exercise affects genes linked to cardio disease & diabetes

outrider · medicine forum Guru Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 1155

Exercise training in ordinary people affects the activity of 500 genes

http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/abstract/19/7/750?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=timmons&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1115174981358_111&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=1&journalcode=fasebj

A new study from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm shows that hundreds
of genes in the thigh muscle are activated in regular cycle training.
The study also reveals that great differences in training response may
be due to the ability in some people to activate their genes much more
forcefully. The study is published May 2 in FASEB Journal.

It is common knowledge that it is very dangerous to be inactive and
that regular physical activity brings health, improves quality of life
and extends life span. How these positive effects are created in the
body is not known. Influences on gene activity in the heart, vessels
and muscles are probably immensely important.

In this study, the first of its kind, Drs James Timmons, Carl J
Sundberg and co-workers show that hundreds of genes are activated by
regular cycle training for six weeks in young healthy men. Some of
these genes are most likely linked to diabetes and cardiovascular
disease. These training study findings can therefore be important for
the development of new treatment strategies for such diseases.

Some people respond more easily to training than others. It is not
known what explains this. The results from the training study show that
those individuals that improved their performance most also activated
several genes in the muscles markedly more. This has not been shown
before.

Finally, the researchers made a comparison between the effects of
endurance training and the situation in patients with Duchenne's
muscle dystrophy, a muscle wasting disease. Most of the muscle genes
previously claimed to be specific for Duchenne were also activated with
endurance training. Maybe the musculature in Duchenne patients strive
to adapt in part similar to what happens in training. The results from
this study will help to clarify which genes are uniquely affected in
Duchenne.

For more information:
James Timmons
Centre for Genomics & Bioinformatics
Karolinska Institutet
jamie.timmons {AT} cgb.ki.se

Carl Johan Sundberg
Dpt for Physiology & Pharmacology
Karolinska Institutet
Carl.j.sundberg {AT} fyfa.ki.se
Phone: +46 8 52486886

Source: Karolinska Institutet

http://info.ki.se/article_en.html?ID=3543

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