Accelerated Muscle Deoxygenation in Aerobically Fit Subjects During Exhaustive Exercise Is Associated With the ACE Insertion Allele

• Published in: Frontiers in sports and active living Vol. 4; p. 814975
• Main Authors: Gasser, Benedikt, Franchi, Martino V., Ruoss, Severin, Frei, Annika, Popp, Werner L., Niederseer, David, Catuogno, Silvio, Frey, Walter O., Flück, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 28.02.2022
• Subjects: aerobic metabolism; cycling; exhaustive pedaling; gene; oxygen saturation; Sports and Active Living; aerobic metabolism; cycling; oxygen saturation; exhaustive pedaling; gene
• ISSN: 2624-9367; 2624-9367
• DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2022.814975

The insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the gene for the major regulator of vascular tone, angiotensin-converting enzyme-insertion/deletion (ACE-I/D) affects muscle capillarization and mitochondrial biogenesis with endurance training. We tested whether changes of leg muscle oxygen saturation (SmO ) during exhaustive exercise and recovery would depend on the aerobic fitness status and the ACE I/D polymorphism. In total, 34 healthy subjects (age: 31.8 ± 10.2 years, 17 male, 17 female) performed an incremental exercise test to exhaustion. SmO in (VAS) and musculus gastrocnemius (GAS) was recorded with near-IR spectroscopy. Effects of the aerobic fitness status (based on a VO cutoff value of 50 ml O min kg ) and the ACE-I/D genotype (detected by PCR) on kinetic parameters of muscle deoxygenation and reoxygenation were assessed with univariate ANOVA. Deoxygenation with exercise was comparable in VAS and GAS ( = 0.321). In both leg muscles, deoxygenation and reoxygenation were 1.5-fold higher in the fit than the unfit volunteers. Differences in muscle deoxygenation, but not VO peak, were associated with gender-independent ( > 0.58) interaction effects between aerobic fitness × ACE-I/D genotype; being reflected in a 2-fold accelerated deoxygenation of VAS for aerobically fit than unfit ACE-II genotypes and a 2-fold higher deoxygenation of GAS for fit ACE-II genotypes than fit D-allele carriers. Aerobically fit subjects demonstrated increased rates of leg muscle deoxygenation and reoxygenation. Together with the higher muscle deoxygenation in aerobically fit ACE-II genotypes, this suggests that an ACE-I/D genotype-based personalization of training protocols might serve to best improve aerobic performance.