title: Enterococcus faecium strain R30 increases red blood cell velocity and prevents capillary regression in the soleus of hindlimb-unloaded rats via the eNOS/VEGF pathway.
abstract: A chronic decrease in neuromuscular activity results in atrophy and capillary regression in skeletal muscles. The purposes of this study were to determine the effects of Enterococcus faecium strain R30 (R30) administration on (i) the hemodynamics of the rat soleus muscle, and (ii) the capillary regression normally associated with HU.
  
  
  
  Experiment 1: The VRBCwas measured for up to 1 hour after administration of R30 with or without the β-blocker propranolol. Experiment 2: R30 was administered daily to control and HU rats for 2 weeks. Mean capillary luminal diameter, volume, and the levels of eNOS and VEGF protein were measured.
  
  
  
  Experiment 1: VRBCwas faster 20, 40, and 60 minutes after than before the administration of R30: This effect was suppressed by propranolol administration. Experiment 2: R30 administration during HU increased capillary luminal diameter and volume and eNOS and VEGF protein levels in the soleus of HU rats.
  
  
  
  The results suggest that R30 increases VRBCin the soleus muscle via muscle sympathetic nerve activity (Experiment 1) and that R30 supplementation lessens the capillary regression normally associated with HU via the eNOS/VEGF pathway (Experiment 2).
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.affiliation: Medical Device Development Laboratories, Kaneka Corporation, Takasago, Japan.
authors.forename: Airo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tategaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maeshige
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Nagoya Women's University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Roland R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidemi
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6304-0654
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002196:Capillaries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000502:physiology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat
keywords: 3D capillary architecture; Enterococcus faecium strain R30; blood flow; muscle unloading; shear stress