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Resistance exercise with low glycogen increases p53 phosphorylation and PGC-1α mRNA in skeletal muscle

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

We determined the effect of reduced muscle glycogen availability on cellular pathways regulating mitochondrial biogenesis and substrate utilization after a bout of resistance exercise.

Methods

Eight young, recreationally trained men undertook a glycogen depletion protocol of one-leg cycling to fatigue (LOW), while the contralateral (control) leg rested (CONT). Following an overnight fast, subjects completed 8 sets of 5 unilateral leg press repetitions (REX) at 80 % 1 Repetition Maximum (1RM) on each leg. Subjects consumed 500 mL protein/CHO beverage (20 g whey + 40 g maltodextrin) upon completion of REX and 2 h later. Muscle biopsies were obtained at rest and 1 and 4 h after REX in both legs.

Results

Resting muscle glycogen was higher in the CONT than LOW leg (~384 ± 114 vs 184 ± 36 mmol kg−1 dry wt; P < 0.05), and 1 h and 4 h post-exercise (P < 0.05). Phosphorylation of p53Ser15 increased 1 h post-exercise in LOW (~115 %, P < 0.05) and was higher than CONT at this time point (~87 %, P < 0.05). p38MAPKThr180/Tyr182 phosphorylation increased 1 h post-exercise in both CONT and LOW (~800–900 %; P < 0.05) but remained above rest at 4 h only in CONT (~585 %, P < 0.05; different between legs P < 0.05). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) mRNA was elevated 4 h post-exercise in LOW (~200 %, P < 0.05; different between legs P < 0.05). There were no changes in Fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5) mRNA for CONT or LOW legs post-exercise.

Conclusion

Undertaking resistance exercise with low glycogen availability may enhance mitochondrial-related adaptations through p53 and PGC-1α-mediated signalling.

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Abbreviations

ACC:

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

CHO:

Carbohydrate

COXIV:

Cytochrome C oxidase IV

CONT:

Control

FNDC5:

Fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5

GAPDH:

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

PDK4:

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isozyme 4

PGC-1α:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α

REX:

Resistance exercise

RM:

Repetition maximum

RT-qPCR:

Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction

Tfam:

Mitochondrial transcription factor A

VEGF:

Vascular endothelial growth factor

VO2peak :

Peak oxygen uptake

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Acknowledgments

We thank Fonterra Co-Operative Group Limited, Australia for the gift of whey protein for this study. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise and Nutrition Research Group, School of Exercise Science, Australian Catholic University, 8-18 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC, 3165, Australia

    Donny M. Camera & John A. Hawley

  2. Exercise and Nutrition Research Group, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

    Donny M. Camera

  3. Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK

    John A. Hawley

  4. School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia

    Vernon G. Coffey

Authors
  1. Donny M. Camera
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  2. John A. Hawley
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  3. Vernon G. Coffey
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Correspondence to Donny M. Camera.

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Communicated by Michael Lindinger.

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Camera, D.M., Hawley, J.A. & Coffey, V.G. Resistance exercise with low glycogen increases p53 phosphorylation and PGC-1α mRNA in skeletal muscle. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 1185–1194 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3116-x

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