Muscle performance and adenine-nucleotides status in MCA-sarcoma tumor-bearing rats.

The reduction in DNA, RNA, amino acid, and total protein in muscle tissue of tumor-bearing rats may influence muscle function. The effects of MCA-sarcoma tumor burden on muscle performance and adenine nucleotides was evaluated in three fiber types of skeletal muscle. Twenty-one days after MCA-sarcoma tumor inoculation, the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle group of Fischer 344 rats was stimulated using an in situ preparation; tetanic stimulation for 10 min at 7.5, 15, or 30 tetani per min (TPM) or 60 TPM for 5 min (n = 6 control and six tumor-bearing rats/group). ATP, ADP, AMP, IMP, phosphocreatine, and creatine content in white and red gastrocnemius muscle and soleus muscle was measured. There were no differences among controls and tumor-bearing rats in force output; however, ATP content in the soleus muscle of tumor-bearing rats was significantly reduced after 30 TPM for 10 min or 60 TPM for 5 min. The performance of skeletal muscle, over a wide range of stimulation frequency, in tumor-bearing rats does not appear to be influenced by changes in adenine nucleotide content.