Influence of reduced glycogen level on glycogenolysis during short-term stimulation in man

The relationship between muscle glycogen concentration and the rate of glycogen breakdown during short, intense contraction has been investigated in man. Prior to the experiment, muscle glycogen content was manipulated by a combination of exercise and diet, and varied from 155 +/- 19 to 350 +/- 25 mmol kg-1 dry muscle (36-81 mmol kg-1 wet wt). The quadriceps femoris muscle was stimulated electrically at a frequency of 20 Hz for 1 min. The blood flow to the leg was occluded during the experiment and muscle biopsies were taken before and after 10, 30 and 60 s stimulation. Force development and glycogenolytic rate were maintained constant during electrical stimulation and similar in all conditions, irrespective of the initial glycogen concentration. The phosphorylase a fraction was increased after 10 s stimulation, but returned to the initial values at the end of the stimulation. Muscle ATP was unaltered during the first 30 s stimulation, but decreased thereafter. The decrease in ATP was accompanied by a stoichiometric increase in inosine monophosphate. Phosphocreatine decreased during stimulation and was almost depleted at the end of stimulation. Muscle lactate and glucose 6-phosphate (Glu 6-P) increased during stimulation. None of these changes was significantly affected by the reduced glycogen contents. It is concluded that the rate of muscle glycogen breakdown is not affected by the initial glycogen level in the range of 155 +/- 19 to 350 +/- 25 mmol kg-1 dry muscle.