Free radical-mediated effects on skeletal muscle protein in rats treated with Fe-nitrilotriacetate

Changes in protein conformation and proteolysis in skeletal muscle of rats were studied by the induction of oxidative stress induced in vivo by ferric nitrilotriacetate (FeNTA) treatment. Useful indices of protein modification, including both protein carbonyl content and fluorescence intensity of protein hydrolysate in skeletal muscle, were increased 3 h following FeNTA treatment to rats. Western blot using anti-dinitrophenyl antibody showed oxidative modification of actin and myosin in myofibril by FeNTA. These results demonstrated that muscle proteins were modified after radical attack induced by an iron overload. Furthermore, oxidative stress induced by iron overloading resulted in enhanced degradation of myofibrillar proteins. It is suggested that muscle proteins which have been modified by oxidative stress undergo rapid removal.