Expression of superoxide dismutase and matrix metalloproteinase type 2 in diaphragm muscles of young rats

Moderate physical activity increases antioxidant defenses, whereas intensive activity is associated with oxidative stress. In this study we investigated the expression of superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD), a major antioxidant defense enzyme, and that of the proteolytic enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in exercising muscle tissue. Treadmill running was used as a model to investigate the mechanism involved in muscle use and over use. Sprague-Dawley female rats (4 months old) were randomly assigned to 3 groups: running group I, trained at a slow speed (18 m/min; approximately 50% VO(2)), running group II, trained at a very fast speed (32 m/min; approximately 75% VO(2)), for 3 weeks, and group III - control, non-running group. Cu,Zn-SOD was measured spectrophotometrically at 320 nm by assessing the inhibition of cytochrome c reduction by xanthine oxidase. MMP-2 levels of protein and mRNA were assessed in the diaphragm by Western blotting and by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. We found that Cu,Zn-SOD level significantly decreased in the crural diaphragm muscle of rats three weeks after fast speed running, whereas it remained unchanged in the sternal diaphragm muscle three weeks after slow speed running. The expression of MMP-2 increased in both fast and slow running groups; however, it was particularly prominent in the fast twitch muscle fibers type IIb. We conclude that the crural diaphragm muscle, which contains significantly more type IIb fibers, was more affected following fast speed running than the sternal/costal diaphragm muscles, which have an equal distribution of slow twitch (type I) and fast twitch (type IIb) muscle fibers.