Daood, Monica J.

Creatine kinase (CK) provides ATP buffering in skeletal muscle and is expressed as 1) cytosolic myofibrillar CK (M-CK) and 2) sarcomeric mitochondrial CK (ScCKmit) isoforms that differ in their subcellular localization. We compared the isometric contractile and fatigue properties of 1) control CK-sufficient (Ctl), 2) M-CK-deficient (M-CK[−/−]), and 3) combined M-CK/ScCKmit-deficient null mutant (CK[−/−]) diaphragm (Dia) to determine the effect of the absence of M-CK activity on Dia performance in vitro. Baseline contractile properties were comparable across groups except for specific force, which was ∼16% lower in CK[−/−] Dia compared with M-CK[−/−] and Ctl Dia. During repetitive activation (40 Hz, [Formula: see text] duty cycle), force declined in all three groups. This decline was significantly greater in CK[−/−] Dia compared with Ctl and M-CK[−/−] Dia. The pattern of force decline did not differ between M-CK[−/−] and Ctl Dia. We conclude that Dia isometric muscle function is not absolutely dependent on the presence of M-CK, whereas the complete absence of CK acutely impairs isometric force generation during repetitive activation.

Watchko, Jon F., Monica J. Daood, Gary C. Sieck, John J. LaBella, Bill T. Ameredes, Alan P. Koretsky, and Be Wieringa. Combined myofibrillar and mitochondrial creatine kinase deficiency impairs mouse diaphragm isotonic function. J. Appl. Physiol. 82(5): 1416–1423, 1997.—Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme central to cellular high-energy phosphate metabolism in muscle. To characterize the physiological role of CK in respiratory muscle during dynamic contractions, we compared the force-velocity relationships, power, and work output characteristics of the diaphragm (Dia) from mice with combined myofibrillar and sarcomeric mitochondrial CK deficiency (CK[−/−]) with CK-sufficient controls (Ctl). Maximum velocity of shortening was significantly lower in CK[−/−] Dia (14.1 ± 0.9 Lo/s, where Lois optimal fiber length) compared with Ctl Dia (17.5 ± 1.1 Lo/s) ( P < 0.01). Maximum power was obtained at 0.4–0.5 tetanic force in both groups; absolute maximum power (2,293 ± 138 W/m2) and work (201 ± 9 J/m2) were lower in CK[−/−] Dia compared with Ctl Dia (2,744 ± 146 W/m2and 284 ± 26 J/m2, respectively) ( P < 0.05). The ability of CK[−/−] Dia to sustain shortening during repetitive isotonic activation (75 Hz, 330-ms duration repeated each second at 0.4 tetanic force load) was markedly impaired, with CK[−/−] Dia power and work declining to zero by 37 ± 4 s, compared with 61 ± 5 s in Ctl Dia. We conclude that combined myofibrillar and sarcomeric mitochondrial CK deficiency profoundly impairs Dia power and work output, underscoring the functional importance of CK during dynamic contractions in skeletal muscle.

In the rat diaphragm muscle, the histochemical classification of type I, IIa, IIb, or IIx fibers was correlated with myosin heavy chain (MHC) immunoreactivity. Expression of MHC isoforms in single dissected fibers was also assessed electrophoretically. Most fibers (approximately 86%) expressed a single MHC isoform, and when present, coexpression of MHC-2X and MHC-2B isoforms was most prevalent. Type I and IIa fibers were the smallest, type IIb fibers were the largest, and type IIx fibers were intermediate. Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and calcium-activated myosin adenosinetriphosphatase (actomyosin ATPase) activities were measured with quantitative histochemical procedures. Type I and IIa fibers had the highest SDH activities, followed in rank order by type IIx and IIb fibers. Type I fibers had the lowest actomyosin ATPase activity, followed in rank order by type IIa, IIx, and IIb fibers. Across all fibers, there was an inverse relationship between fiber SDH activity and cross-sectional area and a positive correlation between fiber actomyosin ATPase activity and cross-sectional area. The SDH and actomyosin ATPase activities of muscle fibers were also inversely correlated. These phenotypic differences in SDH and ATPase activities may be important in determining the contractile and fatigue properties of different fiber types in the rat diaphragm muscle.

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.