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Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Supramaximal Intensity Hypoxic Exercise and Vascular Function Assessment in Mice
Published on: March 15, 2019
MicroRNA-126 upregulation, induced by training, plays a role in controlling microcirculation in dexamethasone treated
Naiara A Herrera1, Francine Duchatsch1, Lidieli P Tardelli1
1Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, PIPGCF UFSCar/UNESP, Rodovia Washington Luiz, km 235 Monjolinho 676, CEP:13565-90, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
Abstract:
Microcirculation maintenance is associated with microRNAs. Nevertheless, the role of microRNAs induced by training in preventing dexamethasone (DEX)-induced microvascular rarefaction remains unknown. The study aim was to investigate if training-induced microRNAs are able to improve microcirculation proteins and prevent DEX-induced microvascular rarefaction. Rats underwent training for 8 weeks and then were treated with DEX (50 μg/kg per day, s.c.) for 14 days. Arterial pressure was measured and tibialis anterior (TA) muscle was collected for analyses. DEX induced hypertension concomitantly with capillary density loss (CD, -23.9%) and decrease of VEGF (-43.0%), p-AKT/AKT (-39.6%) and Bcl-2 (-23.0%) and an increase in caspase-3-cleaved protein level (+34.0%) in TA muscle. Training upregulated microRNA-126 expression (+13.1%), prevented VEGF (+61.4%), p-AKT/AKT (+37.7%), Bcl-2 (+7.7%) decrease and caspase-3-cleaved (-23.1%) increase associated with CD (+54.7%) reduction and hypertension prevention. MiRNA-126 upregulation, induced by training, plays a role in controlling microcirculation, which may be a potential target against DEX-induced microvascular rarefaction.

