Effect of regular exercise during recovery period following steroid treatment on the atrophied hindlimb muscles induced by steroid in rats

스테로이드 치료 후 회복기의 규칙적인 운동이 쥐의 스테로이드 유발성 위축 뒷다리근에 미치는 영향

This study was conducted to determine whether low intensity regular exercise following steroid treatment could attenuate steroid-induced muscle atrophy. Thirty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats weighing $165{\sim}175g$ were divided into six groups ; control group(C), dexamethasone administration group(D), sedentary normal saline administration group(C+Se), exercise after normal saline administration group(C+Ex), sedentary group after dexamethasone administration(D+Se), exercise group after dexamethasone administration(D+Ex). Either dexamethasone(5mg/kg) or normal saline was injected for 7days accordingly. Exercise was started at 10m/min on the $10^{\circ}$ grade treadmill and gradually increased up to 15m/min by the 7th day for 60minutes/day($20min{\times}3$). The data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test using the SPSS WIN 9.0 program. Body weight, muscle weight and myofibrillar protein content of both plantaris and gastrocnemius, Type I, II muscle fiber cross-sectional area of plantaris, and Type II muscle fiber cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius in D group were significantly lower than those of C group(p<0.05) respectively. Hindlimb muscle weight, myofibrillar protein content of both plantaris and gastrocnemius. Type I muscle fiber cross-sectional area of soleus and Type I, II muscle fiber cross-sectional area of plantaris in D+Ex group tended to increase compared to those of D+Se group. Myofibrillar protein content of both plantaris and gastrocnemius, Type I muscle fiber cross-sectional area of plantaris in D+Ex group tended to increase compared to those of C+Se group. Based on these results, it is suggested that regular low-intensity exercise during recovery period after steroid treatment might facilitate the recovery from steroid-induced muscle atrophy.