An immunohistochemical evaluation of fast twitch muscle formation induced by repeated administration of flavan 3‐ols in mice

Abstract Flavan‐3‐ols (FL) are poorly bioavailable astringent polyphenols that induce hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of repeated oral administration of FL on mice hindlimb skeletal muscle using immunohistochemical techniques. C57BL/6J male mice were orally administered 50 mg/kg of FL for a period of 2 weeks, and bromideoxyuridine (BrdU) was administered intraperitoneally 3 days prior to the dissection. The soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) were excised and prepared for frozen sections. Myosin heavy chain (MHC) antibodies were used to classify muscle types, in addition, muscle cross‐sectional areas (CSA) were measured. We observed a shift in the peak of CSA in the soleus muscle and to a larger extent in the EDL. In addition, a distinct shift toward fast muscle was detected, documented by a reduction in type I and an increase in type IIb in the soleus muscle, whereas in the EDL, we observed a decline in type IIa and an expansion in type IIb. Incorporation of BrdU into cells was significantly increased in all skeletal muscles, with a significant increase in cells co‐expressing pair box 7 (Pax7), a marker of differentiation, as observed in the EDL. Given the evidence that β2‐adrenergic receptors in skeletal muscles regulate differentiation and size, we measured plasma catecholamine (CA) concentrations following a single differentiation of FL. A single oral dose of FL was observed to significantly increase plasma CA. These findings indicate that catecholamines secreted into the bloodstream from the adrenal gland following oral administration of FL may influence skeletal muscle size and type via β2‐receptors.