Chronic Heat Exposure Alters Protein Turnover of Three Different Skeletal Muscles in Finishing Broiler Chickens Fed 20 or 25% Protein Diets

Heat-exposed chickens exhibit a lower growth rate and a depressed protein retention which may result from an alteration in protein metabolism. A high-protein diet seems to be beneficial under hot conditions because it tends to improve growth. Effects of high ambient temperature (32 vs. 22°C) and dietary crude protein (25 vs. 20%) on muscle protein turnover were investigated in finishing broiler chickens. At 5-6 wk of age, protein synthesis was measured in vivo in the Pectoralis major, Sartorius and Gastrocnemius muscles (flooding dose of [ 3 H]-phenylalanine). Protein breakdown was determined in the same muscles as the difference between protein synthesis and deposition. Chronic heat stress markedly reduced protein synthesis, irrespective of muscle type (P < 0.05). This was mainly related to the lower capacity for protein synthesis (muscle RNA/Protein) (P < 0.01). Chronic heat exposure also decreased protein breakdown in the P. major and Sartorius; this effect was not observed in the Gastrocnemius. Protein synthesis was more affected than breakdown, leading to reduced protein deposition, at least in the P. major and Gastrocnemius muscles. Increasing dietary protein content had no significant impact on muscle protein turnover. Particularly at 32°C, the high-protein diet did not significantly modify either protein synthesis, ribosomal capacity or translational efficiency. However, it favored muscle protein deposition, which was probably related to reduced proteolysis. In conclusion, we showed that chronic heat exposure decreased muscle protein deposition, mainly by reducing protein synthesis. Under these conditions, the impaired protein synthesis was not restored by a 5% higher protein intake.