Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences

Background and Objective: Maintaining a balance between energy demand and supply is critical for health. In this process, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) enzyme plays an important role to maintain energy homeostasis. So, the aim of the present study was to investigate the role of PDK4 on the expression of citrate synthase in the skeletal muscle after 4 weeks of endurance training in male Wistar rats.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 32 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups including Control (n=8), Control+Dichloroacetate (n=8), Endurance training (n=8), and Endurance training+Dichloroacetate (n=8). PDK4 was inhibited by intraperitoneal injection of Dichloroacetate (DCA) (150 mg/kg.day) on daily bases. Four weeks of endurance training (5 times per week) started at 15 m/min for 20 min and reached 27 m/min for 50 min. Expression of genes was measured by Real-Time PCR method. One-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey test were used for comparisons between groups.

Results: The expression of PDK4 (P=0.001) and citrate synthase (P=0.025) mRNA in endurance training group was higher than the control group. The expression of PDK4 mRNA in the endurance training+DCA group was higher compared to the control group (P=0.001), but the expression of citrate synthase mRNA in endurance training+DCA group was lower compared to the control group (P=0.016).

Conclusion: PDK4 enzyme changes the energy source from glucose to fat, probably it is a key enzyme in the regulation of glucose oxidation in Krebs cycle and glucose oxidation.

Key words: Metabolic flexibility, Endurance training, Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4, Rat

Funding: This study was funded by Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, and Research Center of Basic Physiology and Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of Research Center of Basic Physiology and Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences approved the study (Ethical code: IR.KMU.REC.1394.449).

How to cite this article: Aminizadeh S, Habibi A, Marefati H, Shakerian S. The Role of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 4 (PDK4) on the Expression of Citrate Synthase in the Skeletal Muscle After 4 Weeks of Endurance Training in Male Wistar Rats J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci 2017; 16(3): 191-202. [Farsi]