Deficiency of inducible nitric oxide synthase attenuates immobilization-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in mice.

The present study examined the effects of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) deficiency on skeletal muscle atrophy in single leg-immobilized iNOS knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. The left leg was immobilized for 1 wk, and the right leg was used as the control. Muscle weight and contraction-stimulated glucose uptake were reduced by immobilization in WT mice, which was accompanied with increased iNOS expression in skeletal muscle.