Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The effect of chronic physical exercise on succinic dehydrogenase activity in the heart muscle of old rats

  • Research article
  • Published:
Biogerontology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity, preferentially evidenced by cytochemical methods, has been measured by computer-assisted morphometry in the heart muscle of old sedentary and age-matched animals chronically undergone physical exercise (20 min, twice a day, 5 days a week). The area of the SDH-positive mitochondria (MA) and the overall area of the cytochemical precipitates due to SDH activity (PA) were semiautomatically measured and the ratios PA/MA as well as MA/overall myocardial tissue area analysed (MA/TA) were the parameters taken into account. No significant difference was found between the two groups investigated as regards PA/MA, whereas the MA/TA value is significantly increased in the animals undergone physical training. The present findings document that chronic physical exercise significantly increases the overall mitochondrial area involved in energy provision in the old myocardial tissue. Considering that myocardial function highly relies on mitochondrial metabolism, our results support a beneficial effect of chronic physical exercise on the old heart muscle.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ATP:

adenosinetriphosphate

MA:

area of the SDH-positive mitochondria

PA:

overall area of the cytochemical precipitates due to SDH activity

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SDH:

succinic dehydrogenase

TA:

overall myocardial tissue area analysed

References

  • PJ Adhihetty I Irrcher AM Joseph V Ljubicic DA Hood (2003) ArticleTitlePlasticity of skeletal muscle mitochondria in response to contractile activity Exp Physiol 88 IssueID1 99–107 Occurrence Handle12525859

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MF Beal BT Hyman W Koroshetz (1993) ArticleTitleDo defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism underlie the patology of neurodegenerative diseases? Trends Neurosci 16 125–131 Occurrence Handle7682343

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • C Bertoni-Freddari P Fattoretti T Casoli G Di Stefano Meier-Ruge (1996) ArticleTitleAge-dependent decrease in the activity of succinic dehydrogenase in rat CA1 pyramidal cells: a quantitative cytochemical study Mech Ageing Dev 90 53–62 Occurrence Handle8844648

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • C Bertoni-Freddari P Fattoretti T Casoli G Di Stefano M Solazzi W Meier-Ruge (2001) ArticleTitleQuantitative cytochemical mapping of mitochondrial enzymes in rat cerebella Micron 32 405–410 Occurrence Handle11070360

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • AM Bronikowski PA Carter TJ Morgan T Garland SuffixJr N Ung TD Pugh R Weindruch TA Prolla (2003) ArticleTitleLifelong voluntary exercise in the mouse prevents age-related alterations in gene expression in the heart Physiol Genomics 15 12 IssueID2 129–138

    Google Scholar 

  • D Cameron-Smith (2002) ArticleTitleExercise and skeletal muscle gene expression Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 29 IssueID3 209–213 Occurrence Handle11906485

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • GR Chalmers RR Roy VR Edgerton (1992) ArticleTitleAdaptability of the oxidative capacity of motoneurons Brain Res 570 1–10 Occurrence Handle1617401

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BW Craig SM Garthwaite JO Holloszy (1987) ArticleTitleAdipocyte insulin resistance: effects of aging, obesity, exercise and food restriction J Appl Physiol 62 95–100 Occurrence Handle3549672

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • L DiPietro (2001) ArticleTitlePhysical activity in aging: changes in patterns and their relationship to health and function J Gerontol 56 IssueID2 13–22

    Google Scholar 

  • P Fattoretti J Vecchiet G Felzani N Graciotti M Solazzi U Caselli C Bertoni-Freddari (2001) ArticleTitleSuccinic dehydrogenase activity in human muscle mitochondria during aging: a quantitative cytochemical investigation Mech Ageing Dev 122 1841–1848 Occurrence Handle11557284

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • T Finkel NJ Holbrook (2000) ArticleTitleOxidants, oxidative stress and the biology of ageing Nature 408 239–247 Occurrence Handle11089981

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SM Garthwaite H Cheng JE Bryan BW Craig JO Holloszy (1986) ArticleTitleAgeing, exercise and food restriction: effects on body composition Mech Ageing Dev 36 187–196 Occurrence Handle3784631

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • H Guski G Wassilev R Meyer H David (1980) ArticleTitleMorphometric analysis of myocardial mitochondria in rats during adaptation to exercise Cor Vasa 22 IssueID5 375–383 Occurrence Handle6451352

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • JO Holloszy EK Smith M Vining S Adams (1985) ArticleTitleEffect of voluntary exercise on longevity of rats J Appl Physiol 59 826–831 Occurrence Handle4055572

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • I Irrcher PJ Adhihetty AM Joseph V Ljubicic DA Hood (2003) ArticleTitleRegulation of mitochondrial biogenesis in muscle by endurance exercise Sports Med 33 IssueID11 783–793 Occurrence Handle12959619

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LL Ji (2001) ArticleTitleExercise at old age: does it increase or alleviate oxidative stress? Ann NY Acad Sci 928 236–247 Occurrence Handle11795515

