Eccentric exercise decreases glucose transporter GLUT4 protein in human skeletal muscle.

1. Eccentric exercise causes impaired postexercise glycogen resynthesis. To study whether changes in muscle concentration of the glucose transporter (GLUT4) protein might be involved, seven healthy young men performed one-legged eccentric exercise by resisting knee flexion enforced by a motor-driven device. 2. The GLUT4 protein concentration in the exercised and in the control thigh was unchanged immediately after exercise. On days 1 and 2 after exercise, the GLUT4 protein concentration in the exercised muscle was 68 +/- 10 and 64 +/- 10% (means +/- S.E.M.; P < 0.05), respectively, of the concentration in the control muscle, and had returned to control values on days 4 and 7. 3. The muscle glycogen concentration decreased from 404 +/- 44 to 336 +/- 44 mmol (kg dry wt)-1 (P < 0.05) during exercise. The glycogen concentration remained significantly lower than in the control thigh on days 1 and 2 after exercise but on days 4 and 7 no differences were found. 4. Although no cause-effect relationship was established, these findings may suggest that decreased muscle concentrations of GLUT4 protein, and, hence, a decreased rate of glucose transport into muscle cells, may be involved in the sustained low glycogen concentration seen after eccentric exercise.