The gain in muscle mass as a result of resistance training is dependent on changes in both anabolic and catabolic reactions. A frequency of two to three exercise sessions per week is considered optimal for muscle gain in untrained individuals. Our hypothesis was that a second exercise session would enlarge the anabolic response and/or decrease the catabolic response. Eight male subjects performed resistance exercise on two occasions separated by 2 days. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis before and 15 min, 1 h, and 2 h after exercise. Exercise led to severalfold increases in phosphorylation of mTOR at Ser2448, p70 S6 kinase (p70S6k) at Ser424/Thr421 and Thr389, and ribosomal protein S6, which persisted for up to 2 h of recovery on both occasions. There was a tendency toward a larger effect of the second exercise on p70S6k and S6, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. The mRNA expression of MuRF-1, which increased after exercise, was 30% lower after the second exercise session than after the first one. MAFbx expression was not altered after exercise but downregulated 30% 48 h later, whereas myostatin expression was reduced by 45% after the first exercise and remained low until after the second exercise session. The results indicate that 1) changes in expression of genes involved in protein degradation are attenuated as a response to repetitive resistance training with minor additional increases in enzymes regulating protein synthesis and 2) the two ubiquitin ligases, MuRF-1 and MAFbx, are differently affected by the exercise as well as by repeated exercise.

Hulmi JJ, Tannerstedt J, Selä nne H, Kainulainen H, Kovanen V, Mero AA. Resistance exercise with whey protein ingestion affects mTOR signaling pathway and myostatin in men. J Appl Physiol 106: 1720 -1729. First published March 19, 2009 doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00087.2009.-Signaling pathways sense local and systemic signals and regulate muscle hypertrophy. The effects of whey protein ingestion on acute and long-term signaling responses of resistance exercise are not well known. Previously untrained young men were randomized into protein (n ϭ 9), placebo (n ϭ 9), and control (n ϭ 11) groups. Vastus lateralis (VL) muscle biopsies were taken before and 1 h and 48 h after a leg press of 5 ϫ 10 repetitions [resistance exercise (RE)] and after 21 wk (2 times per week) of resistance training (RT). Protein (15 g of whey) or nonenergetic placebo was ingested before and after a single RE bout and each RE workout throughout the RT. The protein group increased its body mass and VL muscle thickness (measured by ultrasonography) already at week 10.5 (P Ͻ 0.05). At week 21, the protein and placebo groups had similarly increased their myofiber size. No changes were observed in the nonexercised controls. However, the phosphorylation of p70 S6K and ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6) were increased at 1 h post-RE measured by Western blotting, the former being the greatest with protein ingestion. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation was increased after the RE bout and RT only in the protein group, whereas the protein ingestion prevented the post-RE decrease in phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (p-4E-BP1). Akt phosphorylation decreased after RT, whereas no change was observed in phosphorylated eukaryotic elongation factor 2. A post-RE decrease in muscle myostatin protein occurred only in the placebo group. The results indicate that resistance exercise rapidly increases mTOR signaling and may decrease myostatin protein expression in muscle and that whey protein increases and prolongs the mTOR signaling response.hypertrophy; training; nutrition; S6K1; skeletal muscle ADEQUATE MUSCLE MASS is crucial for human well-being. It is, therefore, important to identify the mechanisms that stimulate muscle hypertrophy or prevent atrophy. The most efficient way to increase the size of a skeletal muscle is by resistance training (RT) in combination with protein-containing nutrition. Muscle hypertrophy due to RT and protein nutrition seems largely to result from cumulative acute increases in muscle protein synthesis. One resistance exercise (RE) bout can within 1 h increase muscle protein synthesis (9), which can last up to 72 h after exercise (39). Protein ingestion before or after a bout of RE has been shown to significantly enhance this response (52) and be possibly more beneficial in terms of muscle hypertrophy than nutrient ingestion at other times of day (7, 11). It would thus be important to understand how protein ingestion affects pathways regulating intracellular hypertrophy of muscle in the context ...

The molecular mechanisms by which resistance exercise enlarges muscle mass, particularly the mass of fast-twitch type II fibers, are likely to involve enhanced phosphorylation/activation of key enzymes regulating protein synthesis. The hypothesis is that resistance exercise influences the phosphorylation of such key signaling proteins to a greater extent in type II than in type I fibers. Six recreationally active male subjects performed four sets of six maximal lengthening contractions with one leg. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis before and immediately after exercise and following 1 and 2 h of recovery. Samples were freeze-dried, and individual muscle fibers were dissected out and identified as type I or type II after staining for myosin ATPase. Phosphorylation of p70(S6k) on Thr(389) and S6 in type II fibers was increased three-to fourfold and six- to ninefold (P < 0.05), respectively, 1 and 2 h after exercise, whereas phosphorylation in type I fibers remained unchanged. Phosphorylation of Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was unaltered in both fiber types, whereas that of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) was attenuated 20-45% (P < 0.05) in type II fibers during recovery. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was elevated six- to sevenfold (P < 0.05) immediately after exercise, and p38 MAPK phosphorylation was increased three- to fourfold (P < 0.05) for as long as 1 h after exercise in both types of fibers, although the level was markedly higher in type II fibers (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the elevation of p70(S6k) and the reduction of eEF2 phosphorylation in the type II fibers following resistance exercise suggest stimulation of protein synthesis, which may contribute to a more pronounced enlargement of these fibers. Our findings also suggest that p70(S6k) is activated, at least in part, via pathways not involving Akt-mTOR and MAPK.