Effect of ultrasonic stimulation on mRNA abundance of uncoupling protein (UCP) 2 and UCP 3 in gastrocnemius muscle of rats

1. The hypothesis that ultrasonic stimulation upregulates uncoupling protein (UCP) 2 and UCP3 in gastrocnemius muscle by a different mechanism of exercise was investigated in Wister rats. 2. The ultrasnonic-stimulated group was given ultrasonic stimulation to the leg (1 MHz frequency, 1 W/cm(2) intensity, 10 min continuously). 3. The exercise group was given exercise training by swimming for 10 min in plastic barrels filled with warm water. 4. After 3 h, rats were killed and the gastrocnemius muscle was removed rapidly, weighed and frozen in liquid nitrogen for real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. 5. In gastrocnenius muscles of ultrasonic-stimulated rats, UCP3 mRNA abundance was significantly increased 3.6-fold and UCP2 mRNA abundance was significantly increased 2.2-fold compared with control rats. 6. In gastrocnenius muscles of exercised rats, UCP3 mRNA abundance was significantly increased 3.5-fold compared with control rats, but no change in UCP2 mRNA abundance was observed. 7. Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels were also significantly increased in the ultrasonic stimulation group, as well as the exercise group, compared with the control group. 8. These findings show that ultrasonic stimulation lipolyses subcutaneous fat into FFA and glycerol and upregulates UCP2 and UCP3 mRNA by a mechanism different to that of exercise.