Effect of eccentric contraction-induced injury on force and intracellular pH in rat skeletal muscles

The effect of eccentric contraction on force generation and intracellular pH (pHi) regulation was investigated in rat soleus muscle. Eccentric muscle damage was induced by stretching muscle bundles by 30% of the optimal length for a series of 10 tetani. After eccentric contractions, there was reduction in force at all stimulation frequencies and a greater reduction in relative force at low-stimulus frequencies. There was also a shift of optimal length to longer lengths. pHi was measured with a pH-sensitive probe, 2′,7′-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein AM. pHi regulation was studied by inducing an acute acid load with the removal of 20-40 mM ammonium chloride, and the rate of pHi recovery was monitored. The acid extrusion rate was obtained by multiplying the rate of pHi recovery by the buffering power. The resting pHi after eccentric contractions was more acidic, and the rate of recovery from acid load post-eccentric contractions was slower than that from postisometric controls. This is further supported by the slower acid extrusion rate. Amiloride slowed the recovery from an acid load in control experiments. Because the Na+/H+ exchanger is the dominant mechanism for the recovery of pHi, this suggests that the impairment in the ability of the muscle to regulate pHi after eccentric contractions is caused by decreased activity of the Na+/H+ exchanger.