Circulating MicroRNA Profiling Reveals Specific Subsignatures in Response to a Maximal Incremental Exercise Test

Area of Science:

• Exercise physiology
• Molecular biology
• Biomarker discovery

Background:

• Circulating microRNAs (c-miRNAs) are recognized as key regulators and potential biomarkers of physiological responses to exercise.
• Understanding the dynamic changes in c-miRNAs post-exercise is crucial for elucidating exercise adaptation mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the c-miRNA profile changes following a maximal incremental exercise test (MIET).
• To correlate specific c-miRNA subsignatures with physiological markers of exercise intensity and adaptation.
• To explore the potential of c-miRNAs as biomarkers for training status and performance.

Main Methods:

• Collected blood samples from 9 male amateur runners before and after a MIET.
• Measured maximal oxygen uptake (V̇o2max), maximum heart rate (HRmax), maximal aerobic speed (MAS), lactate, and creatine kinase (CK).
• Analyzed a panel of 752 c-miRNAs using quantitative real-time PCR and identified significant expression changes and correlations.

Main Results:

• 13 c-miRNAs were significantly upregulated post-MIET.
• Specific c-miRNA clusters correlated with HRmax (related to fatty acid metabolism) and CK (linked to Hippo signaling and stem cell pluripotency pathways).
• Pre-exercise miR-106b-5p expression was inversely associated with MAS and post-exercise lactate, suggesting its role as a performance biomarker.

Conclusions:

• This study defines distinct functional c-miRNA subsignatures in response to acute exercise.
• These findings provide novel evidence for the regulatory role of c-miRNAs in exercise response and adaptation.
• Specific c-miRNAs show potential as biomarkers for training status and exercise performance prediction.