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Supramaximal Intensity Hypoxic Exercise and Vascular Function Assessment in Mice
Published on: March 15, 2019
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Interaction of genetic background and exercise training intensity on endothelial function in mouse aorta
Seung Kyum Kim1, Joshua J Avila2, Michael P Massett2
1Department of Sports Science, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul 01811, Korea.
Summary
Genetic background and exercise intensity significantly impact how blood vessels adapt to training. Different mouse strains showed varied responses to moderate and high-intensity exercise, affecting endothelial function and gene expression.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Exercise Science
- Genetics
Background:
- Endothelial function is crucial for cardiovascular health.
- Exercise training is known to improve endothelial function.
- The influence of genetic background on exercise-induced endothelial adaptation is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic contribution to endothelial adaptation following exercise training.
- To characterize how different exercise intensities interact with genetic background to influence endothelial function.
Main Methods:
- Assessed vasoreactivity in mouse aortas from four inbred strains (129S1, B6, NON, SJL).
- Compared responses after moderate-intensity continuous training (MOD), high-intensity interval training (HIT), and sedentary controls (SED).
- Analyzed transcriptional activation of endothelial genes.
Main Results:
- Significant interaction between mouse strain and training intensity on endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation (EDR).
- Exercise training did not affect EDR in 129S1 and B6 mice.
- NON mice showed improved EDR with MOD and HIT; SJL mice showed impaired EDR with HIT.
- Gene expression analysis revealed intensity-dependent and strain-specific alterations, with HIT affecting more genes and pathways related to inflammation, while NON MOD enriched for vessel growth pathways.
Conclusions:
- Exercise training elicits non-uniform effects on endothelial function and gene expression.
- These effects are dependent on the interplay between an individual's genetic makeup and the intensity of exercise.
- Understanding these genetic and intensity-dependent interactions is key to optimizing exercise interventions for cardiovascular health.
