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Several food constituents augment exercise-induced muscle strength improvement; however, the detailed mechanism underlying these combined effects is unknown because of the lack of a cultured cell model for evaluating the contraction-induced muscle protein synthesis level. Here, we aimed to establish a new in vitro muscle contraction model for analyzing the activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. We adopted the tetanic electric stimulation of 50 V at 100 Hz for 10 min in L6.C11 myotubes. Akt, ERK1/2, and p70S6K phosphorylation increased significantly after electrical pulse stimulation (EPS), compared to untreated cells. Next, we used this model to analyze mTORC1 signaling in combination with exercise and beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), an l-leucine metabolite. p70S6K phosphorylation increased significantly in the EPS+HMB group compared to that in the EPS-alone group. These findings show that our model could be used to analyze mTORC1 signaling and that HMB enhances muscle contraction-activated mTORC1 signaling.

Several food constituents augment exercise-induced muscle strength improvement; however, the detailed mechanism underlying these combined effects is unknown because of the lack of a cultured cell model for evaluating the contraction-induced muscle protein synthesis level. Here, we aimed to establish a new

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with burdock powder and Aspergillus awamori-fermented burdock powder at 5% on the intestinal luminal environment and body fat in rats fed a high-fat (HF) diet. Food intake and growth were unaffected by dietary manipulation. Consumption of the burdock and fermented burdock diets significantly elevated fecal IgA and mucins (indices of intestinal immune and barrier functions) and reduced fecal lithocholic acid (a risk factor for colon cancer) (p