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Growth hormone excess and sternohyoid muscle mechanics in rats

¹ Services de d’Oto-rhino-laryngologie, ³ Services de d’Endocrinologie, ⁶ Services de Physiologie, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, Paris, ⁴ Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U693 Hôpital de Bicêtre, Paris, ⁵ Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U894, Université Paris V Descartes, Paris, ⁷ Centre de Recherche Clinique, Centre Hospitalier Régional de Meaux, Meaux, France, and ² Dept of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerpen, Wilrijk, Belgium.

CORRESPONDENCE: Y. Lecarpentier, Service de Physiologie, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 94275, le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France. E-mail: yves.lecarpentier{at}bct.aphp.fr

Keywords: Fatigue, growth hormone, mechanics, myosin, sleep apnoea syndrome, sternohyoid muscle

Received: November 12, 2008
Accepted April 1, 2009

In vitro isotonic and isometric mechanical properties of the sternohyoid (SH) muscle, an upper airway dilator muscle, were studied in rats with a growth hormone (GH)-secreting tumour (GH tumour group; n = 10). The effects of muscle fatigue were also studied.

Stress and shortening were measured in muscles contracting from zero load up to isometric load under tetanic conditions. Isometric stress and maximum unloaded shortening velocity were determined and compared with values obtained from control rats (n = 10). Crossbridge kinetics and energetics and mechanical efficiency were calculated from Huxley’s equations.

Compared with controls, isometric stress, mechanical efficiency, crossbridge number and crossbridge single force were lower in the GH tumour group. The probability of crossbridge being in the power stroke configuration was lower in the GH tumour group than in controls. Muscle fatigue significantly impaired maximal muscle efficiency and crossbridge single force in the GH tumour group but not in controls.

In conclusion, mechanical and energetic properties of the SH muscle and crossbridge properties were worse in the GH tumour group than in controls. This may partly account for impairment of the upper airway dilator muscle function and the increased occurrence of obstructive sleep apnoea in acromegaly.