HE staining, electron microscopy and desmin immunostaining after imaging of the muscle were used as a reference standard. The correlation between (31)P-MRS and the mean absorbance (A value) of desmin staining were analyzed with the Pearson correlation test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) showed statistically significant intergroup differences (P < 0.05). AUCs of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were 0.905, 0.848, 0.930, and 0.930 for the control and half-exhaustive groups, while sensitivity and specificity were 90%/85%, 95%/55%, 95%/80%, and 90%/85%, respectively. The AUCs of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were 0.995, 0.980, 1.000, and 1.000 for the control and exhaustive groups, while sensitivity and specificity were 95%/90%, 100%/90%, 100%/95%, and 100%/95%, respectively. The AUCs of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were 0.735, 0.865, 0.903, and 0.903 for the half-exhaustive and exhaustive groups, while sensitivity and specificity were 80%/60%, 90%/75%, 95%/65%, and 95%/70%, respectively. In the half-exhaustive group, some muscle fibers exhibited edema in HE staining, and the unclear Z-discs and the mitochondria with vacuolar degeneration under electron microscopy. Compared with the half-exhaustive group, muscle fiber edema was increased in the exhaustive group, and the Z-discs were broken and the mitochondria exhibited marked vacuolar degeneration under electron microscopy. There were significant difference in A values of desmin staining in the right vastus lateralis among the control, half-exhaustive, and exhaustive groups with 0.58 ± 0.06, 0.30 ± 0.04, and 0.21 ± 0.02, respectively (P < 0.05). Histological examination also showed injury-induced changes in the vastus lateralis among the different intensities groups. Statistically a moderate correlation between (31)P-MRS and desmin was observed, the correlation coefficients of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) were -0.706, 0.709, -0.726, and 0.791, respectively (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (31)P-MRS can effectively reflect the changes in energy metabolism in the skeletal muscle after a single bout of acute exhaustive swimming in rats. Based on the significant correlation between (31)P-MRS parameters and histological changes, the changes of Pi, PCr, Pi/PCr, and PCr/(PCr+Pi) can indirectly reflect the degree of exercise-induced injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Yingwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China. Email: cjr.panshinong@vip.163.com.
authors.forename: Shinong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Zhian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Library, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Liqiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Chunbo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Xihu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Zaiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
authors.forename: Qiyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley