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Researchers developed a mouse model to study skeletal muscle injury caused by exercise-induced heat stress. Male C57BL/6J mice exercising on motorized wheels at 35°C showed elevated body temperature, increased plasma myoglobin, mitochondrial damage, and oxidative stress markers compared to non-exercising controls. The model successfully reproduced key features of exertional heat injury in skeletal muscle, including ATP depletion and evidence of cellular damage.
Why it matters
This model provides a controlled experimental system to investigate the mechanisms underlying heat-related muscle injuries during exercise and to test potential preventive or therapeutic interventions. Such research could inform strategies to protect athletes, military personnel, and workers exposed to strenuous physical activity in hot environments.
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⚠️ Preprint – Noch nicht peer-reviewed
Dieser Artikel wurde noch nicht von unabhängigen Experten begutachtet. Die Ergebnisse sind vorläufig und sollten mit Vorsicht interpretiert werden.
Increased body temperature during exercise is considered a risk factor for skeletal muscle injury. There are various murine models of heat exposure-induced organ injury. The present study has attempted to develop a mouse model of skeletal muscle injury associated with exercise-induced whole body hyperthermia. C57BL/6J male mice were randomly assigned into control (CON) and exercise (EX) groups (n = 6 per group). EX group exercised on a programmed, motorized wheel, while CON group remained in a mouse cage in an environmental chamber at 35 degree C for ~3 hours. EX group showed a significantly higher average body core temperature (38.5 degree C +/- 0.3) compared to CON group (37.3 degree C +/- 0.3). Plasma myoglobin levels were significantly higher in EX group than in CON. Additionally, exercise significantly impaired skeletal muscle and mitochondria, as evidenced by elevated TBARS and caspase-3 levels and reduced ATP and Complex IV levels in gastrocnemius muscles in EX group. We developed a mouse model of exercise-induced mild whole body hyperthermia that recapitulates many key features of heat stress-induced skeletal muscle injury. This novel model will provide a useful tool for future investigation into the mechanisms of and intervention strategies for muscle exertional heat injury.
Source: Development of a mouse model to investigate the effect of exertional heat stress on skeletal muscle