Effects of exercise on gene expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Effect of acute exercise on gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of puberty children

Studies have shown that acute exercise alters the expression of circulating neutrophil and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) genes, affecting a wide range of processes from cellular growth to the promotion of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses. In this study, we identified differential gene expression associated with acute exercise and PBMC in puberty children through the GEO database. We utilized bioinformatics technology to analyze the impact of acute exercise on PBMC and identified key genes involving the puberty children. Combining two datasets of gene expression, we identified 197 shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PBMC before and after exercise. We conducted pathway analysis of these DEGs and built a gene co-expression network. The identification of hub genes was achieved through the utilization of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. 268 shared DEGs were identified in the GSE11761 dataset in pre- and post-exercise groups, while 352 differential genes were identified between the pre- and post-exercise groups of females in the GSE14642 dataset. A total of 197 shared genes were identified between the two datasets. Seven core genes were identified by MCODE and CytoHubba, namely IL2RB, KLRD1, GZMB, TBX21, PRF1, HAVCR2, and GZMA. Bioinformatics techniques are effective in screening and analyzing PBMC-associated DEGs in children undergoing acute pre- and post-exercise puberty. Microarray analysis of PBMCs in children undergoing puberty can identify molecules that may predict acute exercise responses. This study provides insights for further exploration of the mechanisms and targets of acute exercise on the organism.

Whole blood gene expression analysis of spontaneous hypertriglyceridemia in dogs suggests an underlying pro-thrombotic process

Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Spontaneous, idiopathic HTG is common in the Miniature Schnauzer dog and presumed to have a strong genetic influence in this breed. To define genes that are differentially expressed in dogs with HTG, we performed RNA sequencing on peripheral blood of 13 Miniature Schnauzers with HTG and 18 controls. We identified 110 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Pathway analysis suggests an ongoing pro-thrombotic, endothelial activation process in dogs with HTG. The gene with the largest fold change (5.4 ± 1.4, Padj = 4.4E-04), SERPINE1, encodes plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), a known risk factor for atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Other top DEGs, including SHANK3, MMRN1, and FZD7, are involved in endothelial activation. Two of the top DEGs, ARHGAP29 and ARHGAP21, inhibit pro-thrombotic pathways and are potentially protective of disease sequelae. Top DEGs, including SERPINE1 and ARHGAP21, have also been linked to metabolic syndrome or its features (e.g. insulin resistance) in humans and animal models. Our findings indicate that HTG in the Miniature Schnauzer dog has similar features to HTG and metabolic syndrome in humans, highlighting the potential use of the dog as a spontaneous model for further research into the etiology and effects of HTG.

Manual therapy and exercise effects on inflammatory cytokines: a narrative overview

Background

Matching disease and treatment mechanisms is a goal of the Precision Medicine Initiative. Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Transforming Growth Factor-beta, and Interleukin-2, 10, and 12) have gained a significant amount of interest in their potential role in persistent pain for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. Manual therapy (MT) and exercise are two guideline-recommended approaches for treating MSK conditions. The objective of this narrative overview was to investigate of the effects of MT and exercise on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and determine the factors that lead to variability in results.

Methods

Two reviewers evaluated the direction and variabilities of MT and exercise literature. A red, yellow, and green light scoring system was used to define consistencies.

Results

Consistencies in responses were seen with acute and chronic exercise and both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Chronic exercise is associated with a consistent shift towards a more anti-inflammatory cytokine profile (Transforming Growth Factor-beta, and Interleukin-2 and 13, whereas acute bouts of intense exercise can transiently increase pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. The influence of MT on cytokines was less commonly studied and yielded more variable results.

Conclusion

Variability in findings is likely related to the subject and their baseline condition or disease, when measurement occurs, and the exercise intensity, duration, and an individual's overall health and fitness.

Beyond muscles: Investigating immunoregulatory myokines in acute resistance exercise - A systematic review and meta-analysis

Myokines, released from the muscle, enable communication between the working muscles and other tissues. Their release during physical exercise is assumed to depend on immune-hormonal-metabolic interactions concerning mode (endurance or resistance exercise), duration, and intensity. This meta-analysis aims to examine the acute changes of circulating myokines inducing immunoregulatory effects caused by a bout of resistance exercise and to consider potential moderators of the results. Based on this selection strategy, a systematic literature search was conducted for resistance exercise intervention studies measuring interleukin (IL-) 6, IL-10, IL-1ra, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-) α, IL-15, IL-7, transforming growth factor (TGF-) β1, and fractalkines (FKN) before and immediately after resistance exercise in healthy individuals. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed for each myokine. We identified a moderate positive effect of resistance exercise for IL-6 and IL-1ra. Regarding IL-15 and TNF-α, small to moderate effects were found. For IL-10, no significant effect was observed. Due to no data, meta-analyses for IL-7, TGF-β1, and FKN could not be performed. No moderators (training status, type of exercise, risk of bias, age, sex, time of day, exercise volume, exercise intensity, exercise dose) of the results were detected for all tested myokines. Taken together, this systematic review and meta-analysis showed immediate positive effects of an acute resistance exercise session on IL-6, IL-1ra, TNF-α, and IL-15 levels.

Comparison of Transcriptomic Changes in Survivors of Exertional Heat Illness with Malignant Hyperthermia Susceptible Patients

Exertional heat illness (EHI) is an occupational health hazard for athletes and military personnel-characterised by the inability to thermoregulate during exercise. The ability to thermoregulate can be studied using a standardised heat tolerance test (HTT) developed by The Institute of Naval Medicine. In this study, we investigated whole blood gene expression (at baseline, 2 h post-HTT and 24 h post-HTT) in male subjects with either a history of EHI or known susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia (MHS): a pharmacogenetic condition with similar clinical phenotype. Compared to healthy controls at baseline, 291 genes were differentially expressed in the EHI cohort, with functional enrichment in inflammatory response genes (up to a four-fold increase). In contrast, the MHS cohort featured 1019 differentially expressed genes with significant down-regulation of genes associated with oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). A number of differentially expressed genes in the inflammation and OXPHOS pathways overlapped between the EHI and MHS subjects, indicating a common underlying pathophysiology. Transcriptome profiles between subjects who passed and failed the HTT (based on whether they achieved a plateau in core temperature or not, respectively) were not discernable at baseline, and HTT was shown to elevate inflammatory response gene expression across all clinical phenotypes.

A framework of transient hypercapnia to achieve an increased cerebral blood flow induced by nasal breathing during aerobic exercise

During exercise, cerebral blood flow (CBF) is expected to only increase to a maximal volume up to a moderate intensity aerobic effort, suggesting that CBF is expected to decline past 70 % of a maximal aerobic effort. Increasing CBF during exercise permits an increased cerebral metabolic activity that stimulates neuroplasticity and other key processes of cerebral adaptations that ultimately improve cognitive health. Recent work has focused on utilizing gas-induced exposure to intermittent hypoxia during aerobic exercise to maximize the improvements in cognitive function compared to those seen under normoxic conditions. However, it is postulated that exercising by isolating breathing only to the nasal route may provide a similar effect by stimulating a transient hypercapnic condition that is non-gas dependent. Because nasal breathing prevents hyperventilation during exercise, it promotes an increase in the partial arterial pressure of CO2. The rise in systemic CO2 stimulates hypercapnia and permits the upregulation of hypoxia-related genes. In addition, the rise in systemic CO2 stimulates cerebral vasodilation, promoting a greater increase in CBF than seen during normoxic conditions. While more research is warranted, nasal breathing might also promote benefits related to improved sleep, greater immunity, and body fat loss. Altogether, this narrative review presents a theoretical framework by which exercise-induced hypercapnia by utilizing nasal breathing during moderate-intensity aerobic exercise may promote greater health adaptations and cognitive improvements than utilizing oronasal breathing.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of unfractionated peripheral blood leukocytes after exercise in human

Exercise has profound but variable effects on the immune system. However, only limited information exists about the changes of exercise-induced gene expression in whole immune cells. The aim of this study is to unravel the potential molecular changes of genes which are related to immunity after exercise. The raw expression data and corresponding clinical of GSE18966 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. The differentially expressed genes between control group and treat groups were performed by in-house developed perl scripts. A total of 83 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (|log2 FC|> 1, FDR < 0.05) were identified between control and treat group 1 (0 h after exercise), 128 DEGs (|log2 FC|> 1, FDR < 0.05) between control and treat group 2 (4 h after exercise), and there was no significant difference between control and treat group 3 (20 h after exercise). Next, we identified 51 overlapping genes between treat group 1 (0 h after exercise) and treat group 2 (4 h after exercise) using Venn analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.2, and nine hub genes (S100A12, FCGR3B, FPR1, VNN2, AQP9, MMP9, OSM, NCF4, HP) were identified. Finally, 9 hub genes were identified as the potential biomarkers of exercise using validation set (GSE83578) verification analysis. These hub genes might serve as potential molecular targets of monitoring exercise and training processes in the further.

Online Home-Based Physical Activity Counteracts Changes of Redox-Status Biomarkers and Fitness Profiles during Treatment Programs in Postsurgery Female Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer in women. Oxidative stress may contribute to cancer etiology through several mechanisms. A large body of evidence indicates that physical activity (PA) has positive effects on different aspects of BC evolution, including mitigation of negative effects induced by medical treatment. With the aim to verify the capacity of PA to counteract negative effects of BC treatment on systemic redox homeostasis in postsurgery female BC patients, we have examined the modulation of circulating levels of oxidative stress and inflammation markers. Moreover, we evaluated the impacts on physical fitness and mental well-being by measuring functional parameters, body mass index, body composition, health-related quality of life (QoL), and fatigue. Our investigation revealed that PA was effective in maintaining plasma levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and tGSH, as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cells' (PBMCs) mRNA levels of SOD1 and heat-shock protein 27. Moreover, we found a significant decrease in plasma interleukin-6 (≈0.57 ± 0.23-fold change, p < 0.05) and increases in both interleukin-10 (≈1.15 ± 0.35-fold change, p < 0.05) and PBMCs' mRNA level of SOD2 (≈1.87 ± 0.36-fold change, p < 0.05). Finally, PA improves functional parameters (6 min walking test, ≈+6.50%, p < 0.01; Borg, ≈-58.18%, p < 0.01; sit-and-reach, ≈+250.00%, p < 0.01; scratch right, ≈-24.12%, and left, ≈-18.81%, p < 0.01) and body composition (free fat mass, ≈+2.80%, p < 0.05; fat mass, ≈-6.93%, p < 0.05) as well as the QoL (physical function, ≈+5.78%, p < 0.05) and fatigue (cognitive fatigue, ≈-60%, p < 0.05) parameters. These results suggest that a specific PA program not only is effective in improving functional and anthropometric parameters but may also activate cellular responses through a multitude of actions in postsurgery BC patients undergoing adjuvant therapy. These may include modulation of gene expression and protein activity and impacting several signaling pathways/biological activities involved in tumor-cell growth; metastasis; and inflammation, as well as moderating distress symptoms known to negatively affect QoL.

Identification of Optimal Reference Genes for qRT-PCR Normalization for Physical Activity Intervention and Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation in Humans

The quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) technique gives promising opportunities to detect and quantify RNA targets and is commonly used in many research fields. This study aimed to identify suitable reference genes for physical exercise and omega-3 fatty acids supplementation intervention. Forty healthy, physically active men were exposed to a 12-week eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation and standardized endurance training protocol. Blood samples were collected before and after the intervention and mRNA levels of six potential reference genes were tested in the leukocytes of 18 eligible participants using the qRT-PCR method: GAPDH (Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), ACTB (Beta actin), TUBB (Tubulin Beta Class I), RPS18 (Ribosomal Protein S18), UBE2D2 (Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 D2), and HPRT1 (Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase 1). The raw quantification cycle (Cq) values were then analyzed using RefFinder, an online tool that incorporates four different algorithms: NormFinder, geNorm, BestKeeper, and the comparative delta-Ct method. Delta-Ct, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder comprehensive ranking have found GAPDH to be the most stably expressed gene. geNorm has identified TUBB and HPRT as the most stable genes. All algorithms have found ACTB to be the least stably expressed gene. A combination of the three most stably expressed genes, namely GAPDH, TUBB, and HPRT, is suggested for obtaining the most reliable results.

The physical exercise-induced oxidative/inflammatory response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells: Signaling cellular energetic stress situations

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are a variety of specialized immune cells produced in the bone marrow from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that work together to protect our bodies from harmful pathogens. From a metabolic point of view, these cells can serve as sentinel tissue source for distinguishing multiple types of whole-body physiological perturbations. The significant interaction of PBMCs with systemic physiology makes these cells an attractive target for several interventions such as physical exercise. Analyses of oxidative/inflammatory and metabolic markers of PBMCs obtained from unhealthy and healthy humans have been used in monitoring immune response in different exercise conditions. It is already a common consensus that regular practice of physical exercise, that is planned, structured, and repetitive, influences personal health by altering the metabolic state and the immune system. However, the role of distinct metabolic processes responsible for maintaining metabolic balance during physical exercise in PBMCs is not fully understood. Furthermore, a complete dose-response analysis between different exercise protocols and biomarkers capable of predicting physical performance needs to be better elucidated. The absence of published reviews on this topic compromises the understanding of the crosstalk between the metabolic adaptations of PBMCs and exercise-induced changes in the immune system. Given the above, this review highlights the main findings in the literature involving the responses of PBMCs in the inflammatory/oxidative stress induced by physical exercise. The present review also highlights how distinct phenotypes and functional diversity of PBMCs make these cells an accessible alternative for assessing exercise-induced metabolic adaptations.

Resistance exercise with different workloads have distinct effects on cellular respiration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Little is known how acute exercise-induced inflammation and metabolic stress affect immune cell bioenergetics and the portion of its components. Therefore, we investigated acute effects of eccentric-only (E), concentric-only (C) and combined eccentric-concentric resistance exercise (E + C) bouts on cellular respiration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Twelve strength-trained young men performed bench press resistance exercises in randomized order. Venous blood samples were drawn at pre-, 5 min post- and 24 h post-exercise. Several PBMC respiration states were measured using high-resolution respirometry. Levels of leukocytes, interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine kinase (CK), blood lactate and maximum voluntary isometric force were measured from the same time points. Effects of blood lactate and pH change on bioenergetics of PBMCs were investigated ex vivo. PBMC routine respiration (p = 0.017), free routine capacity (p = 0.025) and ET-capacity (p = 0.038) decreased immediately after E + C. E responded in opposite manner 5 min post-exercise compared to E + C (p = 0.013) and C (p = 0.032) in routine respiration, and to E + C in free routine activity (p = 0.013). E + C > C > E was observed for increased lactate levels and decreased isometric force that correlated with routine respiration (R = -0.369, p = 0.035; R = 0.352, p = 0.048). Lactate and pH change did not affect bioenergetics of PBMCs. Acute resistance exercise affected cellular respiration of PBMCs, with training volume and the amount of metabolic stress appear influential. Results suggest that acute inflammation response does not contribute to changes seen in cellular respiration, but the level of peripheral muscle fatigue and metabolic stress could be explaining factors.

ErbB Signaling Pathway Genes Are Differentially Expressed in Monozygotic Twins Discordant for Sports-Related Concussion

Transcriptional changes involved in neuronal recovery after sports-related concussion (SRC) may be obscured by inter-individual variation in mRNA expression and nonspecific changes related to physical exertion. Using a co-twin study, the objective of this study was to identify important differences in mRNA expression among a single pair of monozygotic (MZ) twins discordant for concussion. A pair of MZ twins were enrolled as part of a larger study of concussion biomarkers among collegiate athletes. During the study, Twin A sustained SRC, allowing comparison of mRNA expression to the nonconcussed Twin B. Twin A clinically recovered by Day 7. mRNA expression was measured pre-injury and at 6 h and 7 days postinjury using Affymetrix HG-U133 Plus 2.0 microarray. Changes in mRNA expression from pre-injury to each postinjury time point were compared between the twins; differences >1.5-fold were considered important. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes identified biologic networks associated with important transcripts. Among 38,000 analyzed genes, important changes were identified in 153 genes. The ErbB (epidermal growth factor receptor) signaling pathway was identified as the top transcriptional network from pre-injury to 7 days postinjury. Genes in this pathway with important transcriptional changes included epidermal growth factor (2.41), epiregulin (1.73), neuregulin 1 (1.54) and mechanistic target of rapamycin (1.51). In conclusion, the ErbB signaling pathway was identified as a potential regulator of clinical recovery in a MZ twin pair discordant for SRC. A co-twin study design may be a useful method for identifying important gene pathways associated with concussion recovery.

Serum and gene expression profile of cytokines following combination of yoga training and vitamin D supplementation in breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial

Background

This study aimed to examine the effect of the combination of yoga training with high vitamin D dose supplementation on the expression and systemic levels of inflammatory cytokines and psychophysical status of breast cancer survivors.

Methods

Thirty volunteered breast cancer survivors (48 ± 8 years) were randomly allocated to a high dose (4000 IU) of vitamin D supplementation (HD) group (n = 10), yoga with a high dose of vitamin D (YHD) group (n = 10), and yoga with a low dose (2000 IU) of vitamin D (YLD) group (n = 10). Participants performed the Hatha yoga style for 12 weeks, twice a week. Blood samples, quality of life (QoL) questionnaire, and physical performance tests were taken before and after the intervention.

Results

Body fat percentage (ηp² = 0.36), handgrip strength (ηp² = 0.41) and QoL indicators include global health (ηp² = 0.54), functional scales (ηp² = 0.49), and symptoms scales (ηp² = 0.50) were significantly improved in the both YHD and YLD groups compared to the HD group (p < 0.05). Also, interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels were markedly increased in the Y-HVD group compared to the Y-LVD and HVD groups. Moreover, there were significant decreases in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 levels in the Y-HVD group after the intervention. The anti-inflammatory index (IL-10/TNF-α) was significantly increased in both the yoga groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Yoga promotes physical and psychological fitness and, in combination with a high dose of vitamin D, improves the cytokine profile, which can effectively manage the side effects associated with cancer.

Trial registration IRCT20210726051993N2. Registration date: 2022/02/27. URL: https://www.irct.ir/trial/62079

RNA Sequencing of Whole Blood Defines the Signature of High Intensity Exercise at Altitude in Elite Speed Skaters

Although high altitude training has been increasingly popular among endurance athletes, the molecular and cellular bases of this adaptation remain poorly understood. We aimed to define the underlying physiological changes and screen for potential biomarkers of adaptation using transcriptional profiling of whole blood. Seven elite female speed skaters were profiled on the 18th day of high-altitude adaptation. Whole blood RNA-seq before and after an intense 1 h skating bout was used to measure gene expression changes associated with exercise. In order to identify the genes specifically regulated at high altitudes, we have leveraged the data from eight previously published microarray datasets studying blood expression changes after exercise at sea level. Using cell type-specific signatures, we were able to deconvolute changes of cell type abundance from individual gene expression changes. Among these were PHOSPHO1, with a known role in erythropoiesis, and MARC1 with a role in endogenic NO metabolism. We find that platelet and erythrocyte counts uniquely respond to altitude exercise, while changes in neutrophils represent a more generic marker of intense exercise. Publicly available data from both single cell atlases and exercise-related blood profiling dramatically increases the value of whole blood RNA-seq for the dynamic evaluation of physiological changes in an athlete’s body.

Three Months of Strength Training Changes the Gene Expression of Inflammation-Related Genes in PBMC of Older Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Here, we investigate changes in inflammation-related gene-expression in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMC) by strength training. A total of 14 women aged ≥65 years were randomized into 3 months of either 3×/week intensive strength training (IST: 3×10 rep at 80% 1RM), strength endurance training (SET: 2×30 reps at 40% 1RM) or control (CON: 3×30 sec stretching). Differentially expressed genes (fold change ≤0.67 or ≥1.5) were identified by targeted RNA-sequencing of 407 inflammation-related genes. A total of 98 genes (n = 61 pro-inflammatory) were significantly affected. IST and SET altered 14 genes in a similar direction and 19 genes in the opposite direction. Compared to CON, IST changed the expression of 6 genes in the same direction, and 17 genes in the SET. Likewise, 18 and 13 genes were oppositely expressed for, respectively, IST and SET compared to CON. Changes in gene expression affected 33 canonical pathways related to chronic inflammation. None of the altered pathways overlapped between IST and SET. Liver X Receptor/Retinoid X Receptor Activation (LXR/RXR) and Triggering Receptor Expressed On Myeloid Cells 1 (TREM1) pathways were enriched oppositely in both training groups. We conclude that three months IST and SET can induce changes in CLIP-related gene expression in PBMC, but by affecting different genes and related pathways.

Systemic Response of Antioxidants, Heat Shock Proteins, and Inflammatory Biomarkers to Short-Lasting Exercise Training in Healthy Male Subjects

Regular physical activity can enhance immune function and effectively prevents the spread of the cytokine response, thus reducing systemic low-grade inflammation and improving various immune markers. Moreover, regular exercise maintains redox homeostasis in skeletal muscle and other tissues, including immune cells, but the interconnection between the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise with the redox status of immune cells is still poorly understood. With the aim to verify the overall beneficial effect of regular training on the immune system, we have examined the acute and short-term effect of a 5-day exercise program on the modulation of protein and lipid oxidation, antioxidants (i.e., superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) and superoxide dismutase-2 (SOD2), glutathione peroxide 1 (GPx1), thioredoxin reductase-1 (TrxR1), and catalase (CAT)), and heat shock protein expression (i.e., heat shock protein-70 (HSP70) and heat shock protein-27 (HSP27)), at both mRNA and protein levels, as well as the activation of the nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Moreover, plasmatic markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and stress response (i.e., protein carbonyl content, interleukin-6 (IL6), interleukin-8 (IL8), interleukin-10 (IL10), interleukin-17E (IL17E), interleukin-17F (IL17F), interleukin-21 (IL21), interleukin-22 (IL22), and interleukin-23 (IL23)) were analyzed in active untrained young adult subjects. Even in the absence of an increased amount of protein or lipid oxidation, we confirmed a PBMC upregulation of SOD1 (1.26 ± 0.07 fold change, p < 0.05), HSP70 (1.59 ± 0.28 fold change, p < 0.05), and HSP27 gene expression (1.49 ± 0.09 fold change, p < 0.05) after 3 hours from the first bout of exercise, followed by an increase in proteins' amount at 24 hours (SOD1, 1.80 ± 0.34 fold change; HSP70, 3.40 ± 0.58 fold change; and HSP27, 1.81 ± 0.20 fold change, p < 0.05) and return to basal levels after the 5 days of aerobic training. Indeed, the posttraining basal levels of oxidized molecules in plasma and PBMCs were statistically lower than the pretraining levels (carbonyl content, 0.50 ± 0.05 fold change, p < 0.01), paralleled by a lower expression of SOD2, Gpx1, and TrxR1, at mRNA (SOD2, 0.63 ± 0.06; GPx1, 0.69 ± 0.07; and TrxR1, 0.69 ± 0.12 fold change, p < 0.05) and protein (TrxR1, 0.49 ± 0.11 fold change, p < 0.05) levels. These results verified the existence of an early phase of redox adaptation to physical exercise already achievable after 5 days of moderate, regular aerobic training. More interestingly, this phenomenon was paralleled by the degree of NFκB activation in PBMCs and the decrease of plasmatic proinflammatory cytokines IL8, IL21, and IL22 in the posttraining period, suggesting an interconnected, short-term efficacy of aerobic exercise towards systemic oxidative stress and inflammation.

Gravitational Force-Induced 3D Chromosomal Conformational Changes Are Associated with Rapid Transcriptional Response in Human T Cells

The mechanisms underlying gravity perception in mammalian cells are unknown. We have recently discovered that the transcriptome of cells in the immune system, which is the most affected system during a spaceflight, responds rapidly and broadly to altered gravity. To pinpoint potential underlying mechanisms, we compared gene expression and three-dimensional (3D) chromosomal conformational changes in human Jurkat T cells during the short-term gravitational changes in parabolic flight and suborbital ballistic rocket flight experiments. We found that differential gene expression in gravity-responsive chromosomal regions, but not differentially regulated single genes, are highly conserved between different real altered gravity comparisons. These coupled gene expression effects in chromosomal regions could be explained by underlying chromatin structures. Based on a high-throughput chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) analysis in altered gravity, we found that small chromosomes (chr16–22, with the exception of chr18) showed increased intra- and interchromosomal interactions in altered gravity, whereby large chromosomes showed decreased interactions. Finally, we detected a nonrandom overlap between Hi-C-identified chromosomal interacting regions and gravity-responsive chromosomal regions (GRCRs). We therefore demonstrate the first evidence that gravitational force-induced 3D chromosomal conformational changes are associated with rapid transcriptional response in human T cells. We propose a general model of cellular sensitivity to gravitational forces, where gravitational forces acting on the cellular membrane are rapidly and mechanically transduced through the cytoskeleton into the nucleus, moving chromosome territories to new conformation states and their genes into more expressive or repressive environments, finally resulting in region-specific differential gene expression.

The expression of FLNA and CLU in PBMCs as a novel screening marker for hepatocellular carcinoma

Early detection improves survival and increases curative probability in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can provide an inexpensive, less-invasive and highly accurate method. The objective of this study is to find the potential marker for HCC screening, utilizing gene expression of the PBMCs. Data from the NCBI GEO database of gene expression in HCC patients and healthy donor's PBMCs was collected. As a result, GSE 49515 and GSE 58208 were found. Using both, a statistical significance test was conducted in each gene expression of each data set which resulted in 187 genes. We randomized three selected genes (FLNA, CAP1, and CLU) from the significant p-value group (p-values < 0.001). Then, a total of 76 healthy donors, 153 HCC, 20 hepatic fibrosis, 20 non-alcoholic fatty liver were collected. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed in cDNA from all blood samples from the qRT-PCR, The Cycle threshold (Ct) value of FLNA, CLU, CAP1 of HCC group (28.47 ± 4.43, 28.01 ± 3.75, 29.64 ± 3.90) were lower than healthy group (34.23 ± 3.54, 32.90 ± 4.15, 32.18 ± 5.02) (p-values < 0.0001). The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of these genes as a screening tool were: FLNA (80.8%, 88.0%, 65.8%), CLU (63.4%, 93.3%, 31.3%), CAP1 (67.2%, 83.3%, 39.1%). The tests were performed in two and three gene combinations. Results demonstrated high accuracy of 86.2%, sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 88.4% in the FLNA and CLU combination. Furthermore, after analyzed using hepatic fibrosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver as a control, the FLNA and CLU combination is shown to have accuracy of 76.9%, sensitivity of 77.6% and specificity of 75%. Also, we founded that our gene combination performs better than the current gold standard for HCC screening. We concluded that FLNA and CLU combination have high potential for being HCC novel markers. Combined with current tumor markers, further research of the gene’s expression might help identify more potential markers and improve diagnosis methods.

Acute exercise impacts AhR and PD-1 levels of CD8+ T-cells-Exploratory results from a randomized cross-over trial comparing endurance versus resistance exercise

PURPOSE

The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) has become a promising target in cancer immunotherapy. PD-1 expression of CD8+ T-cells may be increased via the exploitation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling with kynurenine (KYN) as a ligand. Since exercise affects KYN metabolism, we exploratory investigated the influence of acute exercise bouts on AhR and PD-1 levels of CD8+ T-cells.

METHOD

In this study, 24 healthy males (age: 24.6 ± 3.9 years; weight 83.9 ± 10.5 kg; height: 182.4 ± 6.2 cm) completed a single bout of endurance (EE) and resistance exercise (RE) in a randomly assigned order on separate days. Blood samples were drawn before (t0), after (t1), and 1 h after (t2) both conditions. T-cell populations, the level of cytoplasmic AhR, and surface PD-1 were assessed by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

T-cell populations changed over time, indicated by an increase in the absolute numbers of CD3+ lymphocytes after EE (p < .001) and RE (p = .036) and in PD-1+ CD8+ T-cells after EE (p = .021). Proportions of T-cell populations changed only after EE (t0-t2: p = .029; t1-t2: p = .006). The level of cytoplasmic AhR decreased immediately after exercise in both exercise conditions (EE: p = .009; RE: p = .036). The level of surface PD-1 decreased 1 h after EE (p = .005).

CONCLUSION

We analyzed the level of surface PD-1 and cytoplasmic AhR following acute physical exercise for the first time. Especially EE was observed to impact both AhR and PD-1 levels, undermining its role as the AhR-PD-1 axis modulator. These results provide new insights into the impact of exercise on AhR-signaling, which could potentially be relevant for various chronic diseases.

Associations Between Physical Effort and DNA Methylation in the Promotor Region of the Dopamine Transporter Gene (DAT1)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between physical effort and DNA methylation in the promoter region of the dopamine transporter gene (DAT1). The research group included 100 athletes (mean age = 22.88, SD = 6.35), whereas the control group were 239 healthy male volunteers matched for age (mean age = 21.69, SD = 3.39). Both, the control and the research group, included individuals with Caucasian origin from the same region of Poland. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes using a DNA isolation kit (A&A Biotechnology, Gdynia, Poland). Bisulfite modification of 250 ng DNA was performed using the EZ DNA Methylation Kit (Zymo Research, Orange, CA, USA), according to manufacturer's instructions. The methylation-specific PCR assay was carried out in a Mastercycler epgradient S (Eppendorf, Germany). We observed that the level of general methylation of the CpG island was similar for both groups. Further exploration of individual CpG sites allowed to notice that there were significant differences in methylation status in specific positions. Nonetheless, there was no rule that would indicate either higher or lower methylation of individual sites, four of them were methylated at a higher level (positions 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29 and 30), while one showed an inverse trend (position 3). More precise analysis with the usage of Bonferroni correction for multiple tests indicated that differences in CpG site methylation were mainly increased in several positions and decreased in position 3.

In Vivo Evaluation of Immune-Enhancing Activity of Red Gamju Fermented by Probiotic Levilactobacillus brevis KU15154 in Mice

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immune-enhancing effect of red gamju fermented with Levilactobacillus brevis KU15154, isolated from kimchi, as a biofunctional beverage using mice. Thirty-two mice were used, and after a 2-week feeding, the growth, cytokine and immunoglobulin production, and immune-related cell activation (phagocytes and natural killer [NK] cells) of the mice were evaluated. The red gamju- (SR) and fermented red gamju- (FSR) treated groups had 3.5-4.0-fold greater T-cell proliferation ability than the negative control group. IFN-γ production in the FSR group (15.5 ± 1.2 mg/mL) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in the SR group (12.5 ± 1.8 mg/mL). The FSR group (502.6 ± 25.8 μg/mL) also showed higher IgG production levels than the SR group (412.2 ± 44.8 μg/mL). The activity of NK cells treated with FSR was also greater than that of cells treated with SR but it was not significant (p ≤ 0.05). Further, the phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages was higher in both SR and FSR groups than in the control group but was not significantly different (p < 0.05) between the SR and FSR groups. In conclusion, L. brevis KU15154 may be applied in the fermentation of bioactive food products, such as beverages or pharmaceutical industries, to potentially improve immunity.

Molecular Choreography of Acute Exercise

Acute physical activity leads to several changes in metabolic, cardiovascular, and immune pathways. Although studies have examined selected changes in these pathways, the system-wide molecular response to an acute bout of exercise has not been fully characterized. We performed longitudinal multi-omic profiling of plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells including metabolome, lipidome, immunome, proteome, and transcriptome from 36 well-characterized volunteers, before and after a controlled bout of symptom-limited exercise. Time-series analysis revealed thousands of molecular changes and an orchestrated choreography of biological processes involving energy metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, tissue repair, and growth factor response, as well as regulatory pathways. Most of these processes were dampened and some were reversed in insulin-resistant participants. Finally, we discovered biological pathways involved in cardiopulmonary exercise response and developed prediction models revealing potential resting blood-based biomarkers of peak oxygen consumption.

Exercise Reverses Dysregulation of T-Cell-Related Function in Blood Leukocytes of Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease with movement and balance impairments. Although studies have reported improvement of motor symptoms with physical exercise, the mechanisms by which exercise is beneficial remains poorly understood. Our study addresses the exercise-induced changes to peripheral immune cells by interrogating the transcriptome of blood-derived leukocytes in PD patients before and after exercise. Patients attended 1 h exercise classes twice a week for 12 weeks. Leukocytes were collected at the beginning and end of the study for gene expression analysis by RNA-seq or quantitative real-time PCR. We correlated differentially expressed genes after exercise with clinical measures and analyzed the potential functions of gene changes with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway and Gene Ontology analysis. Exercise improved measures of movement and balance when compared with scores before the exercise program. Among the gene changes, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology analysis suggests that T-cell receptor signaling, T-cell activation, and T-cell migration pathways were downregulated, while the T-cell receptor signaling pathway was the most significantly correlated with clinical measures. To further investigate T-cell-related changes in PD leukocytes, we reanalyzed the differentially expressed genes from publicly available microarray data and found that genes in the T-cell activation, differentiation, and migration pathways were upregulated in PD samples compared to controls in a time-dependent manner. Together, our findings suggest that exercise rehabilitation may improve movement and balance in PD patients by reversing the upregulated T-cell activation pathways associated with PD. This study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry under ChiCTR-TRC-14004707. Registered on May 27, 2014.

Inflammatory Effects of High and Moderate Intensity Exercise-A Systematic Review

Background: Exercise leads to a robust inflammatory response mainly characterized by the mobilization of leukocytes and an increase in circulating inflammatory mediators produced by immune cells and directly from the active muscle tissue. Both positive and negative effects on immune function and susceptibility to minor illness have been observed following different training protocols. While engaging in moderate activity may enhance immune function above sedentary levels, excessive amounts of prolonged, high-intensity exercise may impair immune function. Thus, the aim of the present review was to clarify the inflammatory effects in response to different exercise intensities. Methods: Search was performed on PubMed and was completed on July 31st, 2017. The studies were eligible if they met the predefined inclusion criteria: a) observational or interventional studies, b) conducted in healthy adults (18-65 years), c) written in Portuguese, English or Spanish, d) including moderate and/or intense exercise. Eighteen articles were included. The specific components that were examined included circulating blood levels of cytokines, leukocytes, creatine kinase (CK) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed. Results: Most of the intervention studies showed changes in the assessed biomarkers, although these changes were not consistent. White blood cells (WBC) had an increase immediately after intensive exercise (> 64% VO_2max), without alteration after moderate exercise (46-64% VO_2max). The results suggested an elevation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, namely IL-6, followed by an elevation of IL-10 that were more evident after intense exercise bouts. CRP increased both after intense and moderate exercise, with peak increases up to 28 h. CK increased only after intensive and long exercising. Conclusion: In summary, intense long exercise can lead, in general, to higher levels of inflammatory mediators, and thus might increase the risk of injury and chronic inflammation. In contrast, moderate exercise or vigorous exercise with appropriate resting periods can achieve maximum benefit.

Characterization and Validation of an "Acute Aerobic Exercise Load" as a Tool to Assess Antioxidative and Anti-inflammatory Nutrition in Healthy Subjects Using a Statistically Integrated Approach in a Comprehensive Clinical Trial

The homeostatic challenge may provide unique opportunities for quantitative assessment of the health-promoting effects of nutritional interventions in healthy individuals. Objective. The present study is aimed at characterizing and validating the use of acute aerobic exercise (AAE) on a treadmill at 60% of VO_2max for 30 min, in assessing the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of a nutritional intervention. In a controlled, randomized, parallel trial of Korean black raspberry (KBR) (n = 24/group), fasting blood and urine samples collected before and following the AAE load at either baseline or 4-week follow-up were analyzed for biochemical markers, ¹H-NMR metabolomics, and transcriptomics. The AAE was characterized using the placebo data only, and either the placebo or the treatment data were used in the validation. The AAE load generated a total of 50 correlations of 44 selected markers, based on Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis of 105 differential markers. Subsequent mapping of selected markers onto the KEGG pathway dataset showed 127 pathways relevant to the AAE load. Of these, 54 pathways involving 18 key targets were annotated to be related to oxidative stress and inflammation. The biochemical responses were amplified with the AAE load as compared to those with no load, whereas, the metabolomic and transcriptomic responses were downgraded. Furthermore, target-pathway network analysis revealed that the AAE load provided more explanations on how KBR exerted antioxidant effects in healthy subjects (29 pathways involving 12 key targets with AAE vs. 12 pathways involving 2 key targets without AAE). This study provides considerable insight into the molecular changes incurred by AAE and furthers our understanding that AAE-induced homeostatic perturbation could magnify oxidative and inflammatory responses, thereby providing a unique opportunity to test functional foods for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory purposes in clinical settings with healthy subjects.

Comparison for immunophysiological responses of Jeju and Thoroughbred horses after exercise

OBJECTIVE

The study was conducted to investigate variations in the immunophysiological responses to exercise-induced stress in Jeju and Thoroughbred horses.

METHODS

Blood samples were collected from the jugular veins of adult Jeju (n = 5) and Thoroughbred (n = 5) horses before and after 30 min of exercise. The hematological, biochemical, and immunological profiles of the blood samples were analyzed. Blood smears were stained and observed under a microscope. The concentration of cell-free (cf) DNA in the plasma was determined using real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and polymorphonuclear cells were separated using Polymorphprep, and the expression of various stress-related and chemokine receptor genes was measured using reverse transcriptase (RT) and real-time PCR.

RESULTS

After exercise, Jeju and Thoroughbred horses displayed stress responses with significantly increased rectal temperatures, cortisol levels, and muscle catabolism-associated metabolites. Red blood cell indices were significantly higher in Thoroughbred horses than in Jeju horses after exercise. In addition, exercise-induced stress triggered the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and reduced platelet counts in Jeju horses but not in Thoroughbred horses. Heat shock protein 72 and heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 6 expression is rapidly modulated in response to exercise-induced stress in the PBMCs of Jeju horses. The expression of CXC chemokine receptor 4 in PBMCs was higher in Thoroughbred horses than in Jeju horses after exercise.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the different immunophysiological responses of Jeju and Thoroughbred horses explain the differences in the physiological and anatomical properties of the two breeds. The physiology of Thoroughbred horses makes them suitable for racing as they are less sensitive to exercise-induced stress compared to that of Jeju horses. This study provides a basis for investigating the link between exercise-induced stresses and the physiological alteration of horses. Hence, our findings show that some of assessed parameters could be used to determine the endurance performance of horses.

Perturbations in neuroinflammatory pathways are associated with paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in breast cancer survivors

Paclitaxel is a common chemotherapy drug associated with the development of chronic paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN). PIPN is associated with neuroinflammatory mechanisms in pre-clinical studies. Here, we evaluated for differential gene expression (DGE) in peripheral blood between breast cancer survivors with and without PIPN and for neuroinflammatory (NI) related signaling pathways and whole-transcriptome profiles from other experiments. Pathway impact analysis identified 8 perturbed NI related pathways. Expression profile analysis found 15 experiments having similar whole-transcriptome profiles of DGE related to neuroinflammation and PIPN. These findings suggest that perturbations in pathways associated with neuroinflammation are found in cancer survivors with PIPN.

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Paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN) is associated with Paclitaxel treatment

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Differential gene expression was associated with PIPN in breast cancer survivors.

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Perturbations of neuroinflammatory-related pathways were identified between survivors.

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Transcriptome profile was similar to other pre-clinical and clinical studies.

Impact of aerobic exercise and fatty acid supplementation on global and gene-specific DNA methylation

Lifestyle interventions, including exercise and dietary supplementation, can modify DNA methylation and exert health benefits; however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we investigated the impact of acute aerobic exercise and the supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on global and gene-specific (PPARGC1A, IL6 and TNF) DNA methylation, and DNMT mRNA expression in leukocytes of disease-free individuals. Eight trained male cyclists completed an exercise test before and after a four-week supplementation of n-3 PUFA and EVOO in a double-blind, randomised, repeated measures design. Exercise triggered global hypomethylation (Pre 79.2%; Post 78.7%; p = 0.008), alongside, hypomethylation (Pre 6.9%; Post 6.3%; p < 0.001) and increased mRNA expression of PPARGC1A (p < 0.001). Associations between PPARGC1A methylation and exercise performance were also detected. An interaction between supplement and trial was detected for a single CpG of IL6 indicating increased DNA methylation following n-3 PUFA and decreased methylation following EVOO (p = 0.038). Global and gene-specific DNA methylation associated with markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. The supplementation of EVOO reduced DNMT1 mRNA expression compared to n-3 PUFA supplementation (p = 0.048), whereas, DNMT3a (p = 0.018) and DNMT3b (p = 0.046) mRNA expression were decreased following exercise. In conclusion, we demonstrate that acute exercise and dietary supplementation of n-3 PUFAs and EVOO induce DNA methylation changes in leukocytes, potentially via the modulation of DNMT mRNA expression. Future studies are required to further elucidate the impact of lifestyle interventions on DNA methylation.

Benefits of Gardening Activities for Cognitive Function According to Measurement of Brain Nerve Growth Factor Levels

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of gardening activities in senior individuals on brain nerve growth factors related to cognitive function. Forty-one senior individuals (age 76.6 ± 6.0 years) were recruited from the local community in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea. A 20-min low-to-moderate intensity gardening activity intervention, making a vegetable garden, was performed by the subjects in a garden plot located on the Konkuk University (Seoul, South Korea) campus. The gardening involved six activities including cleaning a garden plot, digging, fertilizing, raking, planting/transplanting, and watering. To determine the effects of the gardening activities on brain nerve growth factors related to memory, blood samples were drawn twice from each subject before and after the gardening activity by professional nurses. The levels of brain nerve growth factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), were analyzed. Levels of BDNF and PDGF were significantly increased after the gardening activity. This study revealed a potential benefit of gardening activities for cognitive function in senior individuals.

Combined bead-based multiplex detection of RNA and protein biomarkers: Implications for understanding the time course of skeletal muscle injury and repair

Biological response to skeletal muscle injury time course is generally classified as initial (elevated within first 4-h), delayed (elevated at 24-h), and/or prolonged (elevated at 4-h and sustained to 24-h). Accurate description of this process requires the ability to measure a robust set of RNA and protein biomarkers, yet such an approach is not common and not always feasible. This method proposes a novel experimental approach that focuses on the use of bead-based multiplex detection to measure mRNA, lncRNA, cytokines, soluble cytokine receptors, and myokines at 4-h and 24-h post muscle injury. We used an extreme aerobic exercise session (half-marathon race) to create a consistent muscle injury stimulus via oxidative stress and eccentric contractions. Venous blood samples were analyzed to determine the change in 90 targets. Specifically, we identified 14 mRNA, 2 lncRNA, 4 cytokines, and 5 myokines that had only an initial response (change at 4-h). We identified 2 mRNA, 2 cytokines, 13 soluble cytokine receptors, and 1 myokine that had only a delayed response (change at 24-h). Finally, we identified 18 mRNA, 4 lncRNA, 6 myokines and 15 cytokines that had a prolonged response (change at 4-h and sustained at 24-h). We found 4 targets to be undetectable or having no response relative to muscle injury recovery. These findings demonstrate the interplay between RNA and protein biomarkers in response to skeletal muscle injury. This novel experimental application of bead-based multiplexing is applicable to a variety of clinical models that involve muscle injury and/or wasting.

Sports-Related Concussion Results in Differential Expression of Nuclear Factor-κB Pathway Genes in Peripheral Blood During the Acute and Subacute Periods

OBJECTIVE

To determine changes in global gene expression in peripheral leukocytes in the acute and subacute periods following a sports-related concussion in athletes.

SETTING

Samples were collected at 2 universities in Rochester, New York.

PARTICIPANTS

Fifteen contact sport athletes who experienced a sports-related concussion, and 16 nonconcussed teammates served as controls.

DESIGN

Blood samples were collected at the start of the season (baseline), within 6 hours of injury (acute), and at 7 days (subacute) postinjury. Differential gene expression was measured using the GeneChip 3' in vitro transcription Expression kit and Affymetrix microarrays, and genes with fold difference of 2 or more were identified using Partek.

MAIN MEASURES

Whole genome differential gene expression, and cognitive and balance measures to asses for clinical symptoms pre- and postinjury.

RESULTS

In the concussed athletes, we observed 67 downregulated and 4 upregulated genes in the acute period and 63 downregulated and 2 upregulated genes in the subacute period compared with baseline. Of these, there were 28 genes from both time points involved in the inflammatory response. No significant differences in gene expression were detected in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that recovery from sports-related concussion relates to modulation of inflammation through cytokine and chemokine gene pathways, which can contribute to future development of personalized therapeutic agents.

Physiological Mitochondrial Fragmentation Is a Normal Cardiac Adaptation to Increased Energy Demand

RATIONALE

Mitochondria play a dual role in the heart, responsible for meeting energetic demands and regulating cell death. Paradigms have held that mitochondrial fission and fragmentation are the result of pathological stresses, such as ischemia, are an indicator of poor mitochondrial health, and lead to mitophagy and cell death. However, recent studies demonstrate that inhibiting fission also results in decreased mitochondrial function and cardiac impairment, suggesting that fission is important for maintaining cardiac and mitochondrial bioenergetic homeostasis.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to determine whether mitochondrial fission and fragmentation can be an adaptive mechanism used by the heart to augment mitochondrial and cardiac function during a normal physiological stress, such as exercise.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We demonstrate a novel role for cardiac mitochondrial fission as a normal adaptation to increased energetic demand. During submaximal exercise, physiological mitochondrial fragmentation results in enhanced, rather than impaired, mitochondrial function and is mediated, in part, by β1-adrenergic receptor signaling. Similar to pathological fragmentation, physiological fragmentation is induced by activation of dynamin-related protein 1; however, unlike pathological fragmentation, membrane potential is maintained and regulators of mitophagy are downregulated. Inhibition of fission with P110, Mdivi-1 (mitochondrial division inhibitor), or in mice with cardiac-specific dynamin-related protein 1 ablation significantly decreases exercise capacity.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate the requirement for physiological mitochondrial fragmentation to meet the energetic demands of exercise, as well as providing additional support for the evolving conceptual framework, where mitochondrial fission and fragmentation play a role in the balance between mitochondrial maintenance of normal physiology and response to disease.

The effects of an acute exercise bout on GH and IGF-1 in prediabetic and healthy African Americans: A pilot study investigating gene expression

The incidence of pre-diabetes (PD) and Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) is a worldwide epidemic. African American (AA) individuals are disproportionately more likely to become diabetic than other ethnic groups. Over the long-term, metabolic complications related to diabetes result in significant alterations in growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Considering the limited exercise-related studies in the area of gene expression changes with disease progression, the objective of this study was to examine differences in exercise-induced gene expression related to the GH and IGF-1 pathways in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of healthy (CON) and PD AA individuals.

DESIGN

Ten subjects [5 PD (age = 35±9.3 yr, BMI = 32.1±4.0, FBG = 101.8±1.3 mg/dl) and 5 CON (age = 31±9.4 yr, BMI = 29.4±5.2, FBG = 82.8±9.7 mg/dl)] had blood drawn for RNA isolation prior to exercise (Pre), immediately following acute moderate intensity exercise on a treadmill (Post-1), 6-hours post (Post-6), and 24-hours post (Post-24). Isolation of mRNA from PBMCs was performed using ficoll separation, while the profiling of mRNA expression was performed using Illumina beadchip arrays with standard protocols. Scan results were statistically analyzed for a specific list of genes related to GH and IGF-1. GH and IGF-1 protein levels were also assessed in each sample. To address issues of normality, all GH and IGF-1 data were log-transformed prior to analysis. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

RESULTS

Group differences for GH2 variant 2 (p = 0.070) and GH2 variant 3 (p = 0.059) were coupled with significant alterations in IGF-1 mRNA over time (p = 0.024). A significant interaction between group and time was observed for GHRH mRNA (p = 0.008). No group differences were observed in GH AUC (p = 0.649), ΔGH (p = 0.331), GHrec (p = 0.294), or IGF-1 AUC (p = 0.865), representing a similar exercise-induced GH and IGF-1 response for both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis of GH and IGF-1 related-gene expression indicates that mild elevations in fasting blood glucose and exercise-induced alterations in gene expression are impacted by the prediabetic state.

Common genes associated with antidepressant response in mouse and man identify key role of glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity

Response to antidepressant treatment in major depressive disorder (MDD) cannot be predicted currently, leading to uncertainty in medication selection, increasing costs, and prolonged suffering for many patients. Despite tremendous efforts in identifying response-associated genes in large genome-wide association studies, the results have been fairly modest, underlining the need to establish conceptually novel strategies. For the identification of transcriptome signatures that can distinguish between treatment responders and nonresponders, we herein submit a novel animal experimental approach focusing on extreme phenotypes. We utilized the large variance in response to antidepressant treatment occurring in DBA/2J mice, enabling sample stratification into subpopulations of good and poor treatment responders to delineate response-associated signature transcript profiles in peripheral blood samples. As a proof of concept, we translated our murine data to the transcriptome data of a clinically relevant human cohort. A cluster of 259 differentially regulated genes was identified when peripheral transcriptome profiles of good and poor treatment responders were compared in the murine model. Differences in expression profiles from baseline to week 12 of the human orthologues selected on the basis of the murine transcript signature allowed prediction of response status with an accuracy of 76% in the patient population. Finally, we show that glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-regulated genes are significantly enriched in this cluster of antidepressant-response genes. Our findings point to the involvement of GR sensitivity as a potential key mechanism shaping response to antidepressant treatment and support the hypothesis that antidepressants could stimulate resilience-promoting molecular mechanisms. Our data highlight the suitability of an appropriate animal experimental approach for the discovery of treatment response-associated pathways across species.

Major depression is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. However, only one-third of patients with depression benefit from the first antidepressant compound they are prescribed. It is a fundamental problem that the outcomes of individual antidepressant treatments are still highly unpredictable. In clinical studies, discovery of biomarkers for antidepressant response is hampered by confounding factors such as the heterogeneity of the disease phenotype and additional environmental factors, e.g., previous life events and different schedules of psychopharmacological treatment, which reduce the power to detect true response biomarkers. To overcome some of these limitations, we have established a conceptually novel approach that allows the selection of extreme phenotypes in an antidepressant-responsive mouse strain. In the first step, we identify signatures in the transcriptome of peripheral blood associated with responses following stratification into good and poor treatment responders. As proof of concept, we translate the murine data to a population of depressed patients. We show that differences in expression profiles from baseline to week 12 of the human orthologues predict response status in patients. We finally provide evidence that sensitivity of the glucocorticoid receptor could be a potential key mechanism shaping response to antidepressant treatment.

Aging: a portrait from gene expression profile in blood cells

The availability of reliable biomarkers of aging is important not only to monitor the effect of interventions and predict the timing of pathologies associated with aging but also to understand the mechanisms and devise appropriate countermeasures. Blood cells provide an easily available tissue and gene expression profiles from whole blood samples appear to mirror disease states and some aspects of the aging process itself. We report here a microarray analysis of whole blood samples from two cohorts of healthy adult and elderly subjects, aged 43±3 and 68±4 years, respectively, to monitor gene expression changes in the initial phase of the senescence process. A number of significant changes were found in the elderly compared to the adult group, including decreased levels of transcripts coding for components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, which correlate with a parallel decline in the maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO2_max), as monitored in the same subjects. In addition, blood cells show age-related changes in the expression of several markers of immunosenescence, inflammation and oxidative stress. These findings support the notion that the immune system has a major role in tissue homeostasis and repair, which appears to be impaired since early stages of the aging process.

Validation of whole-blood transcriptome signature during microdose recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) administration

BACKGROUND

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) can improve human performance and is therefore frequently abused by athletes. As a result, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) introduced the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) as an indirect method to detect blood doping. Despite this progress, challenges remain to detect blood manipulations such as the use of microdoses of rHuEpo.

METHODS

Forty-five whole-blood transcriptional markers of rHuEpo previously derived from a high-dose rHuEpo administration trial were used to assess whether microdoses of rHuEpo could be detected in 14 trained subjects and whether these markers may be confounded by exercise (n = 14 trained subjects) and altitude training (n = 21 elite runners and n = 4 elite rowers, respectively). Differential gene expression analysis was carried out following normalisation and significance declared following application of a 5% false discovery rate (FDR) and a 1.5 fold-change. Adaptive model analysis was also applied to incorporate these markers for the detection of rHuEpo.

RESULTS

ALAS2, BCL2L1, DCAF12, EPB42, GMPR, SELENBP1, SLC4A1, TMOD1 and TRIM58 were differentially expressed during and throughout the post phase of microdose rHuEpo administration. The CD247 and TRIM58 genes were significantly up- and down-regulated, respectively, immediately following exercise when compared with the baseline both before and after rHuEpo/placebo. No significant gene expression changes were found 30 min after exercise in either rHuEpo or placebo groups. ALAS2, BCL2L1, DCAF12, SLC4A1, TMOD1 and TRIM58 tended to be significantly expressed in the elite runners ten days after arriving at altitude and one week after returning from altitude (FDR > 0.059, fold-change varying from 1.39 to 1.63). Following application of the adaptive model, 15 genes showed a high sensitivity (≥ 93%) and specificity (≥ 71%), with BCL2L1 and CSDA having the highest sensitivity (93%) and specificity (93%).

CONCLUSIONS

Current results provide further evidence that transcriptional biomarkers can strengthen the ABP approach by significantly prolonging the detection window and improving the sensitivity and specificity of blood doping detection. Further studies are required to confirm, and if necessary, integrate the confounding effects of altitude training on blood doping.

Effects of age and sex on epigenetic modification induced by an acute physical exercise

It has been observed that, after 2 hours of aerobic exercise, plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) increases whereas nuclear concentrations of enzyme DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) 3B significantly decreased in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), with no change observed in DNMT3A. The aim of the present study was to detect differences in these changes induced by exercise in plasma IL-6 levels as well as in PBMC nuclear concentrations of DNMT3A and DNMT3B, in relation to age and sex. Four groups were studied: 12 young men (24.8 ± 1.77 years old), 12 young women (23.8 ± 1.81 years old), 12 adult men (45.8 ± 1.82 years old), 12 adult women (mean 44.5 ± 2.07 years old). Participants had to run at 60% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) for 120 minutes, interspersed with sprints at 90% of VO2max for the last 30 seconds of every 10 minutes. About 250 μL of PBMCs (1 × 10 cells) were treated with 100 μL of either pre-exercise plasma or post-exercise plasma and nuclear DNMT3A and DNMT3B concentrations were quantified. No change in nuclear concentration of DNMT3A following the exercise was observed. Conversely, nuclear concentrations of DNMT3B significantly decreased, with a reduction of about 78% in young men, 72% in young women, 61% in adult men, and 53% in adult women. Moreover, a strong positive correlation between the nuclear concentration of DNMT3B in PBMC following stimulation with post-exercise plasma and post-exercise plasma concentrations of IL-6 was observed in all the 4 studied groups. This study confirms that a single bout of endurance exercise is sufficient to decrease nuclear concentrations of DNMT3B and thus protein upregulation. Moreover, the epigenetic mechanisms induced by exercise apparently cause more intense changes in men than in women and that, in both of them, this effect seems to decrease with age.

Affected pathways and transcriptional regulators in gene expression response to an ultra-marathon trail: Global and independent activity approaches

Gene expression (GE) analyses on blood samples from marathon and half-marathon runners have reported significant impacts on the immune and inflammatory systems. An ultra-marathon trail (UMT) represents a greater effort due to its more testing conditions. For the first time, we report the genome-wide GE profiling in a group of 16 runners participating in an 82 km UMT competition. We quantified their differential GE profile before and after the race using HuGene2.0st microarrays (Affymetrix Inc., California, US). The results obtained were decomposed by means of an independent component analysis (ICA) targeting independent expression modes. We observed significant differences in the expression levels of 5,084 protein coding genes resulting in an overrepresentation of 14% of the human biological pathways from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database. These were mainly clustered on terms related with protein synthesis repression, altered immune system and infectious diseases related mechanisms. In a second analysis, 27 out of the 196 transcriptional regulators (TRs) included in the Open Regulatory Annotation database were overrepresented. Among these TRs, we identified transcription factors from the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) family EPAS1 (p< 0.01) and HIF1A (p<0.001), and others jointly described in the gluconeogenesis program such as HNF4 (p< 0.001), EGR1 (p<0.001), CEBPA (p< 0.001) and a highly specific TR, YY1 (p<0.01). The five independent components, obtained from ICA, further revealed a down-regulation of 10 genes distributed in the complex I, III and V from the electron transport chain. This mitochondrial activity reduction is compatible with HIF-1 system activation. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway, known to be regulated by HIF, also emerged (p<0.05). Additionally, and related to the brain rewarding circuit, the endocannabinoid signalling pathway was overrepresented (p<0.05).

Stability of gene expression in human T cells in different gravity environments is clustered in chromosomal region 11p15.4

In the last decades, a plethora of in vitro studies with living human cells contributed a vast amount of knowledge about cellular and molecular effects of microgravity. Previous studies focused mostly on the identification of gravity-responsive genes, whereas a multi-platform analysis at an integrative level, which specifically evaluates the extent and robustness of transcriptional response to an altered gravity environment was not performed so far. Therefore, we investigated the stability of gene expression response in non-activated human Jurkat T lymphocytic cells in different gravity environments through the combination of parabolic flights with a suborbital ballistic rocket and 2D clinostat and centrifuge experiments, using strict controls for excluding all possible other factors of influence. We revealed an overall high stability of gene expression in microgravity and identified olfactory gene expression in the chromosomal region 11p15.4 as particularly robust to altered gravity. We identified that classical reference genes ABCA5, GAPDH, HPRT1, PLA2G4A, and RPL13A were stably expressed in all tested gravity conditions and platforms, while ABCA5 and GAPDH were also known to be stably expressed in U937 cells in all gravity conditions. In summary, 10-20% of all transcripts remained totally unchanged in any gravitational environment tested (between 10^-4 and 9 g), 20-40% remained unchanged in microgravity (between 10^-4 and 10^-2 g) and 97-99% were not significantly altered in microgravity if strict exclusion criteria were applied. Therefore, we suppose a high stability of gene expression in microgravity. Comparison with other stressors suggests that microgravity alters gene expression homeostasis not stronger than other environmental factors.

A Model of Exposure to Extreme Environmental Heat Uncovers the Human Transcriptome to Heat Stress

The molecular mechanisms by which individuals subjected to environmental heat stress either recover or develop heat-related complications are not well understood. We analysed the changes in blood mononuclear gene expression patterns in human volunteers exposed to extreme heat in a sauna (temperature of 75.7 ± 0.86 °C). Our analysis reveals that expression changes occur rapidly with no significant increase in core temperature and continue to amplify one hour after the end of heat stress. The reprogramed transcriptome was predominantly inhibitory, as more than two-thirds of the expressed genes were suppressed. The differentially expressed genes encoded proteins that function in stress-associated pathways; including proteostasis, energy metabolism, cell growth and proliferation, and cell death, and survival. The transcriptome also included mitochondrial dysfunction, altered protein synthesis, and reduced expression of genes -related to immune function. The findings reveal the human transcriptomic response to heat and highlight changes that might underlie the health outcomes observed during heat waves.

The Hsp72 and Hsp90α mRNA Responses to Hot Downhill Running Are Reduced Following a Prior Bout of Hot Downhill Running, and Occur Concurrently within Leukocytes and the Vastus Lateralis

The leukocyte heat shock response (HSR) is used to determine individual's thermotolerance. The HSR and thermotolerance are enhanced following interventions such as preconditioning and/or acclimation/acclimatization. However, it is unclear whether the leukocyte HSR is an appropriate surrogate for the HSR in other tissues implicated within the pathophysiology of exertional heat illnesses (e.g., skeletal muscle), and whether an acute preconditioning strategy (e.g., downhill running) can improve subsequent thermotolerance. Physically active, non-heat acclimated participants were split into two groups to investigate the benefits of hot downhill running as preconditioning strategy. A hot preconditioning group (HPC; n = 6) completed two trials (HPC1_HOTDOWN and HPC2_HOTDOWN) of 30 min running at lactate threshold (LT) on -10% gradient in 30°C and 50% relative humidity (RH) separated by 7 d. A temperate preconditioning group (TPC; n = 5) completed 30 min running at LT on a -1% gradient in 20°C and 50% (TPC1_TEMPFLAT) and 7 d later completed 30 min running at LT on -10% gradient in 30°C and 50% RH (TPC2_HOTDOWN). Venous blood samples and muscle biopsies (vastus lateralis; VL) were obtained before, immediately after, 3, 24, and 48 h after each trial. Leukocyte and VL Hsp72, Hsp90α, and Grp78 mRNA relative expression was determined via RT-QPCR. Attenuated leukocyte and VL Hsp72 (2.8 to 1.8 fold and 5.9 to 2.4 fold; p < 0.05) and Hsp90α mRNA (2.9 to 2.4 fold and 5.2 to 2.4 fold; p < 0.05) responses accompanied reductions (p < 0.05) in physiological strain [exercising rectal temperature (-0.3°C) and perceived muscle soreness (~ -14%)] during HPC2_HOTDOWN compared to HPC1_HOTDOWN (i.e., a preconditioning effect). Both VL and leukocyte Hsp72 and Hsp90α mRNA increased (p < 0.05) simultaneously following downhill runs and demonstrated a strong relationship (p < 0.01) of similar magnitudes with one another. Hot downhill running is an effective preconditioning strategy which ameliorates physiological strain, soreness and Hsp72 and Hsp90α mRNA responses to a subsequent bout. Leukocyte and VL analyses are appropriate tissues to infer the extent to which the HSR has been augmented.

Regular exercise participation improves genomic stability in diabetic patients: an exploratory study to analyse telomere length and DNA damage

Physical activity has been demonstrated to be effective in the prevention and treatment of different chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes (T2D). In particular, several studies highlighted how the beneficial effects of physical activity may be related to the stability of the DNA molecule, such as longer telomeric ends. Here we analyze the effect of exercise training on telomere length, spontaneous and H₂O₂-induced DNA damage, as well as the apoptosis level in leukocytes from untrained or trained T2D patients vs. age-matched control subjects (CS) (57–66 years). Moreover, expression analysis of selected genes belonging to DNA repair systems, cell cycle control, antioxidant and defence systems was performed. Subjects that participated in a regular exercise program showed a longer telomere sequence than untrained counterparts. Moreover, ex vivo treatment of leukocytes with H₂O₂ highlighted that: (1) oxidative DNA damage induced similar telomere attrition in all groups; (2) in T2D subjects, physical activity seemed to prevent a significant increase of genomic oxidative DNA damage induced by chronic exposure to pro-oxidant stimulus, and (3) decreased the sensitivity of leukocytes to apoptosis. Finally, the gene expression analysis in T2D subjects suggested an adaptive response to prolonged exercise training that improved the response of specific genes.

Gene networks in skeletal muscle following endurance exercise are coexpressed in blood neutrophils and linked with blood inflammation markers

It remains incompletely understood whether there is an association between the transcriptome profiles of skeletal muscle and blood leukocytes in response to exercise or other physiological stressors. We have previously analyzed the changes in the muscle and blood neutrophil transcriptome in eight trained men before and 3, 48, and 96 h after 2 h cycling and running. Because we collected muscle and blood in the same individuals and under the same conditions, we were able to directly compare gene expression between the muscle and blood neutrophils. Applying weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) as an advanced network-driven method to these original data sets enabled us to compare the muscle and neutrophil transcriptomes in a rigorous and systematic manner. Two gene networks were identified that were preserved between skeletal muscle and blood neutrophils, functionally related to mitochondria and posttranslational processes. Strong preservation measures (Z_summary > 10) for both muscle-neutrophil gene networks were evident within the postexercise recovery period. Muscle and neutrophil gene coexpression was strongly correlated in the mitochondria-related network (r = 0.97; P = 3.17E-2). We also identified multiple correlations between muscular gene subnetworks and exercise-induced changes in blood leukocyte counts, inflammation, and muscle damage markers. These data reveal previously unidentified gene coexpression between skeletal muscle and blood neutrophils following exercise, showing the value of WGCNA to understand exercise physiology. Furthermore, these findings provide preliminary evidence in support of the notion that blood neutrophil gene networks may potentially help us to track physiological and pathophysiological changes in the muscle.NEW & NOTEWORTHY By using weighted gene coexpression network analysis, an advanced bioinformatics method, we have identified previously unknown, functional gene networks that are preserved between skeletal muscle and blood neutrophils during recovery from exercise. These novel preliminary data suggest that muscular gene networks are coexpressed in blood leukocytes following physiological stress. This is a step forward toward the development of blood neutrophil gene subnetworks as part of blood biomarker panels to assess muscle health and disease.