Effect of acute endurance exercise on the gene expression of elongases and desaturases: A multiorgan approach

Abstract

Objective

To investigate whether acute endurance exercise induces multiorgan changes in the gene expression of elongases and desaturases involved in the bioconversion of longchain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).

To investigate whether acute endurance exercise induces multiorgan changes in the gene expression of elongases and desaturases involved in the bioconversion of longchain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).

Methods

Male C57BL/6 mice (12 weeks old; n = 6/group) were used in this study. The animals were randomly assigned to four groups: (1) sedentary receiving saline (100 μL; Sed + Saline); (2) sedentary receiving flaxseed oil (100 μL; Sed + FO); (3) exercised receiving saline (100 μL; Exe + Saline); and (4) exercised receiving flaxseed oil (100 μL; Exe + FO). All the procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee on the Use of Laboratory Animals (CEUA: 6411-1/2024). The experimental protocol lasted 24 h. The acute exercise protocol consisted of a single bout of treadmill running performed without incline for 60 min at 60% of peak workload. At the end of the protocol, liver, epididymal adipose tissue, gastrocnemius and soleo muscles, hypothalamus, and hippocampus were collected for RNA extraction. Gene expression analyses of Fads1, Fads2, Elovl2, and Elovl5 were performed using RT-qPCR. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism version 8. Data are expressed as mean ± SD. Statistical significance was assessed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test or Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn's test, adopting a significance level of 5% (P < 0.05).

Male C57BL/6 mice (12 weeks old; n = 6/group) were used in this study. The animals were randomly assigned to four groups: (1) sedentary receiving saline (100 μL; Sed + Saline); (2) sedentary receiving flaxseed oil (100 μL; Sed + FO); (3) exercised receiving saline (100 μL; Exe + Saline); and (4) exercised receiving flaxseed oil (100 μL; Exe + FO). All the procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee on the Use of Laboratory Animals (CEUA: 6411-1/2024). The experimental protocol lasted 24 h. The acute exercise protocol consisted of a single bout of treadmill running performed without incline for 60 min at 60% of peak workload. At the end of the protocol, liver, epididymal adipose tissue, gastrocnemius and soleo muscles, hypothalamus, and hippocampus were collected for RNA extraction. Gene expression analyses of Fads1, Fads2, Elovl2, and Elovl5 were performed using RT-qPCR. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism version 8. Data are expressed as mean ± SD. Statistical significance was assessed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test or Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn's test, adopting a significance level of 5% (P < 0.05).

Results

No statistically significant differences were observed for any of the evaluated genes in the liver, epididymal adipose tissue, soleus muscle, hypothalamus, or hippocampus. However, in the gastrocnemius muscle, exercise combined with flaxseed oil increased the expression of the Fads1 (Sed + Saline: 1.00 ± 0.30; Sed + FO: 1.065 ± 0.48; Exe + Saline: 2.32 ± 0.77; Exe + FO: 4.31 ± 1.68; P-value = 0.003) and Elovl5 (Sed + Saline: 1.00 ± 0.28; Sed + FO: 4.42 ± 4.03; Exe + Saline: 3.20 ± 0.80; Exe + FO: 5.64 ± 0.55; P-value = 0.01).

No statistically significant differences were observed for any of the evaluated genes in the liver, epididymal adipose tissue, soleus muscle, hypothalamus, or hippocampus. However, in the gastrocnemius muscle, exercise combined with flaxseed oil increased the expression of the Fads1 (Sed + Saline: 1.00 ± 0.30; Sed + FO: 1.065 ± 0.48; Exe + Saline: 2.32 ± 0.77; Exe + FO: 4.31 ± 1.68; P-value = 0.003) and Elovl5 (Sed + Saline: 1.00 ± 0.28; Sed + FO: 4.42 ± 4.03; Exe + Saline: 3.20 ± 0.80; Exe + FO: 5.64 ± 0.55; P-value = 0.01).

Conclusion

Acute endurance exercise and flaxseed oil intake modulated gene expression only in the gastrocnemius muscle, with no significant effects observed in the other evaluated tissues, including those of the peripheral and central nervous systems.

Acute endurance exercise and flaxseed oil intake modulated gene expression only in the gastrocnemius muscle, with no significant effects observed in the other evaluated tissues, including those of the peripheral and central nervous systems.