Low-force exercise training with blood flow restriction (BFR) elicits muscle hypertrophy as seen typically after higher-force exercise. We investigated the effects of microvascular hypoxia [i.e., low microvascular O2 partial pressures (P mvO2)] during contractions on muscle hypertrophic signaling, growth response, and key muscle adaptations for increasing exercise capacity. Wistar rats were fitted with a cuff placed around the upper thigh and inflated to restrict limb blood flow. Low-force isometric contractions (30 Hz) were evoked via electrical stimulation of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle. The P mvO2 was determined by phosphorescence quenching. Rats underwent acute and chronic stimulation protocols. Whereas P mvO2 decreased transiently with 30 Hz contractions, simultaneous BFR induced severe hypoxia, reducing P mvO2 lower than present for maximal (100 Hz) contractions. Low-force electrical stimulation (EXER) induced muscle hypertrophy (6.2%, P < 0.01), whereas control group conditions or BFR alone did not. EXER+BFR also induced an increase in muscle mass (11.0%, P < 0.01) and, unique among conditions studied, significantly increased fiber cross-sectional area in the superficial TA ( P < 0.05). Phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 was enhanced by EXER+BFR, as were peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α and glucose transporter 4 protein levels. Fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4, monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1), and cluster of differentiation 147 increased with EXER alone. EXER+BFR significantly increased MCT1 expression more than EXER alone. These data demonstrate that microvascular hypoxia during contractions is not essential for hypertrophy. However, hypoxia induced via BFR may potentiate the muscle hypertrophic response (as evidenced by the increased superficial fiber cross-sectional area) with increased glucose transporter and mitochondrial biogenesis, which contributes to the pleiotropic effects of exercise training with BFR that culminate in an improved capacity for sustained exercise. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We investigated the effects of low microvascular O2 partial pressures (P mvO2) during contractions on muscle hypertrophic signaling and key elements in the muscle adaptation for increasing exercise capacity. Although demonstrating that muscle hypoxia is not obligatory for the hypertrophic response to low-force, electrically induced muscle contractions, the reduced P mvO2 enhanced ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation and potentiated the hypertrophic response. Furthermore, contractions with blood flow restriction increased oxidative capacity, glucose transporter, and mitochondrial biogenesis, which are key determinants of the pleiotropic effects of exercise training.
Keywords: COX4; GLUT4, hypoxia; MCT1; PGC-1α; blood flow restriction; mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR); microvascular Po2; muscle hypertrophy; rat skeletal muscle; rpS6 phosphorylation.