Functional animal proteins activate mTOR and bind pro-inflammatory compounds

Abstract

Background Protein supplementation in addition to resistance training has been shown to increase muscle hypertrophy and lean mass. Supplemental protein sources differ in amino acid composition, size, structure, and functionality. Animal derived proteins sources such as Beef Protein Isolate (BeefISO), Serum Albumin Concentrate (SuperSerum), Serum Protein Concentrate (SerumPro), whey protein isolate (WPI), and hydrolyzed Chicken Protein Isolate (MyoCHX) each have high-quality amino acid profiles. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signal pathway is a nutrient sensor whose activation is associated with muscle protein synthesis. In this work, mTOR pathway activation was shown by Western blot to demonstrate bioavailability of protein preparations. Protein functionality was demonstrated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding to prevent antigen induced inflammatory signaling. Systemic inflammation has been shown to negatively impact athletic performance, suggesting protein preparations which can stimulate muscle protein synthesis and reduce inflammation may be advantageous following resistance training.