Martinez, Daniel A.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of acute (3 days) unilateral diaphragm denervation (DNV) on 1) levels of alpha 1(I) and alpha 1(III) procollagen mRNA; 2) collagen concentration [hydroxyproline (HYP)]; 3) amount of the nonreducible collagen cross-link hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP); and 4) the passive force-length relationship of the muscle. The levels of alpha 1(I) and alpha 1(III) procollagen mRNA, HYP concentration, and amount of HP were measured in muscle segments from the midcostal region of DNV and intact (INT) hemidiaphragms of adult male Fischer 344 rats (250–300 g). The in vitro passive force-length relationship of DNV and INT hemidiaphragm was determined by lengthening and shortening the diaphragm muscle segments from 85 to 115% of optimal length at a constant velocity (0.6 optimal length/s). Three days after DNV, the level of alpha 1(I) procollagen mRNA was increased over 15-fold in the DNV hemidiaphragm compared with INT (P < 0.05), whereas the level of alpha 1(III) procollagen mRNA was increased by approximately sixfold in the DNV hemidiaphragm compared with INT (P < 0.05). Collagen (HYP) concentration did not differ between groups, averaging 8.7 and 8.9 micrograms/mg dry wt for the DNV and INT hemidiaphragms, respectively. In addition, there was no difference in the amount of the mature nonreducible collagen cross-link HP between the DNV and INT hemidiaphragms (0.66 vs. 0.76 mole HP/mole collagen, respectively). The amount of passive force developed during lengthening did not differ between DNV and INT hemidiaphragms. These data indicate that acute DNV of the hemidiaphragm is associated with an increase in the mRNA level of the two principal fibrillar collagen phenotypes in skeletal muscle. However, despite extensive muscle remodeling, the passive force-length relationship of the DNV hemidiaphragm is unaffected compared with the INT muscle.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of aging on collagen concentration and extent of nonreducible collagen cross-linking as well as with the passive length-force relationship of the diaphragm muscle. Midcostal diaphragm muscle strips from young (6 mo) and senescent (24 mo) Fischer 344 rats were perfused in a tissue bath containing mammalian Ringers solution (25 degrees C) aerated with 95% O2–5% CO2. The segments were lengthened and shortened from 85 to 115% of optimal length (L(o)) at a constant velocity (0.6 L(o)/s), and the passive force was measured. Hydroxyproline (HYP) and the mature nonreducible collagen cross-link, hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP), were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The resting force at Lo did not differ between young and senescent diaphragm muscles. However, the senescent diaphragm exhibited greater passive force compared with the young (P < 0.05) at lengths > 110% of L(o). High-pressure liquid chromatography analysis revealed a higher concentration of HYP in the senescent compared with the young diaphragm (9.32 +/- 0.83 and 6.59 +/- 0.78 g HYP/mg dry wt, respectively; P < 0.05). Additionally, the content of HP was greater in the senescent compared with the young diaphragm (1.16 +/- 0.05 and 0.91 +/- 0.05 mol HP/mol collagen, respectively; P < 0.05). These results suggest that diaphragm collagen metabolism, maturation, and the passive length-force characteristics of the muscle are altered with senescence.

The effect of growth on the relative interstitial space [%total cross-sectional area (CSA)] and collagen content of the rat diaphragm muscle was examined at postnatal ages of 0, 7, 14, and 21 days as well as in adult males. The proportion of interstitial space relative to total muscle CSA was determined by computerized image analysis of lectin-stained cross sections of diaphragm muscle. To assess collagen content and extent of collagen maturation (i.e., cross-linking), high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis was used to measure hydroxyproline concentration and the nonreducible collagen cross-link hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP), respectively. At birth, interstitial space accounted for approximately 47% of total diaphragm muscle CSA. During postnatal growth, the relative contribution of interstitial space decreased such that by adulthood the interstitial space accounted for approximately 18% of total muscle CSA. The change in relative interstitial space occurred without a concomitant change in hydroxyproline concentration. However, the concentration of HP markedly increased with age such that the adult diaphragm contained approximately 17 times more HP than at birth. These results indicate that during development the relative CSA occupied by interstitial space decreases as muscle fiber size increases. However, the reduction in relative interstitial space is not associated with a change in collagen concentration. Thus collagen density in the interstitial space may increase with age. It is possible that the observed changes in relative interstitial space and collagen influence the passive length-force properties of the diaphragm.