Differential response trajectories to acute exercise in blood and muscle

Abstract

A physically active lifestyle is essential for maintaining health, and is a powerful way to prevent chronic disease. However, the molecular mechanisms that drive exercise adaptation and transduce its beneficial effects, are incompletely understood. Here, we combined data from 49 studies that measured the whole transcriptome in humans before and after exercise to provide the power to draw novel observations not seen in any individual study alone. The resulting curated and standardized resource includes samples from skeletal muscle (n=1,260) and blood (n=726) in response to endurance or resistance exercise and training. Using a linear mixed effects meta-regression model selection strategy, we detected specific time patterns and novel regulatory modulators of the acute exercise response. Acute and long term responses to exercise were transcriptionally distinct. Exercise induced a more pronounced inflammatory response in skeletal muscle of older individuals. We identified multiple sex-specific response genes, where MTMR3 is a novel exercise-regulated gene. These results deepen our understanding of the transcriptional responses to exercise and provide a powerful resource for future research efforts in exercise physiology and medicine.

Low Response to Aerobic Training in Metabolic Disease: Role of Skeletal Muscle

“…However, increasing evidence demonstrates that sex differences in signaling and gene regulatory response of skeletal muscle to exercise training likely exist (64). A recent large-scale metaanalysis on this topic pooled the findings of multiple studies encompassing different exercise modalities (65). Together, these studies reported 247 differentially expressed genes in response to exercise between males and females (65).…”

“…A recent large-scale metaanalysis on this topic pooled the findings of multiple studies encompassing different exercise modalities (65). Together, these studies reported 247 differentially expressed genes in response to exercise between males and females (65). However, whether or not metabolic disease may differently affect gene expression in response to exercise in males and females remains unclear, and should be a topic for future study.…”

High-Intensity Interval Training Reduces Transcriptomic Age: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Despite this, there are relatively few trials investigating the effects of exercise on gene regulatory mechanisms of healthspan and lifespan. Of those that have been performed, most examine the effects of a single bout of exercise on gene expression, rather than repeated bouts (Amar et al, 2021).…”