Distinct skeletal muscle gene regulation from active contraction, passive vibration, and whole body heat stress in humans

We used a novel approach to study the acute effect of three physiologic stressors (active contractions, vibration, and systemic heat stress) in human skeletal muscle. Three hours after the completion of a dose of physiologic stress, we sampled the soleus (contraction and vibration) or vastus lateralis (heat) muscle and developed a unique gene expression signature for each stressor. We discovered repetitive active muscle contractions up regulated metabolic transcription factors NR4A3 (12.45 fold change), PGC-1 (5.46 fold change), and ABRA (5.98 fold change); and repressed MSTN (0.56 fold change). Heat stress repressed PGC-1 (0.74 fold change); while vibration induced FOXK2 (2.36 fold change). Vibration similarly caused a down regulation of MSTN (0.74 fold change), but to a lesser extent than active muscle contraction. Vibration induced FOXK2 while heat stress repressed PGC-1 (0.74 fold change) and ANKRD1 genes (0.51 fold change). These findings support a distinct gene regulation in response to heat stress, vibration, and muscle contractions. Understanding these responses may assist in developing regenerative rehabilitation interventions to improve muscle cell development, growth, and repair.

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Petrie MA, Kimball AL, McHenry CL, Suneja M, Yen CL, Sharma A, Shields RK