A single injection of a local anaesthetic, bupivacaine, into the soleus muscle of adult rat has a severe mytoxic effect, i.e. rapid dissolution of myofilaments and degradation of myofibrillar proteins shortly after injection. Increased lysosomal enzymes were observed in homogenates of affected muscle. The activity of potent proteolytic enzyme, cathepsins B and L (assayed against a new synthetic substrate succinyl-Tyr-Met-naphthylamide), gradually increased and reached a plateau value that was 11-fold greater than the control 48 h after bupivacaine injection. The chronological change in the activity of cathepsins B and L was reflected in the myofibrillar protein pattern in bupivacaine-treated muscle. To determine whether the increase in lysosomal peptide hydrolases is due to activation of muscle lysosomes or not, mononuclear cells were separated from both injected and control muscles. The activity of cathepsins B and L in the lysate from injured muscle was 180-fold higher than the control. Affinity-purified antibody was used to study the intracellular localization of cathepsin B by immunohistochemical procedures. The results were consistent with the biochemical observation that the main source of cathepsin B in muscle homogenates was infiltrated mononuclear cells. Therefore, we conclude that the increased lysosomal enzymes may be derived mainly from mononuclear cells (macrophages), not from muscle lysosomes, in bupivacaine-induced acute muscle degeneration.
Biochemical aspects of bupivacaine-induced acute muscle degradation
S. Ishiura, I. Nonaka, H. Sugita; Biochemical aspects of bupivacaine-induced acute muscle degradation. J Cell Sci 1 July 1986; 83 (1): 197–212. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.83.1.197
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
JCS Journal Meeting 2023: Imaging Cell Dynamics

Our 2023 Journal Meeting on ‘Imaging Cell Dynamics’ will be held from 14-17 May 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. We have a limited number of spaces left so sign up now! Registration deadline: 31 March.
Call for papers: Cell and Tissue Polarity
-PolarityCFP.png?versionId=4491)
We are welcoming submissions for our next special issue, which will focus on ‘Cell and tissue polarity’ and will be guest edited by David Bryant. Submission deadline: 15 July.
Webinar: Increasing the visibility and impact of your research
-HUBSwebinar.jpg?versionId=4491)
Would you like to increase the visibility and impact of your research and raise your profile internationally? If so, register for the very practical webinar we are running in association with HUBS on 23 February 2023.
Cell scientist to watch: Gautam Dey

We interviewed Gautam Dey, who became a group leader at EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany, in 2021. His lab investigates the fundamental organisational principles and evolutionary dynamics of the nuclear compartment across eukaryotes.
Mechanisms of eukaryotic transcription termination at a glance

Check out our latest Cell Science at a Glance article and accompanying poster for an overview of the current understanding about the mechanisms of transcription termination by the three eukaryotic RNAPs.