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Human skeletal muscle creatine transporter mRNA and protein expression in healthy, young males and females

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Abstract

The present study investigated whether there were any differences between males and females in respect to creatine transporter (CreaT) gene expression and/or total creatine (TCr) content in human vastus lateralis muscle. Skeletal muscle obtained from young healthy male (n = 13, age: 23.2 ± 5.0 years) and female subjects (n = 12, age: 21.7 ± 4.3 years) was analyzed for CreaT mRNA, CreaT protein and TCr content. Total CreaT protein content in the muscle was similar (p > 0.05) between the sexes. Two bands (~ 55 and 73 kDa) of the CreaT protein were detected in all muscle samples. Both the 55 and the 73 kDa bands were present in similar (p > 0.05) amounts in males compared with females. The 73 kDa band was in greater abundance (p < 0.05) than the 55 kDa band, irrespective of gender. In addition, CreaT mRNA expression relative to β-actin mRNA and the TCr content (males: 117.8 ± 2.2, females: 125.3 ± 4.3 mmol.kg−1 dry mass) were also unaffected (p > 0.05) by gender. These data demonstrate that gender does not influence skeletal muscle TCr content and CreaT gene expression in young human subjects.

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Murphy, R.M., Tunstal, R.J., Mehan, K.A. et al. Human skeletal muscle creatine transporter mRNA and protein expression in healthy, young males and females. Mol Cell Biochem 244, 151–157 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022495520722

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