The Effect of 4-weeks’ Alcohol Supplementation on the Muscle Atrophy in Rat

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of chronic alcohol supplementation on muscle atrophy in growing rats. Eighteen male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: CG group (control group, n=9) and AG group (alcohol supplemented group, n=9). Alcohol group (3 g/kg BW) was orally supplemented every day. After the experimental period, serum components and muscle Akt, p-Akt, FoxO, p-FoxO, MuRF1, and P38 protein expressions were analyzed. In the results, the values of EDL and soleus muscle weights of AG group did not have significant differences compared to the value of the CG group. In the serum components, the value of the serum TG concentration of AG group was significantly increased compared to the value of the CG group. The value of the p-Akt/Akt and p-FoxO/FoxO of the AG group was significantly decreased compared to the value of the CG group (p<0.01). The MuRF1 protein expression of AG group was significantly increased compared to the value of the CG group (p<0.01). However, the values of p-P38/P38 between two groups did not have any significant difference. From these results, it was suggested that 4 weeks of chronic alcohol supplementation induced muscle atrophy via activated protein degradation pathway involving the inhibition of Akt phosphorylation and increased FoxO and MuRF1 protein expression of muscle in growing rats.