PreprintCited by 203Extracellular vesicles in diseaseExercise and Physiological ResponsesCardiovascular and exercise physiology

Exosomes as Mediators of the Systemic Adaptations to Endurance Exercise

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Safdar, Adeel, Tarnopolsky, Mark A.·2018·Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine

Abstract

Habitual endurance exercise training is associated with multisystemic metabolic adaptations that lower the risk of inactivity-associated disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Identification of complex systemic signaling networks responsible for these benefits are of great interest because of their therapeutic potential in metabolic diseases; however, specific signals that modulate the multisystemic benefits of exercise in multiple tissues and organs are only recently being discovered. Accumulated evidence suggests that muscle and other tissues have an endocrine function and release peptides and nucleic acids into the circulation in response to acute endurance exercise to mediate the multisystemic adaptations. Factors released from skeletal muscle have been termed myokines and we propose that the total of all factors released in response to endurance exercise (including peptides, nucleic acids, and metabolites) be termed, "exerkines." We propose that many of the exerkines are released within extracellular vesicles called exosomes, which regulate peripheral organ cross talk. Exosomes (30-140 nm) and larger microvesicles [MVs] (100-1000 nm) are subcategories of extracellular vesicles that are released into the circulation. Exosomes contain peptides and several nucleic acids (microRNA [miRNA], messenger RNA [mRNA], mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA]) and are involved in intercellular/tissue exchange of their contents. An acute bout of endurance exercise increases circulating exosomes that are hypothesized to mediate organ cross talk to promote systemic adaptation to endurance exercise. Further support for the role of exosomes (and possibly MVs) in mediating the systemic benefits of exercise comes from the fact that the majority of the previously reported myokines/exerkines are found in extracellular vesicles databases (Vesiclepedia and ExoCarta). We propose that exosomes isolated from athletes following exercise or exosomes bioengineered to incorporate one or many of known exerkines will be therapeutically useful in the treatment of obesity, T2DM, and other aging-associated metabolic disorders.

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Crossref · 10.1101/cshperspect.a029827

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  • Extracellular vesicles are membranous structures released from almost all cell types with cell-specific profiles, ranging in size from 150 to 1,000 nm and carrying proteins, nucleic acids and lipids.

    “Extracellular vesicles are membranous structures that are released from almost all cell types, with cell-specific profiles. They vary in size, ranging from 150 nm to 1,000 nm, and carry an assortment of material, including proteins, nucleic acids and lipids18,34.”

    From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [34]

  • MicroRNAs may exert endocrine effects through extracellular vesicle-based transport.

    “supporting the possibility of microRNAs exerting their endocrine effects via extracellular vesicle-based transport11,34.”

    From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [34]

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Authors
Safdar, A., & Tarnopolsky, M. A.
Affiliations
McMaster University (CA)
Venue
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine
Published
2017-05-10
Volume
8
Issue
3
Pages
a029827
ISSN
2157-1422 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2613327265
Cited by
203
References
223
Citations by year
2026: 28 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Extracellular vesicles in disease
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
Keywords
exosomes, exerkines, myokines, endurance exercise, extracellular vesicles, microvesicles, organ crosstalk, skeletal muscle endocrine function, microRNA, mitochondrial DNA, obesity, type 2 diabetes, exercise therapy
MeSH terms
Extracellular Vesicles, Adaptation, Physiological, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Humans, Metabolic Diseases, Obesity, Physical Endurance, Exercise, Muscle, Skeletal, Exosomes

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