Acute resistance exercise modulates microRNA expression profiles: Combined tissue and circulatory targeted analyses

PLoS One. 2017 Jul 27;12(7):e0181594. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181594. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

A subset of short non-coding RNAs, microRNAs (miRs), have been identified in the regulation of skeletal muscle hypertrophy and atrophy. Expressed within cells, miRs are also present in circulation (c-miR) and have a putative role in cross-tissue signalling. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of a single bout of high intensity resistance exercise (RE) on skeletal muscle and circulatory miRs harvested simultaneously. Resistance trained males (n = 9, 24.6 ± 4.9 years) undertook a single bout of high volume RE with venous blood and muscle biopsies collected before, 2 and 4hr post-exercise. Real time polymerase chain reaction (Rt-PCR) analyses was performed on 30 miRs that have previously been shown to be required for skeletal muscle function. Of these, 6 miRs were significantly altered within muscle following exercise; miR-23a, -133a, -146a, -206, -378b and 486. Analysis of these same miRs in circulation demonstrated minimal alterations with exercise, although c-miR-133a (~4 fold, p = 0.049) and c-miR-149 (~2.4 fold; p = 0.006) were increased 4hr post-exercise. Thus a single bout of RE results in the increased abundance of a subset of miRs within the skeletal muscle, which was not evident in plasma. The lack a qualitative agreement in the response pattern of intramuscular and circulating miR expression suggests the analysis of circulatory miRs is not reflective of the miR responses within skeletal muscle after exercise.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Exercise / physiology*
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / blood*
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Resistance Training*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • MicroRNAs

Grants and funding

The Study was funded through a University of Auckland Faculty Research Development Fund award (#3706927) to DCS, CJM and JFM. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.