g an ICycler from Bio-Rad. cDNA with specific primers amplified in separate tubes, and the increase in fluorescence was measured in real time. The threshold cycle was calculated, and the relative gene expression was calculated as target gene to b-actin ratio in each sample before amplification using X0/R0 = kx1/) essentially as described in the User Bulletin no. 2, 1997, from Perkin-Elmer. All samples were amplified in duplicate. A similar 
set-up was used for negative controls, except that the reverse transcriptase was omitted and no PCR products were detected under these conditions. Proteomics analysis Sample preparation. Before 2D electrophoresis, the muscle biopsies were homogenized with a mechanical blender and sonication in sample buffer ) added 1.5% v/v protease inhibitor NU7441 chemical information cocktail. The total protein content of each sample was determined using the Bradford method. Muscle sample volumes containing 300 mg of protein were diluted in sample buffer ) containing 1.5% v/v protease inhibitor cocktail. Disulfide bonds were reduced by addition of tributylphosphine and sulfhydryl groups were alkylated with iodoacetamide. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. For the first dimension, diluted and treated samples were loaded onto IPG strips 310 linear, Bio-Rad) and passively rehydrated for two hours at room temperature. Then, strips were placed into a PROTEAN IEF cell for isoelectric focusing consisting of 12 h of active rehydration at 250 V followed by separation at 4000 V for 60000 V h. The strips were then equilibrated for 45 min in equilibration buffer and loaded on 15% polyacrylamide gels. SDS-PAGE was run in a PROTEAN II XL cell at 25 mA per gel and 270 V6h. Gels were fixed, washed three times, stained using SYPRO Orange, and finally scanned in a PharosFX Plus Molecular Imager with an excitation wavelength of 488 nm and emission detected at 605 nm. Image analysis. Protein spots in the gels were matched using the image analysis software PDQuest Advanced v. 8.0 and all matches were confirmed manually. Protein spot intensities were normalized to the total image density in each gel, which depended on the total protein content of the sample. Mass spectrometry. Protein spots displaying significant intensity changes at the time-points studied were manually excised from the gels and sent to Protea Biosciences Inc. Morgantown, WV PubMed ID:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22189475 for analysis by mass spectrometry and tandem-MS using matrix assisted laser desorption/ ionization-time of flight and MALDI-TOF-TOF. Protein identification. Protein identities obtained by Protea Biosciences were verified or revised using the MS and MS/MS data and the online software Mascot. Search parameters included the following: MS: database: NCBInr; taxonomy: Homo sapiens; enzyme: trypsin; missed cleavages allowed: 1; fixed modifications: none or carbamidomethyl; protein mass: none; peptide tolerance: 60.1 to 1.2 Da; mass values: MH+; monoisotopic/ average: monoisotopic. Tandem MS: database: NCBInr; taxonomy: Homo sapiens; enzyme: trypsin; missed cleavages allowed: 1; fixed modifications: none or carbamidomethyl; Quantitation: none; peptide tolerance: 60.1 to 1.2 Da; MS/MS tolerance: 60.1 to 0.6 Da; Peptide charge: 1+; monoisotopic/average: monoisotopic; Precursor m/z: none; Instrument: MALDI-TOF-TOF. Statistics The level of significance was in all statistical analyses set to p,0.05. All results are expressed as mean 6 SEM. Epo Receptor Expression in Skeletal Muscle Study A. Differences in western-blot analysis and insu
