Metabolic responses of rat respiratory muscles to voluntary exercise training

Voluntary wheel running for 4 or 8 wk was used to assess whether a volitional training stimulus would induce adaptations in the oxidative capacity [citrate synthase activity (CS)], glucose phosphorylation capacity [hexokinase activity (HK)], and glucose transporter protein level (GLUT-4) of rat respiratory muscles. Running distances averaged approximately 10-13 km/day over the final 5 wk of training. Peak oxygen consumption by the trained animals was 17% greater (P < 0.05) than by age-matched sedentary control animals after 8 wk. CS, HK, and GLUT-4 in soleus and plantaris muscles all increased because of exercise training. CS increased in the rectus abdominis (+17%), external oblique (+28%), and internal oblique (+17%) but not in the costal or crural diaphragm after 4 wk of training. However, after 8 wk, CS in the costal diaphragm was 39% greater than control but was unchanged in the crural diaphragm. Whereas HK was significantly greater than control in the costal diaphragm (+18%) and rectus abdominis (+54%) after 4 wk, 8 wk of running were required for increases in HK in the external oblique (+17%) and internal oblique (+14%). HK in the crural diaphragm was not significantly altered by the exercise training. GLUT-4 did not change significantly in any of the respiratory muscles studied. These results indicate that significant adaptations in the glucose phosphorylation capacity and oxidative capacity of both inspiratory and expiratory muscles can take place in response to voluntary exercise. However, this same stimulus is not sufficient to cause an adaptive response in GLUT-4 protein level in these respiratory muscles.