Abstract
BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease characterized by airflow limitation and inflammation. Meanwhile, COPD also is associated with metabolic disorders, such as skeletal muscle weakness. Strikingly, activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) exerts critical roles in energy metabolism. However, it remains unclear whether and how the expression levels of AMPK are affected in the COPD model rats which may lead to the dysfunction of the skeletal muscle in these rats.MethodsHere we developed a rat model of COPD, and we investigated the morphological changes of peripheral skeletal muscle and measured the levels of tumor necrosis factor -α (TNF-α) and AMPK in skeletal muscle by using approaches that include immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).ResultsWe found that the expression levels of both AMPK mRNA and protein in skeletal muscles were significantly reduced in the COPD model rats, in comparison to those from the control rats, the COPD model rats that received treatments with AICAR and resveratrol, whereas the expression levels of TNF-α were elevated in COPD rats.ConclusionSuch findings indicate that AMPK may serve as a target for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of muscle weakness in COPD patients.
Highlights
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease characterized by airflow limitation and inflammation
Reduction of body weight in COPD model rats In comparison to the control rats, the body weight in COPD model rats was gradually decreased (Figure 1), suggesting that the status of energy metabolism was altered in COPD model rats which was consistent with the decrease in the body weight in COPD patient
The decreased expressions of AMPK in skeletal muscle tissues in COPD rats we examined if the expression levels of AMPK and p-AMPK were affected in the COPD model rats, in according to that AMPK plays crucial functional roles in regulating energy metabolism [15]
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease characterized by airflow limitation and inflammation. COPD is associated with metabolic disorders, such as skeletal muscle weakness. Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) exerts critical roles in energy metabolism. It remains unclear whether and how the expression levels of AMPK are affected in the COPD model rats which may lead to the dysfunction of the skeletal muscle in these rats. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by a kind of airflow limitation that is not fully reversible [1]. COPD is associated with comorbidities such as metabolic diseases, sleep apnea, anemia, weight loss and skeletal muscle weakness.
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