Superoxide, hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide effects on single-diaphragm fiber contractile apparatus

Reactive oxygenspecies contribute to diaphragm dysfunction in certainpathophysiological conditions (i.e., sepsis and fatigue). However, the precise alterations induced by reactive oxygen species orthe specific species that are responsible for the derangements inskeletal muscle function are incompletely understood. In this study, weevaluated the effect of the superoxide anion radical (O₂·), hydroxyl radical (·OH), and hydrogenperoxide (H₂O₂) on maximum calcium-activatedforce (F_max) and calcium sensitivity of the contractileapparatus in chemically skinned (Triton X-100) single rat diaphragmfibers. O₂· was generated using thexanthine/xanthine oxidase system; ·OH was generated using 1 mMFeCl₂, 1 mM ascorbate, and 1 mMH₂O₂; and H₂O₂ wasadded directly to the bathing medium. Exposure to O₂· or ·OH significantly decreasedF_max by 14.5% (P < 0.05) and 43.9%(P < 0.005), respectively. ·OH had no effect onCa²⁺ sensitivity. Neither 10 nor 1,000 µMH₂O₂ significantly altered F_max orCa²⁺ sensitivity. We conclude that the diaphragm issusceptible to alterations induced by a direct effect of ·OH andO₂·, but not H₂O₂, on thecontractile proteins, which could, in part, be responsible forprolonged depression in contractility associated with respiratorymuscle dysfunction in certain pathophysiological conditions.