ELEVATED CATALASE ACTIVITY IN RED AND WHITE MUSCLES OF MYOD GENE-INACTIVATED MICE

MyoD is a myogenic transcription factor responsible for skeletal muscl e differentiation during development. Muscle antioxidant enzyme status was determined in transgenic MyoD deactivated mice. While catalase ac tivity was significantly (P<0.05) elevated in soleus and extensor digi torum longus muscles from MyoD deactivated mice, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were rot. While this may imply a greater propensity for inherent oxidative stress, soleus glutathione status was similar between MyoD deactivated mouse and control soleus m uscles. Catalase activity is localized primarily in peroxisomes. There fore elevated catalase activity may also indicate the presence of fact ors associated with peroxisome proliferation in muscles from MyoD gene -inactivated mice.