AUTHOR=Kvedaras Mindaugas , Minderis Petras , Fokin Andrej , Ratkevicius Aivaras , Venckunas Tomas , Lionikas Arimantas 

TITLE=Forced Running Endurance Is Influenced by Gene(s) on Mouse Chromosome 10

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2017.00009

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2017.00009

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>Phenotypic diversity between laboratory mouse strains provides a model for studying the underlying genetic mechanisms. The A/J strain performs poorly in various endurance exercise models. The aim of the study was to test if endurance capacity and contractility of the fast- and slow-twitch muscles are affected by the genes on mouse chromosome 10. The C57BL/6J (B6) strain and C57BL/6J-Chr 10<sup>A/J</sup>/NaJ (B6.A10) consomic strain which carries the A/J chromosome 10 on a B6 strain background were compared. The B6.A10 mice compared to B6 were larger in body weight (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.02): 27.2 ± 1.9 vs. 23.8 ± 2.7 and 23.4 ± 1.9 vs. 22.9 ± 2.3 g, for males and females, respectively, and in male soleus weight (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.02): 9.7 ± 0.4 vs. 8.6 ± 0.9 mg. In the forced running test the B6.A10 mice completed only 64% of the B6 covered distance (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001). However, there was no difference in voluntary wheel running (<italic>p</italic> = 0.6) or in fatigability of isolated soleus (<italic>p</italic> = 0.24) or extensor digitorum longus (EDL, <italic>p</italic> = 0.7) muscles. We conclude that chromosome 10 of the A/J strain contributes to reduced endurance performance. We also discuss physiological mechanisms and methodological aspects relevant to interpretation of these findings.</p>