Distinct Genomic Expression Signatures after Low-Force Electrically Induced Exercises in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigates the molecular responses in people with spinal cord injuries after different electrically induced exercise programs. The goal was to see how these exercises could help improve metabolic function, which is often impaired after a spinal cord injury. They compared a 3 Hz exercise (1 hour) to a 1 Hz exercise (3 hours). The researchers took muscle biopsies to analyze gene expression profiles. They found that the 3 Hz exercise led to a stronger response, with the upregulation of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, contractile protein synthesis, and metabolism. This indicates that a 1-hour session of low-force electrically induced exercise at 3 Hz can trigger a genomic response in paralyzed muscles, potentially improving their metabolic and contractile properties with regular exercise.

• 1
  The 3 Hz electrically induced exercise resulted in the upregulation of early response genes (NR4A3, PGC-1α, ABRA, IRS2, EGR1, ANKRD1, and MYC).
• 2
  The upregulated genes after the 3 Hz exercise contributed to the enrichment of pathways associated with signal transduction, cellular response to stimuli, gene expression, and metabolism.
• 3
  The 1 Hz exercise showed similar trends, but the magnitude of gene expression changes did not reach significance thresholds.