MiRNA-based “fitness score” to assess the individual response to diet, metabolism, and exercise

ABSTRACT

Background

Regular, especially sustained exercise plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of multiple chronic diseases. Some of the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms behind the adaptive response to physical activity are still unclear, but recent findings suggest a possible role of epigenetic mechanisms, especially miRNAs, in the progression and management of exercise-related changes. Due to the combination of the analysis of epigenetic biomarkers (miRNAs), the intake of food and supplements, and genetic dispositions, a “fitness score” was evaluated to assess the individual response to nutrition, exercise, and metabolic influence.

Methods

In response to a 12-week sports intervention, we analyzed genetic and epigenetic biomarkers in capillary blood from 61 sedentary, healthy participants (66.1% females, 33.9% males, mean age 33 years), including Line-1 methylation, three SNPs, and ten miRNAs using HRM and qPCR analysis. These biomarkers were also analyzed in a healthy, age- and sex-matched control group (n, 20) without intervention. Food frequency intake, including dietary supplement intake, and general health questionnaires were surveyed under the supervision of trained staff.

Results

Exercise training decreased the expression of miR-20a-5p, −22-5p, and −505-3p (p < 0.02) and improved the “fitness score,” which estimates eight different lifestyle factors to assess, nutrition, inflammation, cardiovascular fitness, injury risk, regeneration, muscle and hydration status, as well as stress level. In addition, we were able to determine correlations between individual miRNAs, miR-20a-5p, −22-5p, and −101-3p (p < 0.04), and the genetic predisposition for endurance and/or strength and obesity risk (ACE, ACTN3, and FTO), as well as between miRNAs and the body composition (p < 0.05). MiR-19b-3p and −101-3p correlated with the intake of B vitamins. Further, miR-19b-3p correlated with magnesium and miR-378a-3p with iron intake (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

In summary, our results indicate that a combined analysis of several biomarkers (miRNAs) can provide information about an individual’s training adaptions/fitness, body composition, nutritional needs, and possible recovery. In contrast to most studies using muscle biopsies, we were able to show that these biomarkers can also be measured using a minimally invasive method.

KEYWORDS:

• Exercise
• epigenetic
• miRNAs
• biomarker
• fitness score
• nutrition

Abbreviations

ACE, Angiotensin-converting enzyme, ACTN3, Alpha-actin-3, AUC, Area under the curve, BCM, Body cell mass, BFM, Body fat mass, BIA, Bioelectrical impedance analysis, BMI, Body mass index, DBS, Dried blood spot, ECW, Extracellular water, FFQ, Food frequency questionnaire, FTO, Fat mass and obesity-associated gene, HRM, High-resolution melting, ICW, Intracellular water, LBM, Lean body mass, miRNA, microRNA, MREs, miRNA response elements, qPCR, Real-time polymerase chain reaction, RBC, Red blood cell, SNP, Single nucleotide polymorphism

Acknowledgments

Our special thanks go to the ISC Gym Fitness center Vienna for providing their training rooms and equipment as well as their expertise. A big thank also goes to the participants in this study.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

No ethics approval was required for this minimally invasive intervention study. Written consent was obtained from the participants for the publication of this study.

Consent for publication

All authors have consented to the contents of this paper and the submission guidelines of the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2022.2106148

Additional information

Funding

The experiment was supported by two Women in Research and Technology program (FEMtech) grants (No 880965, No 871016), from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency mbH (FFG), in cooperation with HealthBioCare GmbH. The APC was funded by the Open Access program of the University of Vienna.