| Striated muscle is a prominent tissue within the human body, therefore, research into its regulation is important for determining its role in a multitude of physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Apoptosis is a highly conserved, well orchestrated form of programmed cell death. This process has been implicated in skeletal muscle atrophy as well as cardiovascular disease. Apoptosis may be triggered by elevations in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Conversely, chronic exercise has been shown to reduce ROS production and lead to a reduction in apoptotic potential. To assess differences in apoptotic signalling as a result of exercise, we treated isolated soleus and cardiac muscles from endurance trained and control animals with H2O 2, an oxidative stress mimetic. We observed that H2O 2 can induce apoptotic signalling ex vivo, and that training can attenuate both basal apoptotic protein expression as well as oxidative stress-induced signalling. These results highlight the protective effect of exercise against apoptosis. |
