Rapid changes in transcriptomic profile and mitochondrial function in human soleus muscle after 3-day dry immersion

We aimed to explore the effect of the 3-day dry immersion, a model of physical unloading, on mitochondrial function, transcriptomic and proteomic profiles in a slow-twitch soleus muscle of six healthy females. We registered that a marked reduction (25-34%) in the ADP-stimulated respiration in permeabilized muscle fibers was not accompanied by a decrease in the content of mitochondrial enzymes (mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics), hence, it is related to the disruption in regulation of respiration. We detected a widespread change in the transcriptomic profile (RNA-seq) upon dry immersion. Downregulated mRNAs were strongly associated with mitochondrial function, as well as with lipid metabolism, glycolysis, insulin signaling, and various transporters. Despite the substantial transcriptomic response, we found no effect on the content of highly abundant proteins (sarcomeric, mitochondrial, chaperon, and extracellular matrix-related, etc.) that may be explained by long half-life of these proteins. We suggest that during short-term disuse the content of some regulatory (and usually low abundant) proteins such as cytokines, receptors, transporters, and transcription regulators is largely determined by their mRNA concentration. These mRNAs revealed in our work may serve as putative targets for future studies aimed at developing approaches for the prevention of muscle deconditioning induced by disuse.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Three-day dry immersion (a model of physical unloading) substantially changes the transcriptomic profile in the human soleus muscle, a muscle with predominantly slow-twitch fibers and strong postural function; despite this, we found no effect on the muscle proteome (highly abundant proteins). Dry immersion markedly reduces ADP-stimulated respiration; this decline is not accompanied by a decrease in the content of mitochondrial proteins/respiratory enzymes, indicating the disruption in regulation of cellular respiration.