Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

1 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

2 Industrial Biotechnology Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

3 Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

4 Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.22067/jcmr.2025.90056.1100

Abstract

The growth and development of skeletal muscle tissue is largely regulated by myostatin during tissue development in embryos. This tissue may overgrow if myostatin expression is deficient. Gene expression may be regulated in a particular way by oligonucleotide antisense molecules. It has been demonstrated that a new DNA-based oligonucleotide can downregulate myostatin expression in a rat model. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the impact of a DNAi-based myostatin inhibitor on the visceral fat and leg muscle weights of Wistar rats undergoing strength training. Three groups of male rats, with an average weight of 203g ± 10.5, were chosen at four weeks of age. These cohorts comprised: 1) DNAi group had resistance training in addition to receiving 10 mg/kg of rat body weight of DNAi. 2) Resistance exercise and saline injection group. Group for injection of saline. Then, weight measurements for the carcass, heart, liver, left kidney, right kidney, spleen, visceral fat, twin muscles, soleus muscle, and left leg were made for each group. Histological assessment of the soleus muscle section was performed. One-way ANOVA was then used to examine the results, and means were compared using Tukey’s test. As the data show, the proposed molecule did not significantly contribute to an increase in body weight, in contrast to previous assumptions. Nonetheless, the twin muscles' relative and absolute weights increased significantly with visceral fat decreased with DNAi injection (P<0.05). Although weekly body weight increase and the final weights were not affected by DNAi injection, this could be explained by the loss of fat tissue during the experiment. This molecule is promising in increasing muscle tissue growth; however, further prolonged experiments and evaluating myostatin gene expression are recommended in future experiments.
 

Keywords

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