Effect of aspartate and asparagine supplementation upon oxidative stress in skeletal muscle

Author(s)

Gabriela Chamusca Lopes da Silva

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Educação Física e Esportes (EEFE/BT)
• Defense date: 2003-02-27

Examining board members

Luis Fernando Bicudo Pereira Costa Rosa; Dulcineia Saes Parra Abdalla; Antonio Herbert Lancha Junior

• Advisor: Luis Fernando Bicudo Pereira Costa Rosa

Abstract

Aspartate and asparagine supplementation causes morphological alterations in skeletal muscle mitochondria. Such lesions are related to increased oxidative capacity, enhanced activity through the Krebs cycle and of acetyl-CoA removal along with augmented electron transport reflects into increased free radical formation and consequently, oxidative stress, possibly related with the lesions observed in the supplemented animals muscle. We have presently measured TBARS and chemoluminescence, as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Although amino-acid supplementation increased the appearance of free radicals, oxidative stress was prevented by the concomitant increase of the activity of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. Therefore the lesions cannot be attributed to oxidative stress, although it is clear that the supplemented amino-acids interfere the cell\'s redox system (AU)