Time Course of Skeletal Muscle miRNA Expression after Resistance, High-Intensity Interval, and Concurrent Exercise

Introduction Exercise-induced microRNA (miRNA) expression has been implicated in the regulation of skeletal muscle plasticity. However, the specificity and acute time course in miRNA expression after divergent exercise modes are unknown. In a randomized crossover design, we compared the acute expression profile of eight skeletal muscle miRNAs previously reported to be involved in skeletal muscle development, growth, and maintenance after a bout of either resistance exercise (RE), high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), and concurrent resistance and high-intensity interval exercises (CE). Methods Nine untrained young men (23.9 +/- 2.8 yr, 70.1 +/- 14.9 kg, 177.2 +/- 3.0 cm, 41.4 +/- 5.2 mL center dot kg(-1)center dot min(-1)) underwent a counterbalanced crossover design in which they performed bouts of RE (2 x 10 repetitions maximum 45 degrees leg press and leg extension exercises), HIEE (12 x 1-min sprints at VO2peak with 1-min rest intervals between sprints), and CE (RE followed by HIIE), separated by 1 wk. Vastus lateralis biopsies were harvested immediately before (Pre) and immediately (0 h), 4 h, and 8 h after each exercise bout. Results There were similar increases (main effect of time; P < 0.05) in miR-1-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-133b, miR-181a-3p, and miR-486 expression at 8 h from Pre with all exercise modes. Besides a main effect of time, miR-23a-3p and miR-206 presented a main effect of condition with lower expression after HIIE compared with RE and CE. Conclusions Select miRNAs (miR-1-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-133b, miR-23a-3p, miR-181a-3p, miR-206, miR-486) do not exhibit an expression specificity in the acute recovery period after a single bout of RE, HIIE, or CE in skeletal muscle. Our data also indicate that RE has a higher effect on the expression of miR-23a-3p and miR-206 than HIIE. As upregulation of these miRNAs seems to be confined to the 8-h period after exercise, this may subsequently affect the expression patterns of target mRNAs forming the basis of exercise-induced adaptive responses.

Automated summary

This study compared the acute expression profile of skeletal muscle miRNAs after different exercise modes and found that several miRNAs showed increased expression at 8 hours post-exercise regardless of the mode. Resistance exercise had a greater effect on miR-23a-3p and miR-206 expression compared to high-intensity interval exercise.