Passive and post-exercise cold-water immersion augments PGC-1α and VEGF expression in human skeletal muscle

Abstract

PurposeWe tested the hypothesis that both post-exercise and passive cold water immersion (CWI) increases PGC-1α and VEGF mRNA expression in human skeletal muscle.Method Study 1 Nine males completed an intermittent running protocol (8 × 3-min bouts at 90 % , interspersed with 3-min active recovery (1.5-min at 25 % and 1.5-min at 50 % ) before undergoing CWI (10 min at 8 °C) or seated rest (CONT) in a counterbalanced, randomised manner. Study 2 Ten males underwent an identical CWI protocol under passive conditions.Results Study 1 PGC-1α mRNA increased in CONT (~3.4-fold; P < 0.001) and CWI (~5.9-fold; P < 0.001) at 3 h post-exercise with a greater increase observed in CWI (P < 0.001). VEGFtotal mRNA increased after CWI only (~2.4-fold) compared with CONT (~1.1-fold) at 3 h post-exercise (P < 0.01). Study 2 Following CWI, PGC-1α mRNA expression was significantly increased ~1.3-fold (P = 0.001) and 1.4-fold (P = 0.0004) at 3 and 6 h, respectively. Similarly, VEGF165 mRNA was significantly increased in CWI ~1.9-fold (P = 0.03) and 2.2-fold (P = 0.009) at 3 and 6 h post-immersion.ConclusionsData confirm post-exercise CWI augments the acute exercise-induced expression of PGC-1α mRNA in human skeletal muscle compared to exercise per se. Additionally CWI per se mediates the activation of PGC-1α and VEGF mRNA expression in human skeletal muscle. Cold water may therefore enhance the adaptive response to acute exercise.

Low pre‐exercise muscle glycogen availability offsets the effect of post‐exercise cold water immersion in augmenting PGC‐1α gene expression

“…In using that specific design, these data suggested that the effects of post‐exercise CWI previously observed by our laboratory (Joo et al. ) and others (Ihsan et al. , ) is regulated systemically via β‐adrenergic activation of AMPK (Allan et al.…”

“…; Joo et al. ). Biopsies were obtained from both limbs at all time points to allow for comparison between low (LOW) and very low (VLOW) glycogen limbs in both CON and CWI trials.…”

“…; Joo et al. ) and others (Ihsan et al. , ) have demonstrated that both passive and post‐exercise cold‐water immersion (CWI) enhances the acute expression of PGC‐1α mRNA (Joo et al.…”

“…, ) have demonstrated that both passive and post‐exercise cold‐water immersion (CWI) enhances the acute expression of PGC‐1α mRNA (Joo et al. ), an effect that is likely regulated systemically (via β‐adrenergic activation of local cell signaling pathways), as opposed to local cooling effects per se (Allan et al. ).…”

Post-exercise Cooling Impairs Muscle Protein Synthesis Rates In Healthy Young Males

“…CWI, primarily as a result of its ability to decrease tissue temperature and blood flow (Gregson et al 2011;Costello et al 2012;Gregson et al 2013;Mawhinney et al 2013;Mawhinney et al 2017a;Mawhinney et al 2017b), has been suggested to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (Leeder et al 2012;Roberts et al 2014;Hohenauer et al 2015) and muscle oedema/swelling (Yanagisawa et al 2003;Yanagisawa et al 2004;Vaile et al 2008;Roberts et al 2014), improve recovery of muscle function/performance (Vaile et al 2008;Vaile et al 2011;Versey et al 2013;Roberts et al 2014) and increase gene expression of molecular markers of endurance exercise adaptation (Ihsan et al 2014;Joo et al 2016;Allan et al 2017). CWI, primarily as a result of its ability to decrease tissue temperature and blood flow (Gregson et al 2011;Costello et al 2012;Gregson et al 2013;Mawhinney et al 2013;Mawhinney et al 2017a;Mawhinney et al 2017b), has been suggested to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (Leeder et al 2012;Roberts et al 2014;Hohenauer et al 2015) and muscle oedema/swelling (Yanagisawa et al 2003;Yanagisawa et al 2004;Vaile et al 2008;Roberts et al 2014), improve recovery of muscle function/performance (Vaile et al 2008;Vaile et al 2011;…”