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Research article2019Peer reviewedOpen access

Limited Oxidative Stress Favors Resistance to Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Hibernating Brown Bears (Ursus Arctos)

Chazarin, Blandine; Ziemianin, Anna; Evans, AlMa L.; Meugnier, Emmanuelle; Loizon, Emmanuelle; Chery, Isabelle; Arnemo, Jon M.; Swenson, Jon E.; Gauquelin-Koch, Guillemette; Simon, Chantal; Blanc, Stephane; Lefai, Etienne; Bertile, Fabrice

Abstract

Oxidative stress, which is believed to promote muscle atrophy, has been reported to occur in a few hibernators. However, hibernating bears exhibit efficient energy savings and muscle protein sparing, despite long-term physical inactivity and fasting. We hypothesized that the regulation of the oxidant/antioxidant balance and oxidative stress could favor skeletal muscle maintenance in hibernating brown bears. We showed that increased expressions of cold-inducible proteins CIRBP and RBM3 could favor muscle mass maintenance and alleviate oxidative stress during hibernation. Downregulation of the subunits of the mitochondrial electron transfer chain complexes I, II, and III, and antioxidant enzymes, possibly due to the reduced mitochondrial content, indicated a possible reduction of the production of reactive oxygen species in the hibernating muscle. Concomitantly, the upregulation of cytosolic antioxidant systems, under the control of the transcription factor NRF2, and the maintenance of the GSH/GSSG ratio suggested that bear skeletal muscle is not under a significant oxidative insult during hibernation. Accordingly, lower levels of oxidative damage were recorded in hibernating bear skeletal muscles. These results identify mechanisms by which limited oxidative stress may underlie the resistance to skeletal muscle atrophy in hibernating brown bears. They may constitute therapeutic targets for the treatment of human muscle atrophy.

Keywords

hibernation; brown bears; skeletal muscle; cold response; oxidative stress; NRF2

Published in

Antioxidants
2019, Volume: 8, number: 9, article number: 334Publisher: MDPI

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Zoology
    Cell and Molecular Biology

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8090334

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/102197