title: Effects of an 8-weeks erythropoietin treatment on mitochondrial and whole body fat oxidation capacity during exercise in healthy males.
abstract: The present investigation was performed to elucidate if the non-erythropoietic ergogenic effect of a recombinant erythropoietin treatment results in an impact on skeletal muscle mitochondrial and whole body fatty acid oxidation capacity during exercise, myoglobin concentration and angiogenesis. Recombinant erythropoietin was administered by subcutaneous injections (5000 IU) in six healthy male volunteers (aged 21 ± 2 years; fat mass 18.5 ± 2.3%) over 8 weeks. The participants performed two graded cycle ergometer exercise tests before and after the intervention where VO2max and maximal fat oxidation were measured. Biopsies of the vastus lateralis muscle were obtained before and after the intervention. Recombinant erythropoietin treatment increased mitochondrial O2 flux during ADP stimulated state 3 respiration in the presence of complex I and II substrates (malate, glutamate, pyruvate, succinate) with additional electron input from β-oxidation (octanoylcarnitine) (from 60 ± 13 to 87 ± 24 pmol · s(-1) · mg(-1) P < 0.01). β-hydroxy-acyl-CoA-dehydrogenase activity was higher after treatment (P < 0.05), whereas citrate synthase activity also tended to increase (P = 0.06). Total myoglobin increased by 16.5% (P < 0.05). Capillaries per muscle area tended to increase (P = 0.07), whereas capillaries per fibre as well as the total expression of vascular endothelial growth factor remained unchanged. Whole body maximal fat oxidation was not increased after treatment. Eight weeks of recombinant erythropoietin treatment increases mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation capacity and myoglobin concentration without any effect on whole body maximal fat oxidation.
authors.affiliation: a Xlab, Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Biomedical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark.
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guadalupe-Grau
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Plenge
authors.forename: Signe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Helbo
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.forename: Peter Riis
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fago
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Belhage
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dela
authors.forename: Jørn Wulff
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Helge
mesh_terms: D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D004746:Enoyl-CoA Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006397:Hematinics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006397:Hematinics; D009211:Myoglobin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D004921:Erythropoietin; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase; D004746:Enoyl-CoA Hydratase
keywords: erythropoietin; fat oxidation; skeletal muscle