Aging is related to changes in the redox status, low-grade inflammation, and decreased endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (UPR). Exercise has been shown to regulate the inflammatory response, balance redox homeostasis, and ameliorate the UPR. This work aimed to investigate the effects of resistance training on changes in the UPR, oxidative status, and inflammatory responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of elderly subjects. Thirty elderly subjects volunteered to participate in an 8-week resistance training program, and 11 youth subjects were included for basal assessments. Klotho, heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), oxidative marker expression (catalase, glutathione, lipid peroxidation, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, protein carbonyls, reactive oxygen species, and superoxide dismutase 1 and 2), the IRE1 arm of UPR, and TLR4/TRAF6/pIRAK1 pathway activation were evaluated before and following training. No changes in the HSP60 and Klotho protein content, oxidative status markers, and TLR4/TRAF6/pIRAK1 pathway activation were found with exercise. However, an attenuation of the reduced pIRE1/IRE1 ratio was observed following training. Systems biology analysis showed that a low number of proteins (RPS27A, SYVN1, HSPA5, and XBP1) are associated with IRE1, where XBP1 and RPS27A are essential nodes according to the centrality analysis. Additionally, a gene ontology analysis confirms that endoplasmic reticulum stress is a key mechanism modulated by IRE1. These findings might partially support the modulatory effect of resistance training on the endoplasmic reticulum in the elderly.
Keywords: HSP60; IRE1; Klotho; UPR; aging; exercise; inflammaging; oxidative stress; strength exercise; systems biology.