Differential effects of heat stress on fibre capillarisation in tenotomised soleus and plantaris muscles

AbstractPurpose: Capillary regression is commonly observed in response to disuse muscle atrophy. Heat stress is known to alleviate muscle atrophy, while effect of heat exposure on capillary adaptation following disuse atrophy is not defined. Here, we examined the effect of heat treatment on capillarisation and the associated signalling in slow-oxidative soleus and fast-glycolytic plantaris muscles following Achilles tendon ablation (tenotomy).Materials and methods: Male Wistar rats were assigned into control (CON), control with heat stress (CON + HEAT), tenotomy (TEN) and tenotomy with heat stress (TEN + HEAT) groups. Tenotomy was induced for 8 days in TEN and TEN + HEAT groups. Heat stress was maintained at 40.5–41.5 °C, 30 min for 7 days.Results: Tenotomy resulted in reduction of capillary-to-fibre ratio, decreased VEGFR-2 and increased TSP-1 in soleus muscle, whereas VEGF protein expression remained unaffected. Tenotomy had no effect on capillary distribution and angiogenic signalling in plantaris musc...