[Ultrastructural changes of the skeletal muscle cells of rats subjected to exhausting exercises and the protective effect of vitamin E].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the ultrastructural changes of the mitochondria in the skeletal muscle cells of rats subjected to repeated exhausting exercises on treadmill and the protective effect of oral vitamin E.

METHODS

Thirty male SD rats were randomized into control group (n=10), exhausting exercise group (n=10) and exhausting exercise group with oral vitamin E treatment (n=10), with the latter two groups taking repeated exhausting running exercises on the treadmill in a course of 4 weeks. At the end of the course of exercises, the rats were sacrificed and the quadriceps femoris muscles isolated for observation the ultrastructures of the skeletal muscle cells by transmission electron microscope (TEM).

RESULTS

After 4-week exhausting exercises, the myofilaments of the skeletal muscle were seen in disordered alignment, and the mitochondria exhibited abnormal morphological changes of swelling and vacuolar degeneration. In vitamin E-treated rats also undertaking the exercise, the ultrastructures of the skeletal muscle cells were almost normal as compared with the normal control group.

CONCLUSION

Vitamin E can protect the function of the skeletal muscle mitochondria of rats taking repeated exhausting exercises.