Electrical stimulation increases oxidation of proteins in soleus muscles and this effect is exacerbated by the LVAD.

Table 4: Electrical stimulation increases oxidation of proteins in soleus muscles and this effect is exacerbated by the LVAD.

	EDL	Soleus
	DNP immunoreactivity (% of control)	DNP immunoreactivity (% of control)
Chow	100 ± 11.1	100 ± 12.2
LVAD	94.4 ± 10.0	123.6 ± 11.8
Chow + Elect. Stimulation	92.7 ± 9.6	118.15 ± 30.6
LVAD + Elect. Stimulation	104.7 ± 19.5	194.1 ± 44.97^*

Chow + Electrical stimulation vs. LVAD + Electrical stimulation and Chow vs. LVAD + Electrical stimulation. *p < 0.05 ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test.
Protein oxidation was determined by Western blotting by determining the intensity of the Dinitrophenyl (DNP) immunopositive band normalized for Myosin Heavy Chain content. EDL and soleus muscles were isolated and either immediately flash frozen or electrically stimulated for 10 min at a frequency of 150 Hz (EDL) and 120 Hz (soleus) and then flash frozen. Results show the mean (± S.D. n = 3) relative content of oxidized proteins; muscles from sedentary chow fed mice were considered 100%.