Aerobic exercise intensity does not affect the anabolic signaling following resistance exercise in endurance athletes

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 10785
• Main Authors: Jones, T. W., Eddens, L., Kupusarevic, J., Simoes, D. C. M., Furber, M. J. W., van Someren, K. A., Howatson, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 24.05.2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/443; 692/53; Athletes; Bicycling; Controlled conditions; Exercise intensity; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Phosphorylation; Protein kinase; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); TOR protein
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90274-8

This study examined whether intensity of endurance stimulus within a concurrent training paradigm influenced the phosphorylation of signaling proteins associated with the mTOR and AMPK networks. Eight male cyclists completed (1) resistance exercise (RES), 6 × 8 squats at 80% 1-RM; (2) resistance exercise and moderate intensity cycling of 40 min at 65% V̇O 2peak , (RES + MIC); (3) resistance exercise and high intensity interval cycling of 40 min with 6 alternating 3 min intervals of 85 and 45% V̇O 2peak (RES + HIIC), in a cross-over design. Muscle biopsies were collected at rest and 3 h post-RES. There was a main effect of condition for mTOR S2448 ( p  = 0.043), with a greater response in the RES + MIC relative to RES condition ( p  = 0.033). There was a main effect of condition for AMPKα2 T172 ( p  = 0.041), with a greater response in RES + MIC, relative to both RES + HIIC ( p  = 0.026) and RES ( p  = 0.046). There were no other condition effects for the remaining protein kinases assessed ( p  > 0.05). These data do not support a molecular interference effect in cyclists under controlled conditions. There was no intensity-dependent regulation of AMPK, nor differential activation of anabolism with the manipulation of endurance exercise intensity.