ALCAR supplementation to unloaded soleus muscle

The effect of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) supplementation to hindlimb suspended rats has been analyzed in order to test whether this would promote the differentiation towards an oxidative phenotype of muscle fibers in soleus muscle and prevent the transformation of this slow tonic muscle towards a glycolytic, low-oxidative phenotype due to unloading condition. 3 month-old rats were daily supplemented with ALCAR concomitantly with hindlimb suspension. Validated microarray analysis for a broad range of muscle-relevant processes delineated an ALCAR-induced adjustment of the expression profile. In particular, transcript elevations of factors underlying oxidative metabolism in mitochondria and protein turnover by ribosomal and proteasomal components as well as an adaptation of voltage-gated ion channel expression were identified as an ALCAR response in soleus muscle. Keywords: ALCAR effect 21 samples total, 7 each of: 14 days age control 14-day hindlimb suspended rats 14 day hindlimb suspended rats treated with ALCAR