Wilson, Louise

Sieck, Gary C., Louise E. Wilson, Bruce D. Johnson, and Wen-Zhi Zhan. Hypothyroidism alters diaphragm muscle development. J. Appl. Physiol. 81(5): 1965–1972, 1996.—The impact of hypothyroidism (Hyp) on myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression, maximum specific force (Po), fatigability, and maximum unloaded shortening velocity ( Vo) was determined in the rat diaphragm muscle (Dia) at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of age. Hyp was induced by treating pregnant rats with 6- n-propyl-2-thiouracil (0.05% in drinking water) beginning at gestational day 10 and was confirmed by reduced plasma levels of 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine and thyroxine. MHC isoforms were separated on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels and analyzed by densitometry. Isometric Poand fatigue resistance of the Dia were measured in vitro at 26°C, and Vowas determined at 15°C with the slack test. Compared with control muscles, expression of MHC-slow was higher and expression of adult fast MHC isoforms was lower in Hyp Dia at all ages. The neonatal isoform of MHC continued to be expressed in the Hyp Dia until day 28. At each age, Poand fatigability were reduced and Vowas slower in the Hyp Dia. We conclude that Hyp-induced alterations in MHC isoform expression do not fully predict the changes in Dia contractile properties.

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between developmental transitions in myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition and changes in maximum unloaded shortening velocity (Vo) and maximum specific force (Po) of the rat diaphragm muscle. The diaphragm was excised at postnatal days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 and in adults. MHC isoform expression was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and laser densitometry. In muscle fiber bundles, Vo was determined at 15 degrees C by use of the “slack” test. Isometric Po was determined at 15 and 26 degrees C. Simple and stepwise regressions were used to evaluate the correlations between Vo, Po, and MHC phenotype transitions and the various developmental ages. The progressive increases in Vo and Po with age were found to be inversely correlated to MHC-neonatal isoform expression (r2 = -0.84 and -0.63, respectively) and positively correlated to MHC-2X (r2 = 0.78 and 0.57) and MHC-2B (r2 = 0.51 and 0.40) isoform expression (P < 0.001). Changes in MHC-neonatal isoform expression contributed to most of the developmental variance in Vo and Po, with changes in MHC-2X and MHC-2B expression also contributing significant increments to total variance. The postnatal increase in Vo most likely relates to differences in the actomyosin adenosinetriphosphatase activity between neonatal and adult fast MHC phenotypes. The increase in Po may reflect inherent differences in myofibrillar density, cross-bridge cycling kinetics, and/or the force produced per cross bridge among fibers composed of the different MHC isoforms.