Hypoxia treatment and resistance training alters microRNA profiling in rats skeletal muscle

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 8388
• Main Authors: Mei, Tao, Hu, Yang, Zhang, Ying, Li, Yanchun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 10.04.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/114/2114; 631/208/200; 631/337/384; 631/45/500; 692/698/1671; Animal models; Animals; Atrophy; Bioinformatics analysis; DNA microarrays; DNA-directed RNA polymerase; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene regulation; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Hypoxia; Hypoxia - genetics; Hypoxia - metabolism; Initiation factor eIF-4E; MAP kinase; MDM2 protein; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - genetics; MicroRNAs - metabolism; miRNA; MiRNA expression profile; Molecular modelling; multidisciplinary; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscular Atrophy - genetics; Muscular Atrophy - metabolism; Musculoskeletal system; Physical training; Protein biosynthesis; Protein synthesis; Proteolysis; Rats; Resistance Training; RNA polymerase; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Signal transduction; Skeletal muscle; Skeletal muscle atrophy; Strength training; TOR protein; Ubiquitin; Wnt protein; Skeletal muscle atrophy; Bioinformatics analysis; Hypoxia; MiRNA expression profile; Resistance training
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58996-7

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may play a crucial regulatory role in the process of muscle atrophy induced by high-altitude hypoxia and its amelioration through resistance training. However, research in this aspect is still lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to employ miRNA microarray analysis to investigate the expression profile of miRNAs in skeletal muscle from an animal model of hypoxia-induced muscle atrophy and resistance training aimed at mitigating muscle atrophy. The study utilized a simulated hypoxic environment (oxygen concentration at 11.2%) to induce muscle atrophy and established a rat model of resistance training using ladder climbing, with a total intervention period of 4 weeks. The miRNA expression profile revealed 9 differentially expressed miRNAs influenced by hypoxia (e.g., miR-341, miR-32-5p, miR-465-5p) and 14 differentially expressed miRNAs influenced by resistance training under hypoxic conditions (e.g., miR-338-5p, miR-203a-3p, miR-92b-3p) (∣log2(FC)∣ ≥ 1.5, p  < 0.05). The differentially expressed miRNAs were found to target genes involved in muscle protein synthesis and degradation (such as Utrn, mdm2, eIF4E), biological processes (such as negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, regulation of transcription, DNA-dependent), and signaling pathways (such as Wnt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, mTOR signaling pathway). This study provides a foundation for understanding and further exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxia-induced rats muscle atrophy and the mitigation of atrophy through resistance training.