Fig 7.

Effect of D-Trp(8)-γMSH (γMSH) treatment (500 μg/kg i.p.) on; MuRF1 mRNA and protein (A and C), and on atrogin-1 mRNA and protein (B and D), in gastrocnemius muscle of control rats and rats treated with LPS (250 μg/kg). PF = pair-fed rats. mRNA expression was quantified using real-time RT-PCR and is presented as increase of the mean value in control rats treated with saline. Proteins were measured by Western blotting and expressed as percentage of the control rats treated with saline. Representative Western blots are shown at the bottom right. Boxes with immunoblots represent spliced images based on group and treatment order. LPS increased levels MuRF1 and atrogin-1 proteins (P<0.01) in the rats treated with saline, but not in the group that received D-Trp(8)-γMSH. MuRF1 and atrogin-1 mRNAs were increased by LPS injection (P<0.01), and D-Trp(8)-γMSH attenuated these increases (P<0.01). Results are expressed as means ± SE for 7–10 rats per group. *P< 0.05 and **P< 0.01, vs. their respective control group. ++P<0.01 vs. LPS-saline, °°P<0.01 vs. PF. LSD multiple comparisons test, following one way ANOVA.