Unloading‐induced atrophy and decreased oxidative capacity of the soleus muscle in rats are reversed by pre‐ and postconditioning with mild hyperbaric oxygen

Our aim was to determine the effects of pre‐ and/or postconditioning with mild hyperbaric oxygen (1.25 atmospheric pressure, 36% oxygen for 3 h/day) on the properties of the soleus muscle that was atrophied by hindlimb suspension‐induced unloading. Twelve groups of 8‐week‐old rats were housed under normobaric conditions (1 atmospheric pressure, 20.9% oxygen) or exposed to mild hyperbaric oxygen for 2 weeks. Ten groups then were housed under normobaric conditions for 2 weeks with their hindlimbs either unloaded via suspension or not unloaded. Six groups subsequently were either housed under normobaric conditions or exposed to mild hyperbaric oxygen for 2 weeks: the suspended groups were allowed to recover under reloaded conditions (unrestricted normal cage activity). Muscle weights, cross‐sectional areas of all fiber types, oxidative capacity (muscle succinate dehydrogenase activity and fiber succinate dehydrogenase staining intensity) decreased, and a shift of fibers from type I to type IIA and type IIC was observed after hindlimb unloading. In addition, mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ coactivator‐1α decreased, whereas those of forkhead box‐containing protein O1 increased after hindlimb unloading. Muscle atrophy and decreased oxidative capacity were unaffected by either pre‐ or postconditioning with mild hyperbaric oxygen. In contrast, these changes were followed by a return to nearly normal levels after 2 weeks of reloading when pre‐ and postconditioning were combined. Therefore, a combination of pre‐ and postconditioning with mild hyperbaric oxygen can be effective against the atrophy and decreased oxidative capacity of skeletal muscles associated with hindlimb unloading.