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Published on: September 10, 2014
Hormone-related, muscle-specific changes in protein metabolism and fiber type profile after faba bean intake
G Frühbeck1, A C Villaro, I Monreal
1Department of Human Physiology, Universitary Clinic of Navarra, University of Navarra, 31080 Pamplona, Spain. gfruhbeck@unav.es
Abstract:
Male growing Wistar rats were fed, over 15 days, isoenergetic (16.72 +/- 0.49 MJ) and isoproteic (11%) diets containing either lactalbumin or raw Vicia faba L. (Vf) as the sole source of protein. Compared with pair-fed controls (PF), soleus muscles of Vf-fed rats showed increased (P < 0.05) synthesis and breakdown rates. In addition, the soleus of Vf-fed rats displayed a decrease (P < 0.05) in type I and an increase (P < 0.01) in type IIc fibers compared with that of PF animals. On the contrary, extensor digitorum longus muscles of both Vf-fed and PF rats showed an increase (P < 0.01) in type I and a reduction (P < 0.05) in type IIb fibers together with a decrease (P < 0.05) in the cross-sectional area of the latter fibers. Vf-fed rats exhibited a significant decrease in serum insulin (P < 0.05) and thyrotropin (P < 0.01) levels, together with an increase in plasma glucagon (P < 0.05) and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (P < 0.01) concentrations, compared with the PF group. Both Vf-fed and PF rats experienced an increase in corticosterone concentrations (P < 0.01 vs. control; P < 0.05 vs. PF). The muscle-specific changes in both protein metabolism and fiber type composition may partly depend on the hormonal changes that were observed after Vf intake.
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