Human muscular mitochondrial fusion in athletes during exercise

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

  • Jesús R Huertas
  • Francisco Javier Ruiz-Ojeda
  • Julio Plaza-Díaz
  • Nordsborg, Nikolai Baastrup
  • Jesús Martín-Albo
  • Ascensión Rueda-Robles
  • Rafael A Casuso

The main objective of this work was to investigate whether mitochondrial fusion occurs in the skeletal muscle of well-trained athletes in response to high-intensity exercise. Well-trained swimmers (n = 9) performed a duration-matched sprint interval training (SIT) and high-intensity high-volume training (HIHVT) session on separate days. Muscle samples from M. triceps brachii were taken before, immediately after, and 3 h after the training sessions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was applied to assess mitochondrial morphology. Moreover, expression of genes coding for regulators of mitochondrial fusion and fission were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR. In addition, mitofusin (MFN)2 and optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) were quantified by Western blot analysis. TEM analyses showed that mitochondrial morphology remained altered for 3 h after HIHVT, whereas SIT-induced changes were only evident immediately after exercise. Only SIT increased MFN1 and MFN2 mRNA expression, whereas SIT and HIHVT both increased MFN2 protein content 3 h after exercise. Notably, only HIHVT increased OPA1 protein content. Mitochondrial morphologic changes that suggest fusion occurs in well-adapted athletes during exercise. However, HIHVT appears as a more robust inducer of mitochondrial fusion events than SIT. Indeed, SIT induces a rapid and transient change in mitochondrial morphology.

Original languageEnglish
JournalF A S E B Journal
Volume33
Issue number11
Pages (from-to)12087-12098
Number of pages12
ISSN0892-6638
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

    Research areas

  • Faculty of Science - Physical activity, Mitochondrial fission, Skeletal muscle, Mitofusin 2

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