MyoGene: Effects of Acute Exercise on (Myokine) Gene Expression in Human Skeletal Muscle

Rationale: Proteins released from muscle during and shortly after exercise, often referred to as myokines, may be central to our understanding of the cross-talk during and after exercise between skeletal muscles and other organs, in particular the liver. So far only a few myokines are identified (e.g. IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, TNF-alpha). Taking into account the role of these several known myokines in developing insulin resistance, revealing new putative myokines might provide valuable information and a direction for future research on the pathogenesis and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Objective: The objective of the present study is to identify novel myokines, expression of which is altered in skeletal muscle after a single bout of exercise. Study design: experimental study. Study population: Ten healthy, male subjects between 40 and 60 years of age and BMI \< 30 kg/m2, will participate in this study. Intervention: A single exercise bout that consists of one hour one-legged cycling on a adapted recumbent cycle ergometer at a submaximal rate. The non-exercising leg will serve as control for the exercising leg. Main study outcomes: Main study outcomes include upregulation of genes in skeletal muscle after exercise (with a focus on genes encoding myokines) and changes of blood plasma levels of selected proteins after exercise.