Reduced calcium-dependent proteinase activity in cimaterol-induced muscle hypertrophy in lambs

The purpose of this study was to reveal the possible relationships between total Ca2+-dependent proteinase (CDP) and micromolar-Ca2+-dependent proteinase (microM CDP) activity and cimaterol-induced hypertrophy of skeletal muscle. Dietary administration of 10 ppm cimaterol to finishing lambs reduced microM CDP activity in longissimus muscle (LD) by 55% (P less than .01) and 70% (P less than .02) after 3 and 6 wk of treatment, respectively. Total CDP activity was unaffected by cimaterol at both treatment intervals. The reduced microM CDP activity was not associated with a reduced yield of enzyme extract from the muscle. Cimaterol treatment increased the cross-sectional area of the LD by 23.5% at 3 wk and by 35.6% at 6 wk (P less than .001). Cimaterol also increased (P less than .001) the masses of semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris by 26%, 32.4% and 24.5%, respectively. These results suggest that cimaterol-induced muscle hypertrophy may be attained in part by reduction of myofibrillar protein degradation.