Role of albumin in muscle protein synthesis

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11537
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59020:Sports sciences-related
• Research Institution: Shigakkan University
• Principal Investigator: Murakami Taro 至学館大学, 健康科学部, 教授 (10252305)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 筋肉アルブミン / レジスタンス運動 / たんぱく質合成 / NAR

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I found that albumin, which is one of the major component of plasma proteins, emerged in muscles after resistance exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine whether muscle albumin could be responsible for increase in muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophy induced by resistance exercise and training, respectively. The gastrocnemius muscle of analbuminemic rats (Nagase Analbuminemia Rat, NAR) was resistance trained with electrical stimulation-induced isometric contraction under anesthesia. The resistance training increased the gastrocnemius and tibias anterior(TA) muscle weight only in control rat (SD) but not in NAR. A single bout of resistance exercise increased TA muscle protein synthesis only in SD. These results suggest that the muscle albumin is responsible for increase in muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophy induced by resistance exercise and training, respectively.

Free Research Field

運動と栄養

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

血液中のアルブミンは栄養状態の指標であるが、レジスタンス運動時に筋肉に出現し、たんぱく質合成の増大や、その結果として筋肉の肥大に関与することが明らかになった。筋肉たんぱく質の合成を増大させるためには、良好な栄養状態でトレーニングをすることが大切であることを示している。将来、トレーニング以外の方法でも筋肉にアルブミンを送達する方法を見いだせれば、トレーニングが困難な高齢者の虚弱化予防や入院患者の回復促進などへ応用することが期待される。