Publications by authors named "Koichi Nakazato"

Background/objectives: Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) comprise 14 known isoforms, with MCT1 being particularly important for lactate transport. Variations in lactate metabolism capacity and aerobic performance are associated with the T1470A polymorphism in . We aimed to investigate the frequency of the T1470A polymorphism and compare relevant physiological parameters among long-distance runners, wherein these parameters are fundamental to athletic performance.

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  • The study investigates how intense electrical muscle contractions, simulating resistance exercise, affect the expression of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) genes and related signaling pathways in rats.
  • Early recovery showed changes in Agrn and LRP4 gene expressions, while late recovery impacted multiple AChR-related genes and increased protein levels for agrin and MuSK.
  • Importantly, the changes in AChR subunit expressions post-muscle contraction were found to be independent of the mTORC1 signaling pathway, despite mTORC1 activity in the early recovery phase.
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  • Ribosome biogenesis plays a key role in muscle growth from resistance exercise, and hot-water immersion (HWI) is a common recovery method that activates important signaling pathways in skeletal muscle.
  • The study investigated the effects of HWI on ribosome production in rats after repeated resistance exercise, where one leg was exercised and the other served as a control.
  • Results showed that while HWI enhanced certain mRNA levels, it did not improve ribosomal RNA production or protein levels, suggesting that HWI may not effectively promote ribosome biogenesis post-exercise.
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  • The study investigated how the ACTN3 R577X gene variant influences muscle damage and inflammation after exercise by measuring levels of creatine kinase and interleukin-6 in participants.
  • Ninety-five active Japanese individuals performed eccentric elbow flexion exercises, and their muscle function and serum levels were evaluated at multiple time points post-exercise.
  • Results showed that those without ACTN3 (XX genotype) had significantly higher changes in creatine kinase levels, indicating a link between the gene variant and muscle damage response, while other measures remained unaffected.
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Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, a noninvasive treatment, has shown promise in mitigating nerve damage. However, unaccustomed exercises, such as eccentric contractions (ECCs), can damage both muscle and nerve tissue. This study investigated whether magnetic stimulation (MS) with PEMF could aid in nerve recovery after ECCs in the elbow flexors.

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Osteoporosis is a significant health concern for postmenopausal women, necessitating efficient screening methods for bone health. This study explores the potential of muscle function, assessed through the 30-s chair stand test (CS-30), as an indicator for low bone stiffness in this demographic, aiming to establish a practical threshold for large-scale fitness surveillance without the need for specialized tools. We analyzed data from 1055 community-dwelling postmenopausal Japanese women, aged 41-89 years, collected between 2016 and 2019.

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The greater muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) is associated with greater skeletal muscle mass and strength, whereas muscle fiber atrophy is considered a major feature of sarcopenia. Muscle fiber size is a polygenic trait influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. However, the genetic variants underlying inter-individual differences in muscle fiber size remain largely unknown.

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Cancer cachexia is the result of complex interorgan interactions initiated by cancer cells and changes in patient behavior such as decreased physical activity and energy intake. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish between the direct and indirect effects of cancer cells on muscle mass regulation and bioenergetics to identify novel therapeutic targets. In this study, we investigated the direct effects of Colon-26 cancer cells on the molecular regulating machinery of muscle mass and its bioenergetics using a coculture system with C2C12 myotubes.

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High-intensity exercise stimulates glycolysis, subsequently leading to elevated lactate production within skeletal muscle. While lactate produced within the muscle is predominantly released into the circulation via the monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4), recent research underscores lactate's function as an intercellular and intertissue signalling molecule. However, its specific intracellular roles within muscle cells remains less defined.

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Belt electrode-skeletal muscle electrical stimulation (B-SES) involves the use of belt-shaped electrodes to contract multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Twitch contractions have been demonstrated to protect against denervation-induced muscle atrophy in rats, possibly through mitochondrial biosynthesis. This study examined whether inducing tetanus contractions with B-SES suppresses muscle atrophy and identified the underlying molecular mechanisms.

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Both ageing and exercise training affect the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) structure. Morphological alterations in the NMJ have been considered to influence neuromuscular transmission and myofibre properties, but the direct link between the morphology and function has yet to be established. We measured the neuromuscular transmission, myofibre composition and NMJ structure of 5-month-old (young) and 24-month-old untrained (aged control) and trained (aged trained) mice.

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Yogurt is a traditional fermented food that is accepted worldwide for its high palatability and various health values. The milk protein contained in yogurt exhibits different physical and biological properties from those of non-fermented milk protein due to the fermentation and manufacturing processes. These differences are suggested to affect the time it takes to digest and absorb milk protein, which in turn will influence the blood levels of amino acids and/or hormones, such as insulin, and thereby, the rate of skeletal muscle protein synthesis via the activation of intracellular signaling, such as the mTORC1 pathway.

