Differential variation of mitochondrial H2O2 release during aging in oxidative and glycolytic muscles in rats

Mitochondrial free radical (ROS) production could be involved in sarcopenia. Our aim was to measure this production in various muscles during aging. Male Wistar rats aged 4.5 and 24 months were used. H(2)O(2) release and protein carbonyls were evaluated in isolated mitochondria from an oxidative (soleus) and a glycolytic (tibialis anterior) muscle. Total and Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities were measured in tibialis anterior. In soleus, glutamate/malate supported mitochondrial H(2)O(2) release was lower than in tibialis anterior in young rats, but increased significantly with age. In tibialis anterior, glutamate/malate or succinate supported H(2)O(2) release was unchanged with age. ROS generators were complexes I and III. Mitochondrial carbonyl content remained stable during aging in both muscles but tended to be higher in tibialis anterior than in soleus. Tibialis anterior total SOD (+17%), catalase (+84%), and GPX (-17%) activities varied significantly with age but Mn-SOD was unchanged, suggesting an increase in cytosolic ROS production. In conclusion, the higher life-long H(2)O(2) release observed in tibialis anterior is consistent with the known sensitivity of glycolytic muscles to sarcopenia. The fact that the rate of H(2)O(2) release increases with age in soleus seems to have little impact.