Effect of androgen deprivation therapy on the contractile properties of type I and type II skeletal muscle fibres in men with non-metastatic prostate cancer

Abstract

The contractile properties of vastus lateralis muscle fibres were examined in prostate cancer (PrCa) patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and in age- and activity-matched healthy male subjects (Control). Mechanically-skinned muscle fibres were exposed to a sequence of heavily Ca2+-buffered solutions at progressively higher free [Ca2+] to determine their force-Ca2+ relationship. Ca2+-sensitivity was decreased in both type I and type II muscle fibres of ADT subjects relative to Controls (by −0.05 and −0.04 pCa units, respectively, P <.02), and specific force was around 13% lower in type I fibres of ADT subjects than in Controls (P =.02), whereas there was no significant diffe..