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Effects of aerobic exercise training on muscle plasticity in a mouse model of cervical spinal cord injury

Authors :
Isley Jesus
Pauline Michel-Flutot
Therese B. Deramaudt
Alexia Paucard
Valentin Vanhee
Stéphane Vinit
Marcel Bonay
Source :
Scientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Nature Portfolio, 2021.

Abstract

Abstract Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) results in permanent life-altering motor and respiratory deficits. Other than mechanical ventilation for respiratory insufficiency secondary to cervical SCI, effective treatments are lacking and the development of animal models to explore new therapeutic strategies are needed. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the feasibility of using a mouse model of partial cervical spinal hemisection at the second cervical metameric segment (C2) to investigate the impact of 6 weeks training on forced exercise wheel system on locomotor/respiratory plasticity muscles. To measure run capacity locomotor and respiratory functions, incremental exercise tests and diaphragmatic electromyography were done. In addition, muscle fiber type composition and capillary distribution were assessed at 51 days following chronic C2 injury in diaphragm, extensor digitorum communis (EDC), tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus (SOL) muscles. Six-week exercise training increased the running capacity of trained SCI mice. Fiber type composition in EDC, TA and SOL muscles was not modified by our protocol of exercise. The vascularization was increased in all muscle limbs in SCI trained group. No increase in diaphragmatic electromyography amplitude of the diaphragm muscle on the side of SCI was observed, while the contraction duration was significantly decreased in sedentary group compared to trained group. Cross-sectional area of type IIa myofiber in the contralateral diaphragm side of SCI was smaller in trained group. Fiber type distribution between contralateral and ipsilateral diaphragm in SCI sedentary group was affected, while no difference was observed in trained group. In addition, the vascularization of the diaphragm side contralateral to SCI was increased in trained group. All these results suggest an increase in fatigue resistance and a contribution to the running capacity in SCI trained group. Our exercise protocol could be a promising non-invasive strategy to sustain locomotor and respiratory muscle plasticity following SCI.

Subjects

Subjects :
Medicine
Science

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20452322
Volume :
11
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Scientific Reports
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.5858fd3b5b846a1afcec76ec7cf3902
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80478-9