Effect of training and detraining on monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 1 and MCT4 in Thoroughbred horses

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of training and detraining on the monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 1 and MCT4 levels in the gluteus medius muscle of Thoroughbred horses. Twelve Thoroughbred horses were used for the analysis. For 18 weeks, all the horses underwent high-intensity training (HIT), with running at 90-110% maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max ) for 3 min, 5 days week(-1). Thereafter, the horses either underwent detraining for 6 weeks by either 3 min of moderate-intensity training (MIT) at 70% VO2 max, 5 days week(-1) (HIT-MIT group) or stall rest (HIT-SR group). The horses underwent an incremental exercise test, VO2 max was measured and resting muscle samples were obtained from the middle gluteus muscle at 0, 18 and 24 weeks. The content of MCT1 and MCT4 proteins increased after 18 weeks of HIT. At the end of this period, an increase was noted in the citrate synthase activity, while phosphofructokinase activity remained unchanged. After 6 weeks of detraining, all these indexes returned to the pretraining levels in the HIT-SR group. However, in the HIT-MIT group, the increase in the MCT1 protein content and citrate synthase activity was maintained after 6 weeks of MIT, while the MCT4 protein content decreased to the pretraining value. These results suggest that the content of MCT1 and MCT4 proteins increases after HIT in Thoroughbred horses. In addition, the increase in the MCT1 protein content and oxidative capacity induced by HIT can be maintained by MIT of 70% VO2 max, but the increase in the MCT4 protein content cannot be maintained by MIT.