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Transcriptomic profiling of skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise and inactivity
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Abstract
The molecular mechanisms underlying the response to exercise and inactivity are not fully understood. We propose an innovative approach to profile the skeletal muscle transcriptome to exercise and inactivity using 66 published datasets. Data collected from human studies of aerobic and resistance exercise, including acute and chronic exercise training, were integrated using meta-analysis methods ( www.metamex.eu ). Here we use gene ontology and pathway analyses to reveal selective pathways activated by inactivity, aerobic versus resistance and acute versus chronic exercise training. We identify NR4A3 as one of the most exercise- and inactivity-responsive genes, and establish a role for this nuclear receptor in mediating the metabolic responses to exercise-like stimuli in vitro. The meta-analysis (MetaMEx) also highlights the differential response to exercise in individuals with metabolic impairments. MetaMEx provides the most extensive dataset of skeletal muscle transcriptional responses to different modes of exercise and an online interface to readily interrogate the database.
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“After resistance exercise, myostatin expression significantly decreases in human skeletal muscle (meta-analysis of human biopsy studies, [191]).”
From Effects of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy on Fat Mass and Glucose Homeostasis in Humans and Animals: A Narrative Review with Systematic Literature Search (2025) · cites this paper as [191]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Pillon, N. J., Gabriel, B. M., Dollet, L., Smith, J. A. B., Sardón Puig, L., Botella, J., Bishop, D. J., Krook, A., & Zierath, J. R.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Victoria University (AU)
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- Corresponding author
- Zierath, Juleen R.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2020-01-24
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 470-470
- ISSN
- 2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6981202
- OpenAlex
- W3002380642
- Cited by
- 457
- References
- 96
- Citations by year
- 2026: 77 · 2025: 74 · 2024: 84 · 2023: 54 · 2022: 74 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 33
- FWCI
- 5.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Victoria University Research Repository (Victoria University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Aberdeen University Research Archive (Aberdeen University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Deakin Research Online (Deakin University) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Wenner-Gren Foundation
- Judith Jane Mason and Harold Stannett Williams Memorial Foundation
- European Commission (675610, 704978, 2015-00165)
- European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes
- Karolinska Institutet (2009-1068)
- Novo Nordisk (NNF18CC0034900)
- Stockholms Läns Landsting (SLL20170159, NNF14OC0011493, SLL20150517)
- Vetenskapsrådet (2015-00165, 2018-02389, 2018-02389, P2018-0097, 2015-00165, 2018-, NNF14OC0011493, 2009–1068)
- Centrum för idrottsforskning (P2018-0097)
- Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF17OC0030088, NNF19OC0055072, NNF15SA0018346, NNF 18 CC0034900, NNF14OC0011493, NNF14OC0009941)
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (NNF14OC0011493, NNF 18 CC0034900, NNF17OC0030088)
- Australian Research Council (DP140104165)
- H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (675610, NNF18CC0034900, 704978)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Physical Performance
- Keywords
- skeletal muscle transcriptome, exercise training, physical inactivity, aerobic exercise, resistance training, NR4A3, nuclear receptors, metabolic response, metabolic dysfunction
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, DNA-Binding Proteins, Humans, Receptors, Steroid, Receptors, Thyroid Hormone, Exercise, Muscle, Skeletal, Gene Expression Profiling, Gene Regulatory Networks, Resistance Training, Sedentary Behavior, Gene Ontology
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