Impact of "Exercise Snacks" on myokine production in a translational model

• Grant number: 24/02720-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: June 01, 2024 - May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Effort
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: José Cesar Rosa Neto
• Grantee: José Cesar Rosa Neto
• Principal researcher abroad: Jonathan Peter Little
• Institution abroad: University of British Columbia, Okanagan (UBC), Canada
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/06073-9 - Effect of clock genes over the immunometabolism and monocyte/macrophage differentiation in immunosenescence: the role of exercise training throughout life, AP.R

Abstract

Our interest is to build a joint project aimed at investigating the effect of the novel training protocol named "Exercise Snacks." Prof. Jonathan Little pioneered this approach starting in 2019 when his lab showed that exercise snacks - short (<1 min) bouts of vigorous exercise performed sporadically throughout the day can improve cardiorespirtaory fitness in untrained adults (1). Subsequenlty, other studies from the group have shown improvements in insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese individuals (2) and improved blood vessel function in younger volunteers (3) . This new approach to exercise - which requires very little time, no equipment, and no requirement for access to fitness facilities - holds tremendous promise for improving exercise adoption and health in the general population (4-6).Exercise snacks also naturally break up sedentary behavior (i.e., prolonged sitting that plagues our modern societies). As pointed out by the WHO, the number of sedentary individuals is alarming, and it can even be classified as a pandemic. When muscles contract, particularly during vigorous exercise, they release various proteins termed "myokines", which are mechanistically linked to the benefits of exercise (7). We hypothesize that one of the main mechanims underlying the health benefits of exercise snacks is the release of myokines, which then induce cellular signaling events throughout the body to counteract the negative effects of sedentary behaviour. Thus, our proposition in this project is to investigate how exercise snacks impact myokine production using both human and rodent models. The human experiments will be developed in Prof. Jonathan Little's laboratory at the University of British Columbia, with the aim of quantifying the circulating levels of myokines in individuals across the day when participants complete exercise snacks compared to remaining sedentary. Meanwhile, Prof. José Cesar Rosa Neto's group will develop a similar model of exercise snacks in rodents at the University of São Paulo, investigating gene and protein expression in different muscles, leveraging the power of an animal model where myokines can be directly measured in muscles with different muscle fiber types. Both investigators are experts in their respective human and rodent methodologies, with the studies conducted in each country complementing each other to lead to a high-impact translational paper. The principal investigators (PIs) will offer crucial feedback on each specific aim, and revisions will be made accordingly. Once the aims are finalized, drafts of each grant application will be completed, and further revisions will be based on critical feedback from the PIs. Anticipated completion of grant applications will allow sufficient time for senior researchers to review and provide feedback before submission. Submission of the grants will involve collaboration with the PIs, including budgets for ongoing research exchange as necessary. (AU)