Cited by 628Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsNerve injury and regenerationExercise and Physiological Responses

Running-induced systemic cathepsin B secretion is associated with memory function

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Moon, Hyo Youl, Becke, Andreas, Berron, David, Becker, Benjamin, Sah, Nirnath, Benoni, Galit, Janke, Emma, Lubejko, Susan T. +4 more·2016·Cell Metabolism

Abstract

Peripheral processes that mediate beneficial effects of exercise on the brain remain sparsely explored. Here, we show that a muscle secretory factor, cathepsin B (CTSB) protein, is important for the cognitive and neurogenic benefits of running. Proteomic analysis revealed elevated levels of CTSB in conditioned medium derived from skeletal muscle cell cultures treated with AMP-kinase agonist AICAR. Consistently, running increased CTSB levels in mouse gastrocnemius muscle and plasma. Furthermore, recombinant CTSB application enhanced expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and doublecortin (DCX) in adult hippocampal progenitor cells through a mechanism dependent on the multifunctional protein P11. In vivo, in CTSB knockout (KO) mice, running did not enhance adult hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial memory function. Interestingly, in Rhesus monkeys and humans, treadmill exercise elevated CTSB in plasma. In humans, changes in CTSB levels correlated with fitness and hippocampus-dependent memory function. Our findings suggest CTSB as a mediator of effects of exercise on cognition.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.05.025

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  • The myokine cathepsin B might be involved in mediating the exercise-induced improvement in hippocampal neurogenesis, memory, and learning.

    “In 2016, Moon et al. show that the myokine cathepsin B (Ctsb) might be involved in mediating the exercise-induced improvement in hippocampal neurogenesis, memory, and learning [236].”

    From Neurotrophic Factor BDNF, Physiological Functions and Therapeutic Potential in Depression, Neurodegeneration and Brain Cancer (2020) · cites this paper as [236]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) says CTSB may mediate exercise benefits and that running enhanced adult neurogenesis and spatial-memory retention in wild-type but not CTSB-knockout mice. The Results (page unavailable) report no difference between groups in acquisition of the spatial task, so the claimed improvement in learning is not supported. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • During exercise, peripheral muscle-secreted proteins such as cathepsin B and FNDC5/irisin cross the blood brain barrier to mediate BDNF expression in the hippocampus and subsequent neurogenesis and memory improvement.

    “Furthermore, during exercise, proteins and their metabolic derivatives secreted from peripheral muscles, such as cathepsin B and FNDC5/irisin, also cross the blood brain barrier to mediate BDNF expression in the hippocampus and subsequent neurogenesis and memory improvement (Wrann et al., 2013; Moon et al., 2016).”

    From Exercise-Mediated Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus via BDNF (2018) · cites this paper as Moon et al., 2016

    The Results (Permeability of CTSB across the Blood-Brain-Barrier; no page given) show that intravenously injected cathepsin B reached mouse brain tissue, but do not show muscle-secreted cathepsin B crossing during exercise. The Results on hippocampal progenitor cells report increased BDNF after cathepsin B treatment, while the Introduction links muscle-derived FNDC5/irisin to hippocampal Bdnf expression. The paper also links cathepsin B to running-related neurogenesis and memory, but does not establish the claimed complete pathway for both proteins or show irisin crossing the barrier. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • In humans, chronic exercise increases plasma cathepsin B.

    “although chronic exercise does increase plasma levels of cathepsin B145,157.”

    From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [157]

  • In animal models and humans, plasma cathepsin B is positively associated with hippocampus-dependent memory.

    “In both animal models and humans, plasma levels of cathepsin B, a lysosomal thiol proteinase produced by muscle, is positively associated with hippocampus-dependent memory145,157.”

    From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [157]

  • The secreted form of lysosomal enzyme cathepsin B (CTSB) is an exercise‐responsive myokine that targets the brain, promotes hippocampal neurogenesis, and therefore enhances cognitive abilities.

    “Finally, a recent study using proteomic approaches demonstrates that the secreted form of lysosomal enzyme cathepsin B (CTSB) is also an exercise–responsive myokine that targets the brain, promotes hippocampal neurogenesis, and therefore enhances cognitive abilities 122.”

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Authors
Moon, H. Y., Becke, A., Berron, D., Becker, B., Sah, N., Benoni, G., Janke, E., Lubejko, S. T., Greig, N. H., Mattison, J. A., Duzel, E., & van Praag, H.
Affiliations
  • National Institute on Aging (US)
  • Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg (DE)
Venue
Cell Metabolism
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-08
Volume
24
Issue
2
Pages
332-340
ISSN
1550-4131 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2470343227
Cited by
628
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 73 · 2025: 86 · 2024: 68 · 2023: 77 · 2022: 76 · 2021: 52 · 2020: 62 · 2019: 48 · 2018: 40 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 8 · 2013: 1
FWCI
22.63
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell Metabolism (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • DZNE Pub (submittedVersion)
  • Seoul National University Open Repository (Seoul National University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Aging (Z01AG000328)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nerve injury and regeneration
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
Keywords
cathepsin B, running, exercise and cognition, hippocampal neurogenesis, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, doublecortin, p11, AICAR, AMP kinase, spatial memory, rhesus monkeys
MeSH terms
Doublecortin Domain Proteins, Doublecortin Protein, Adult, Affect, Aging, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Cathepsin B, Cognition, Exercise Test, Female, Hippocampus, Humans, Macaca mulatta, Male, Memory, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Microtubule-Associated Proteins, Motor Activity, Neurons, Neuropeptides, Physical Conditioning, Animal, Running, Reproducibility of Results, Mice, Knockout, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Neurogenesis, Young Adult, Sedentary Behavior

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