The purpose of this study was to document alterations of creatine kinase-B
(CK-B) in the left and right ventricles of rats and CK-MB release into the
circulation following a single bout of stressful prolonged intense exercise
. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, with 8% bodyweight attached to each tail, were
forced to swim 3.5 hours and were then sacrificed immediately (0 h PS), 3 h
ours (3 h PS), 24 hours (24 h PS), and 48 hours (48 h PS) post swimming, re
spectively. Sedentary (control) rats were sacrificed at rest. Serum CK-MB m
ass increased 2.1 times (8.9 mug/L; p<0.01 vs. controls of 4.3 <mu>g/L) and
1.4 times (6.0 mug/L; P<0.01 vs, controls) at 0 h PS, and 3 h PS, respecti
vely, and returned to baseline at 24 h PS. Western blot analysis indicated
that CK-B of the right ventricle decreased 14% (p<0.05), 20% (p < 0.01), an
d 12% (p < 0.05) at 3 h PS, 24 h PS and 48 h PS, respectively. The CK-B of
the left ventricles decreased 34% (p<0.05) at 0 h PS, returned to baseline
at 3 h PS, and was increased 39% (P < 0.01) at 48 h PS. Our findings demons
trate that a single bout of stressful, prolonged, intense exercise resulted
in CK-B subunit loss from the myocardium, resulting in increased serum CK-
MB concentrations, an indication of myocardial injury.