Citrulline does not prevent skeletal muscle wasting or weakness in limb-casted mice

Abstract

Background: Increasing arginine (Arg) availability reduces atrophy in cultured skeletal muscle cells. Supplementation with its metabolic precursor citrulline (Cit) is more effective at improving skeletal muscle Arg concentrations. Objective: We tested the hypothesis that Cit supplementation would attenuate skeletal muscle atrophy and loss of function during hindlimb immobilization in mice. Methods: Male C57BL/6JArc mice underwent 14 d of unilateral hindlimb immobilization/plaster casting and were supplemented with ~0.81 g Cit · kg-1 · d-1 (CIT group) or Ala (ALA group) mixed into their food. The uncasted contralateral limb (internal control) and an uncasted group (CON) served as controls. Mu..