Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase activation in M. soleus under 14-day hindlimb unloading of rats

Functional unloading of m. soleus of male Wistar rats was found to cause a reduction in protein synthesis. The level of phosphorylation of the translation elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and the eEF2 kinase (eEF2k) activity in m. soleus after 14 days of unloading were assessed. Rats were divided into the control group (C) and the group with hindlimb unloading for 14 days (HU14). The level of eEF2 phosphorylation in group HU14 was 80%, whereas in the control is was 40%. The indices of eEF2k expression and protein content in group HU14 increased compared to group C.