CHANGES IN HISTOCHEMICAL PROFILE OF RAT RESPIRATORY MUSCLES IN HYPO-AND HYPERTHYROIDISM

¹ Muscular Dystrophy Group Research Laboratories, Regional Neurological Centre, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
² University Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia

Rat respiratory muscles underwent considerable changes in histochemical fibre type profile in response to hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism increased the proportion of type 1 slow oxidative fibres in diaphragm and to a lesser extent in intercostal muscles. Hyperthyroidism resulted in a decreased proportion of type 1 fibres in both diaphragm and intercostals. These changes were broadly comparable to those reported previously in rat limb muscles. In normal rat respiratory muscles, the type 1 fibres were characterized by very high levels of -hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase which was thought to contribute to the fatigue-resistance of these muscles. The type 2B fast glycolytic fibres, and to a lesser extent type 2A fast oxidative fibres, contained high levels of mitochondrial -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, an enzyme known to be specifically affected in dysthyroid states. The implications of the observed changes in fibre type profile with respect to the oxidative metabolism of rat respiratory muscles are discussed.