Upregulation of HOTTIP and Its Potential Role in Monitoring Exercise Adaptation

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Exercise Physiology
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Athletic performance relies on complex physiological, environmental, and genetic factors.
• Exercise induces molecular changes impacting gene expression and tissue adaptation, but mechanisms are not fully understood.
• Accurate biomarkers are needed to monitor training-induced physiological adaptations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate selected long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as potential biomarkers of training adaptation.
• To assess the expression levels of specific lncRNAs (SNHG4, SNHG5, PACERR, NEAT1, HIX003209, and HOTTIP) in elite female volleyball players before and after a 10-week training program.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to measure lncRNA expression in blood samples.
• Twelve elite female volleyball players underwent a 10-week training program.
• Expression levels were analyzed pre- and post-training.

Main Results:

• HOTTIP expression significantly increased over sixfold after training (p=0.009).
• HOTTIP demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.917) as a biomarker, improving to 0.97 when combined with creatine kinase.
• Other evaluated lncRNAs did not show significant changes, though a correlation between HOTTIP and SNHG4 was observed.

Conclusions:

• HOTTIP is markedly upregulated following chronic exercise in elite female volleyball players.
• HOTTIP, particularly when combined with creatine kinase, shows significant promise as a molecular biomarker for monitoring training adaptation.
• This finding aids in understanding molecular responses to exercise and developing personalized training strategies.