Screening for the Formation of Reactive Oxygen Species and of NO in Muscle Tissue and Remote Organs upon Mechanical Trauma to the Mouse Hind Limb

Abstract

Background: Until now, no systematic surveys exist in the literature on the early local and systemic generation of reactive oxygen species and of nitric oxide in response to muscle crush injury. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the formation of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide in different tissues (injured and contralateral muscle, liver, kidney, spleen and blood) that is induced by closed muscle trauma. Methods: 5, 45 and 180 min after induction of blunt trauma to the mouse gastrocnemius muscle, animals were sacrificed, tissues harvested and homogenized, and analyzed for their content of glutathione, nitrate and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. Results: The local formation of reactive oxygen species in the injured muscle started immediately upon induction of the mechanical trauma as indicated by changes in the glutathione redox balance. Liver and kidney did not show any response to trauma; however, a marked and immediate increase in the splenic nitrate content was detected, thus suggesting a specific nitric oxide-dependent response of splenic cells to injury. Conclusion: We conclude that immediately after the induction of trauma a formation of reactive oxygen species takes place at the site of crush injury. This might constitute the basis of further damage to the injured tissue by free radical-dependent mechanisms. The immediate formation of nitric oxide within the spleen upon muscle crush appears to represent a specific signalling mechanism of the body in response to distant organ injury.

The role of nitric oxide during healing of trauma to the skeletal muscle

“…The nitrite/nitrate levels did not differ between groups at either experimental time point (24 h or 7 days). Kerkweg et al [37] evaluated the local and systemic formation of ROS and nitric oxide at 5, 45 and 180 min after induction of blunt trauma to the mouse gastrocnemius muscle and demonstrated that local formation of ROS in injured muscle began immediately upon induction of mechanical trauma, as indicated by changes in the glutathione redox balance; nitrite levels, however, were not increased at these times.…”

Oxygen Consumption and Usage During Physical Exercise: The Balance Between Oxidative Stress and ROS-Dependent Adaptive Signaling

“…Interestingly, treadmill running-related overuse of tendon results in increased NO production, which has been suggested to play a role in the repair process (389). The induction of mechanical damage to gastrocnemius muscle resulted in increased NO formation and is believed to initiate the signaling process to damage repair (178).…”

The Physiological Responses to 5000 m Open Water Swimming Exercise in Children

“…22 It has been shown that the induction of mechanical damage to gastrocnemius muscle increases NO formation, which is considered to start a signaling process for damage repair. 49 In another study, it has been indicated that the concentration of NO increased throughout about 5 months of training in elite swimmers (mean aged: 21.5 years). 48 Similar variations were also observed in the salivary NO concentration and muscle injury markers such as CK.…”