Aerobic capacity and muscle proteome: Insights from a mouse model

Abstract

Cardiorespiratory fitness; Exercise; Proteome

Aptitud cardiorrespiratoria; Ejercicio; Proteoma

Aptitud cardiorespiratòria; Exercici; Proteoma

We explored the association between aerobic capacity (AC) and the skeletal muscle proteome of McArdle (n = 10) and wild-type (n = 8) mice, as models of intrinsically ‘low’ and ‘normal’ AC, respectively. AC was determined as total distance achieved in treadmill running until exhaustion. The quadriceps muscle proteome was studied using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, with the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database used to generate protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks and enrichment analyses. AC was significantly associated (P-values ranging from 0.0002 to 0.049) with 73 (McArdle) and 61 (wild-type) proteins (r-values from −0.90 to 0.94). These proteins were connected in PPI networks that enriched biological processes involved in skeletal muscle structure/function in both groups (false discovery rate <0.05). In McArdle mice, the proteins associated with AC were involved in skeletal muscle fibre differentiation/development, lipid oxidation, mitochondrial function and calcium homeostasis, whereas in wild-type animals AC-associated proteins were related to cytoskeleton structure (intermediate filaments), cell cycle regulation and endocytic trafficking. Two proteins (WEE2, THYG) were associated with AC (negatively and positively, respectively) in both groups. Only 14 of the 132 proteins (∼11%) associated with AC in McArdle or wild-type mice were also associated with those previously reported to be modified by aerobic training in these mice, providing preliminary evidence for a large divergence in the muscle proteome signature linked to aerobic training or AC, irrespective of AC (intrinsically low or normal) levels. Our findings might help to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying AC at the muscle tissue level.

NIH Grant, Grant/Award Numbers: NIH Grant No., U01 TR002004 (REACH project); Sara Borrel postdoctoral contract granted by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Grant/Award Number: (CD21/00138); the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and Fondos Feder, Grant/Award Number: grant PI22/00201; the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, ISCIII] and Fondos FEDER, Grant/Award Numbers: PI20/00645, PI23/00396; Projects funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and co-funded by the European Union, Grant/Award Numbers: PI20/00645, PI23/00396, FORT23/00023; Wereld Kanker Onderzoek Fonds (WKOF) as part of the World Cancer Research Fund