Treatment with rhEpo does not alter myoglobin protein expression in skeletal muscle. The figure shows the changes in myoglobin levels in muscle biopsy samples obtained from the vastus lateralis before and after 8 and 28 days of rhEpo treatment. The myoglobin content of the muscle biopsy extracts was analyzed by 2D-DIGE. The quantification of the separated isoforms was performed with a DeCyder DIA module V. 6.5. The values are given as volumes normalized against the internal standard and are mean plus or minus SE for 8 participants. (A) The quantitative changes in relation to myoglobin isoform 1 (main isoform, 75%-80% of the total),36 (B) the quantitative changes in relation to myoglobin isoform 2 (15%-20% of the total), and (C) the quantitative changes in relation to myoglobin isoform 3 (5% of the total). Values are mean plus or minus SE for 8 participants. (D) The 3 myoglobin isoforms were separated by 2D gel electrophoresis in a 3 to 10 NL pH gradient as first dimension. (E) Refers to complementary experiment B: muscle myoglobin protein expression was measured before and 10 hours after the injection of a single rhEpo dose of 15000 IU. Values are mean plus or minus SE for 4 participants. The statistical differences from pre-rhEpo values were calculated with the Wilcoxon test; *P < .05.
