Department of Physiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj. 2018 Aug;1862(8):1711-1720. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2018.05.004. Epub 2018 May 8.
It is widely known that physical activity positively affects the overall health and brain function. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as potential regulators of numerous biological processes within the brain. These molecules modulate gene expression post-transcriptionally by inducing mRNA degradation and inhibiting the translation of target mRNAs.
To verify whether the procognitive effects of physical exercise are accompanied by changes in the activity of miRNA-mRNA network in the brain, differential expression analysis was performed in the hippocampus of control (CTL) and exercised (Ex) rats subjected to 4 weeks of treadmill exercise. Cognition was evaluated by a multiple trial inhibitory avoidance (MTIA) task and Illumina next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used for miRNA and mRNA profiling.
Exercise improved memory retention but not acquisition in the MTIA task. It was observed that 4 miRNAs and 54 mRNAs were significantly altered in the hippocampus of Ex2 (euthanized 2 h after the last exercise bout) group when compared to CTL group. Bioinformatic analysis showed an inverse correlation between 3 miRNAs and 6 target mRNAs. The miRNAs miR-129-1-3p and miR-144-5p were inversely correlated to the Igfbp5 and Itm2a, respectively, and the miR-708-5p presented an inverse correlation with Cdkn1a, Per2, Rt1-a2.
The exercise-induced memory improvements are accompanied by changes in hippocampal miRNA-mRNA regulatory network.
Physical exercise can affect brain function through modulation of epigenetics mechanisms involving miRNA regulation.
众所周知，身体活动对整体健康和大脑功能有积极影响。最近，微小 RNA（miRNA）已成为大脑内许多生物过程的潜在调节因子。这些分子通过诱导 mRNA 降解和抑制靶 mRNA 的翻译来在后转录水平调节基因表达。
为了验证身体锻炼的认知益处是否伴随着大脑中 miRNA-mRNA 网络活性的变化，对接受 4 周跑步机运动的对照组（CTL）和锻炼组（Ex）大鼠的海马体进行了差异表达分析。通过多次试验抑制回避（MTIA）任务评估认知能力，并使用 Illumina 下一代测序（NGS）进行 miRNA 和 mRNA 分析。
运动改善了 MTIA 任务中的记忆保留，但对获得没有影响。与 CTL 组相比，在 Ex2（最后一次运动后 2 小时安乐死）组的海马体中观察到 4 个 miRNA 和 54 个 mRNA 显著改变。生物信息学分析显示 3 个 miRNA 和 6 个靶 mRNA 之间呈负相关。miRNA-129-1-3p 和 miRNA-144-5p 分别与 Igfbp5 和 Itm2a 呈负相关，而 miR-708-5p 与 Cdkn1a、Per2、Rt1-a2 呈负相关。
运动引起的记忆改善伴随着海马 miRNA-mRNA 调节网络的变化。
身体活动可以通过涉及 miRNA 调节的表观遗传机制来影响大脑功能。
