Cited by 139Exercise and Physiological ResponsesIL-33, ST2, and ILC PathwaysAdipose Tissue and Metabolism

Interleukin-13 drives metabolic conditioning of muscle to endurance exercise

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Knudsen, Nelson H., Stanya, Kristopher J., Hyde, Alexander L., Chalom, Mayer M., Alexander, Ryan K., Liou, Yae-Huei, Starost, Kyle A., Gangl, Matthew R. +13 more·2020·Science

Abstract

IL-13 hits the gym: Interleukin-13 (IL-13) is a cytokine secreted by T cells, innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), and granulocytes. It acts as a central mediator in allergy and antihelminth defense with various effects. Knudsen et al. report a distinct role for IL-13 in exercise and metabolism (see the Perspective by Correia and Ruas). Mice subjected to endurance training showed increases in circulating IL-13, which correlated with ILC2 expansion in the muscles. By contrast, exercise-induced increases in muscle fatty acid utilization and mitochondrial biogenesis were erased when mice lacked IL-13. Activation of signaling pathways downstream of the muscle IL-13 receptor was key to this effect. Intramuscular injection of adenoviral IL-13 could recapitulate exercise-induced metabolic reprogramming. This signaling pathway may have evolved to combat the metabolic stresses of parasite infection. Science , this issue p. eaat3987 ; see also p. 470

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Crossref · 10.1126/science.aat3987

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  • Mice lacking IL-13 have reduced running capacity and fail to show certain exercise-training benefits, including improved glucose tolerance and endurance running capacity.

    “Mice lacking IL-13 show reduced running capacity and do not show certain beneficial effects of exercise training, such as improvements in glucose tolerance and endurance running capacity136.”

    From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [136]

  • IL-13-deficient mice show defective muscle fatty acid utilization after acute exercise and fail to increase muscle mitochondrial biogenesis after chronic exercise.

    “As IL-13-deficient mice show defective muscle fatty acid utilization after acute exercise and fail to show increased muscle mitochondrial biogenesis after chronic exercise, the ILC2 to IL-13 axis might have an important role in the metabolic adaptation to exercise training136.”

    From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [136]

  • The ILC2-to-IL-13 axis may be important for metabolic adaptation to exercise training.

    “the ILC2 to IL-13 axis might have an important role in the metabolic adaptation to exercise training136.”

    From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [136]

  • Unlike IL-6, IL-13 is produced by type 2 innate lymphoid cells in skeletal muscle.

    “Unlike IL-6, IL-13 is produced by type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in skeletal muscle.”

    From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [136]

  • IL-13 is an exerkine whose circulating levels increase after exercise training in humans and mice.

    “IL-13 is also an exerkine, increasing in the circulation after exercise training in humans and mice136.”

    From Exerkines in health, resilience and disease (2022) · cites this paper as [136]

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Authors
Knudsen, N. H., Stanya, K. J., Hyde, A. L., Chalom, M. M., Alexander, R. K., Liou, Y.-H., Starost, K. A., Gangl, M. R., Jacobi, D., Liu, S., Sopariwala, D. H., Fonseca-Pereira, D., Li, J., Hu, F. B., Garrett, W. S., Narkar, V. A., Ortlund, E. A., Kim, J. H., Paton, C. M., Cooper, J. A., & Lee, C.-H.
Affiliations
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Metabolic and Degenerative Diseases, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
  • Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • Emory University (US)
  • University of Georgia (US)
Corresponding author
Lee, Chih-Hao
Venue
Science
Published
2020-05
Volume
368
Issue
6490
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W3022206095
Cited by
139
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 9
FWCI
10.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (F31DK107256, F31GM117854, R01DK113791, R21AI131659)
  • American Heart Association (16GRNT31460005)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › IL-33, ST2, and ILC Pathways
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
Keywords
IL-13, endurance exercise, innate lymphoid cells type 2, fatty acid utilization, mitochondrial biogenesis, exercise training, parasitic infection, cytokines
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Physiological, Animals, Blood Glucose, Cell Line, Fatty Acids, Female, Glycogen, Humans, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mitochondria, Muscle, Oxidation-Reduction, Physical Conditioning, Animal, Physical Endurance, Running, Mice, Knockout, Muscle, Skeletal, Interleukin-13, Myoblasts, STAT3 Transcription Factor, Mice, Interleukin-13 Receptor alpha1 Subunit

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