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LL Ji (2002) ArticleTitleExercise induced modulation of antioxidant defence Ann NY Acad Sci 959 82–92 Occurrence Handle11976188

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LK Kwong RS Sohal (2000) ArticleTitleAge-related changes in activities of mitochondrial electron transport complexes in various tissue of the mouse Arch Biochem Biophys 373 IssueID1 16–22 Occurrence Handle10620319

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • JO Larsen M Skalicky A Viidik (2000) ArticleTitleDoes long-term physical exercise counteract age-related Purkinje cell loss? A stereological study of rat cerebellum J Comp Neurol 428 IssueID2 213–222 Occurrence Handle11064362

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • YD Miller DWJ Dunstan (2004) ArticleTitleThe effectiveness of physical activity interventions for the treatment of overweight and obesity and type 2 diabetes Sci Med Sport 7 IssueIDSuppl 1 52–59

    Google Scholar 

  • O Miro J Casademont E Casals M Perea A Urbano-Marquez O Rustin F Cardellach (2000) ArticleTitleAging is associated with increased lipid peroxidation in humans hearts, but not with mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme defects Cardiovasc Res 47 IssueID3 624–631 Occurrence Handle10963736

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • E Narath M Skalicky A Viidik (2001) ArticleTitleVoluntary and forced exercise influence the survival and body composition of age in male rats differently Exp Gerontol 36 1699–1711 Occurrence Handle11672990

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • EO Ojuka TE Jones DH Han M Chen JO Holloszy (2003) ArticleTitleRaising Ca2+ in L6 myotubes mimics effects of exercise on mitochondrial biogenesis in muscle FASEB J 17 IssueID6 675–681 Occurrence Handle12665481

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • FJ Penendo N Schneiderman JR Dahm JS Gonzalez (2004) ArticleTitlePhysical activity interventions in the elderly cancer and comorbidity Cancer Invest 22 IssueID1 51–67 Occurrence Handle15069763

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • ET Poehlman A Turturre N Bodkin W Cefalu S Heymsfield JO Holloszy J Kemnitz (2001) ArticleTitleCaloric restriction mimetics: physical activity and body composition changes J Gerontol 56 IssueID1 45–54

    Google Scholar 

  • SK Powers J Quindry K Hamilton (2004) ArticleTitleAging, exercise, and cardioprotection Ann NY Acad Sci 1019 462–470 Occurrence Handle15247066

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Z Radak HY Chung H Naito R Takahashi KJ Jung HJ Kim S Goto (2004) ArticleTitleAge-associated increase in oxidative stress and nuclear kappaβ activation are attenuated in rat liver by regular exercise FASEB J 18 IssueID6 749–50 Occurrence Handle14766800

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • P Rustin A Munnik A Rotig (2002) ArticleTitleSuccinate dehydrogenase and human diseases: new insights into a well-known enzyme Eur J Hum Genet 10 IssueID5 289–291 Occurrence Handle12082502

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SK Sandhu G Kaur (2003) ArticleTitleMitochondrial electron transport chain complexes in aging rat brain and limphocytes Biogerontol 4 IssueID1 19–29

    Google Scholar 

  • EH Sharman SC Bondy (2001) ArticleTitleEffects of age and dietary antioxidants on cerebral electron transport chain activity Neurobiol Aging 22 IssueID4 629–634 Occurrence Handle11445263

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • M Skalicky H Bubna-Littitz A Viidik (1996) ArticleTitleInfluence of physical exercise on aging rats: I. Life-long exercise preserves patterns of spontaneous activity Mech Ageing Dev 87 IssueID29 127–139 Occurrence Handle8783195

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • WW Spirduso DL Cronin (2001) ArticleTitleExercise dose-response effects on quality of life and independent living in older adults Med Sci Sports Exerc 33 IssueID6 S598–S610 Occurrence Handle11427784

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • JA Todd RJ Robinson (2003) ArticleTitleOsteoporosis and exercise Postgrad Med J 79 IssueID932 320–323 Occurrence Handle12840119

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRCA Research Department, Neurobiology of Aging Laboratory, Via Birarelli 8, 60121, Ancona, Italy

    Marta Balietti, Patrizia Fattoretti, Belinda Giorgetti, Yessica Grossi & Carlo Bertoni-Freddari

  2. Institute of Physiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Monika Skalicky

  3. Institute of Anatomy, University of Aarhus, 8000, Aarhus, DK, Denmark

    Andrus Viidik

Authors
  1. Marta Balietti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Patrizia Fattoretti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Monika Skalicky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Andrus Viidik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Belinda Giorgetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Yessica Grossi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Carlo Bertoni-Freddari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrizia Fattoretti.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Balietti, M., Fattoretti, P., Skalicky, M. et al. The effect of chronic physical exercise on succinic dehydrogenase activity in the heart muscle of old rats. Biogerontology 6, 95–100 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-005-3463-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-005-3463-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation