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Postexercise myogenic gene expression: are human findings lost during translation?
Michael D Roberts1, Vincent J Dalbo, Chad M Kerksick
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA.
Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews
|July 30, 2011
Summary
Exercise stimulates muscle progenitor cell (MPC) activity. Our findings suggest that changes in myogenic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) after resistance exercise may regulate muscle growth in existing muscle fibers, not just progenitor cells.
Area of Science:
- Muscle biology
- Exercise physiology
- Cellular and molecular biology
Background:
- Muscle progenitor cell (MPC) activity is known to be responsive to exercise stimuli.
- Previous studies identified alterations in myogenic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) following resistance exercise, suggesting a role in muscle adaptation.
- However, a direct link between these mRNA changes and microscopic MPC activity has been lacking, limiting interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between exercise-induced changes in myogenic mRNAs and muscle progenitor cell activity.
- To explore alternative roles for these myogenic mRNAs in post-exercise muscle hypertrophy.
- To provide a more comprehensive understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying muscle adaptation to resistance exercise.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of myogenic messenger RNA (mRNA) expression following acute resistance exercise.
- Assessment of muscle progenitor cell (MPC) activity in conjunction with mRNA data.
- Utilizing acute exercise data to form mechanistic hypotheses.
Main Results:
- Observed exercise-responsive alterations in myogenic mRNAs.
- Identified a gap in understanding the direct correlation between these mRNA changes and MPC activity.
- Proposed that identified genes may influence hypertrophic processes in postmitotic muscle fibers.
Conclusions:
- The direct impact of post-exercise myogenic mRNA alterations on muscle progenitor cell activity requires further investigation.
- These genes may play a significant role in the hypertrophy of existing, non-dividing muscle fibers.
- This study offers a new perspective on the molecular regulation of muscle adaptation to exercise.
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