Effect of treadmill exercise combined with bone marrow stromal cell transplantation on atrophy-related signaling pathway in the denervated soleus muscle

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether combination of low-intensity exercise with bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) transplantation could regulate protein kinas B (Akt)- mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Wnt3a-β-catenin signaling pathways for prevention of soleus muscle atrophy after sciatic nerve injury (SNI). The experimental rats divided into 5 groups (n= 10): normal control group, SNI+sedentary group (SED), SNI+low-intensity treadmill exercise group (TEX), SNI+BMSC transplantation group (BMSC), SNI+TEX+BMSC transplantation group (TEX+BMSC). Sciatic nerve crush injury was applied into the middle of thigh twice for 1 min and 30 sec at interval. Low-intensity treadmill exercise was comprised of walking at a speed of 4 to 8 m/min for 30 min once a day. cultured BMSC at a density of 5× 106 in 50-μL phosphate-buffered saline was injected into the distal portion of the injured sciatic nerves. TEX+BMSC group dramatically upregulated expression levels of growth-associated protein-43 in the injured sciatic nerve at 2 weeks postinjury. Also, although Akt and mTOR signaling pathway significantly increased in TEX and BMSC groups than SED group, TEX+BMSC group showed more potent increment on this signaling in soleus muscle after SNI. Lastly, Wnt3a and the nuclear translocation of β-catenin and nuclear factor-kappa B in soleus were increased by SNI, but TEX+BMSC group significantly downregulated activity of this signaling pathway in the nuclear cell lysate of soleus muscle. Present findings provide new information that combination of low-intensity treadmill exercise might be effective therapeutic approach on restriction of soleus muscle atrophy after peripheral nerve injury.