The following is a summary of “Skeletal Muscle Gene Expression Signatures of Obese High and Low Responders to Endurance Exercise Training,” published in the May 2024 issue of Endocrinology by Kovac, et al.
Exercise training is widely recognized for its ability to enhance glucose tolerance and counteract insulin resistance in obese individuals. However, some individuals exhibit little to no improvement, or even a decline, in clinical traits following exercise intervention. For a study, researchers sought to examine gene expression and DNA methylation patterns in the skeletal muscle of low responders (LRE) and high responders (RES) to 8 weeks of supervised endurance training.
They conducted gene expression and DNA methylation analyses in the skeletal muscle of LRE and RES before and after the exercise intervention. Additionally, they utilized the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method to identify predictive marker genes for exercise outcomes.
The findings indicated that LRE and RES groups exhibited significant differences before the intervention. RES was characterized by lower expression of genes related to DNA replication and repair and higher expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. The LASSO approach revealed several novel candidate genes (e.g., ZCWPW2, FOXRED1, STK40) not previously associated with obesity and exercise response. Post-intervention, LRE showed changes in expression of genes associated with inflammation and apoptosis, while RES displayed changes related to mitochondrial function. LRE also had significantly higher ECM component expression than RES, suggesting inadequate remodeling and potential negative impacts on insulin sensitivity. Between 45% and 70% of the differences in gene expression were attributable to variations in DNA methylation.
The findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying differential responses to exercise and identify potential new markers for predicting the success of exercise interventions.
Reference: academic.oup.com/jcem/article/109/5/1318/7439881
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