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Previous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of apple polyphenol (AP) intake on muscle endurance. Since mitochondria are critical for muscle endurance, we investigated mitochondrial enzyme activity, biogenesis, degradation and protein quality control. Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly fed a 5% AP diet (5% AP group, n = 8), a 0.

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  • Individual recovery of muscle strength after eccentric exercise is influenced by both sex and the rs522616 genetic polymorphism associated with the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-3) gene.
  • A study with 95 participants showed that while both men and women experienced similar recovery in maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), men had higher levels of creatine kinase (CK) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) post-exercise compared to women.
  • Men with the G allele of the rs522616 polymorphism had significantly lower MVC recovery compared to those with the AA genotype, while no significant differences were found in women, highlighting a genotype-sex interaction in muscle recovery.
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Purpose: This study examined whether decline in cognitive function is related to arterial stiffness and reduction in physical fitness in middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: A total of 1554 healthy middle-aged and older adults participated in this study. The trail making test parts-A (TMT-A) and B (TMT-B), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), grip strength, the 30-s chair stand (CS-30) test, the 6-min walk (6MW) test, the 8-foot up-and-go (8UG) test and gait assessment were performed.

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Background: Post-exercise muscle soreness and fatigue can negatively affect exercise performance. Thus, it is desirable to attenuate muscle soreness and fatigue and promote recovery even for daily exercise habits aimed at maintaining or improving health.

Methods: This study investigated the effects of dietary collagen peptides (CPs) on post-exercise physical condition and fitness in healthy middle-aged adults unfamiliar with exercise.

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Purpose: We investigated the effect of the hip flexion angle (HFA) on the longitudinal muscle activity of the rectus femoris (RF) during leg extension exercise (LEE).

Methods: We conducted an acute study in a specific population. Nine male bodybuilders performed isotonic LEE using a leg extension machine at three different HFAs: 0°, 40°, and 80°.

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This study investigated the effect of online home-based resistance exercise training on fitness, depression, stress, and well-being. A total of 67 individuals participated. Of them, 28 participants (13 men and 15 women, average age: 45.

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  • Belt electrode skeletal muscle electrical stimulation (B-SES) can effectively contract multiple muscle groups and may help prevent muscle atrophy due to denervation.
  • A study using a new ankle stimulation system showed that low-frequency electrical stimulation (7-8 Hz for 30 minutes daily) partially protected against muscle loss in rats compared to control and denervation-only groups.
  • Findings indicated that B-SES improved mitochondrial function and reduced muscle proteolytic activities, highlighting its potential to maintain muscle health after nerve damage.
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We aimed to clarify the effect of aging on trabecular bone volume and trabecular bone microstructure in a rat model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Six rats each of wild type (WT) and DMD model at 15 weeks of age, and 4 rats each at 30 weeks of age, were analyzed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and by micro-CT for analysis of trabecular and cortical bone of the femur. Bone mineral density was significantly lower in the DMD group than in the WT group at both 15 and 30 weeks of age.

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This study aimed to investigate the relationship between power-oriented genetic polymorphisms and weightlifting status, create a total genotype score (TGS), and validate the association between TGS models and power-oriented athletes. First, 192 weightlifters and 416 controls were studied, and 12 polymorphisms that have previously been associated with strength, power status, and phenotype were genotyped using the TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. We calculated the TGS for the 12 polymorphisms using a PWM (power-oriented whole model) and for 6 of them using a WRM (weightlifting-related model) based on a case-control study.

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Background: Lumbar disk degeneration (LDD) occurs frequently in athletes. Researchers have found that LDD occurs mainly in the lower disks (L4/L5 and L5/S1) in the general and athletic populations. However, a retrospective study showed a high prevalence of LDD in the upper lumbar disks (L1/L2), especially in elite gymnasts.

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Purpose: The aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) rs671 polymorphism, which is exclusive to the Asian population, is related to many diseases. A high reactive oxygen species production in mitochondria, and low muscle strength in athletes and non-athletes, has been observed, as our previous study demonstrated. The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of ALDH2 rs671 on the loss of muscle strength with aging and replicate our previous study in non-athletes.

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The rs671 polymorphism is associated with the enzymatic activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), which is weakened by the A allele in East Asians. We recently reported the association of this polymorphism with the athletic status in athletic cohorts and the muscle strength of non-athletic cohorts. Therefore, we hypothesized the association of rs671 polymorphism with the performance in power/strength athletes.

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  • The study investigated the R577X, I/D, rs8111989, and rs7832552 genotypes in climbers and control groups across three ethnicities: Japanese, Polish, and Russian.
  • A total of 258 climbers and 1151 controls were genotyped, showing no significant differences in R577X and I/D polymorphisms between climbers and controls in any group, except for some findings in the Russian cohort.
  • Meta-analysis revealed that climbers had a higher frequency of XX + RX genotypes in the R577X polymorphism compared to controls, suggesting the X allele may be linked to a higher sport climbing status.
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