Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) regulates genes responsible for skeletal and heart muscle fatty acid oxidation. Previous studies have shown that the PPARalpha intron 7 G/C polymorphism was associated with left ventricular growth in response to exercise. We speculated that GG homozygotes should be more prevalent within a group of endurance-oriented athletes, have normal fatty acid metabolism, and increased percentages of slow-twitch fibers. We have tested this hypothesis in the study of a mixed cohort of 786 Russian athletes in 13 different sporting disciplines prospectively stratified by performance (endurance-oriented athletes, power-oriented athletes and athletes with mixed endurance/power activity). PPARalpha intron 7 genotype and allele frequencies were compared to 1,242 controls. We found an increasing linear trend of C allele with increasing anaerobic component of physical performance (P=0.029). GG genotype frequencies in endurance-oriented and power-oriented athletes were 80.3 and 50.6%, respectively, and were significantly (P<0.0001) different compared to controls (70.0%). To examine the association between PPARalpha gene variant and fiber type composition, muscle biopsies from m. vastus lateralis were obtained and analyzed in 40 young men. GG homozygotes (n=25) had significantly (P=0.003) higher percentages of slow-twitch fibers (55.5+/-2.0 vs 38.5+/-2.3%) than CC homozygotes (n=4). In conclusion, PPARalpha intron 7 G/C polymorphism was associated with physical performance in Russian athletes, and this may be explained, in part, by the association between PPARalpha genotype and muscle fiber type composition.

Endurance performance is a complex phenotype subject to the influence of both environmental and genetic factors. Although the last decade has seen a variety of specific genetic factors proposed, many in metabolic pathways, each is likely to make a limited contribution to an 'elite' phenotype: it seems more likely that such status depends on the simultaneous presence of multiple such variants. The aim of the study was to investigate individually and in combination the association of common metabolic gene polymorphisms with endurance athlete status, the proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers and maximal oxygen consumption. A total of 1,423 Russian athletes and 1,132 controls were genotyped for 15 gene polymorphisms, of which most were previously reported to be associated with athlete status or related intermediate phenotypes. Muscle fiber composition of m. vastus lateralis in 45 healthy men was determined by immunohistochemistry. Maximal oxygen consumption of 50 male rowers of national competitive standard was determined during an incremental test to exhaustion on a rowing ergometer. Ten 'endurance alleles' (NFATC4 Gly160, PPARA rs4253778 G, PPARD rs2016520 C, PPARGC1A Gly482, PPARGC1B 203Pro, PPP3R1 promoter 5I, TFAM 12Thr, UCP2 55Val, UCP3 rs1800849 T and VEGFA rs2010963 C) were first identified showing discrete associations with elite endurance athlete status. Next, to assess the combined impact of all 10 gene polymorphisms, all athletes were classified according to the number of 'endurance' alleles they possessed. The proportion of subjects with a high (≥9) number of 'endurance' alleles was greater in the best endurance athletes compared with controls (85.7 vs. 37.8%, P = 7.6 × 10(-6)). The number of 'endurance' alleles was shown to be positively correlated (r = 0.50; P = 4.0 × 10(-4)) with the proportion of fatigue-resistant slow-twitch fibers, and with maximal oxygen consumption (r = 0.46; P = 7.0 × 10(-4)). These data suggest that the likelihood of becoming an elite endurance athlete depends on the carriage of a high number of endurance-related alleles.

After a 16-year hiatus, Russia has resumed its program of biomedical research in space, with the successful 30-day flight of the Bion-M 1 biosatellite (April 19–May 19, 2013). The principal species for biomedical research in this project was the mouse. This paper presents an overview of the scientific goals, the experimental design and the mouse training/selection program. The aim of mice experiments in the Bion-M 1 project was to elucidate cellular and molecular mechanisms, underlying the adaptation of key physiological systems to long-term exposure in microgravity. The studies with mice combined in vivo measurements, both in flight and post-flight (including continuous blood pressure measurement), with extensive in vitro studies carried out shortly after return of the mice and in the end of recovery study. Male C57/BL6 mice group housed in space habitats were flown aboard the Bion-M 1 biosatellite, or remained on ground in the control experiment that replicated environmental and housing conditions in the spacecraft. Vivarium control groups were used to account for housing effects and possible seasonal differences. Mice training included the co-adaptation in housing groups and mice adaptation to paste food diet. The measures taken to co-adapt aggressive male mice in housing groups and the peculiarities of “space” paste food are described. The training program for mice designated for in vivo studies was broader and included behavioral/functional test battery and continuous behavioral measurements in the home-cage. The results of the preliminary tests were used for the selection of homogenous groups. After the flight, mice were in good condition for biomedical studies and displayed signs of pronounced disadaptation to Earth's gravity. The outcomes of the training program for the mice welfare are discussed. We conclude that our training program was effective and that male mice can be successfully employed in space biomedical research.

Reduction in daily activity leads to dramatic metabolic disorders, while regular aerobic exercise training is effective for preventing this problem. The purpose of this study was to identify genes that are directly related to contractile activity in human skeletal muscle, regardless of the level of fitness. Transcriptome changes after the one-legged knee extension exercise in exercised and contralateral nonexercised vastus lateralis muscle of seven men were evaluated by RNA-seq. Transcriptome change at baseline after 2 mo of aerobic training (5/wk, 1 h/day) was evaluated as well. Postexercise changes in the transcriptome of exercised muscle were associated with different factors, including circadian oscillations. To reveal transcriptome response specific for endurance-like contractile activity, differentially expressed genes between exercised and nonexercised muscle were evaluated at 1 and 4 h after the one-legged exercise. The contractile activity-specific transcriptome responses were associated only with an increase in gene expression and were regulated mainly by CREB/ATF/AP1-, MYC/MAX-, and E2F-related transcription factors. Endurance training-induced changes (an increase or decrease) in the transcriptome at baseline were more pronounced than transcriptome responses specific for acute contractile activity. Changes after training were associated with widely different biological processes than those after acute exercise and were regulated by different transcription factors (IRF- and STAT-related factors). In conclusion, adaptation to regular exercise is associated not only with a transient (over several hours) increase in expression of many contractile activity-specific genes, but also with a pronounced change (an increase or decrease) in expression of a large number of genes under baseline conditions.