ABSTRACT

　It is crucial to establish the strategies that prevent the development of lifestyle diseases including cardiovascular disease. It is well known that exercise training including endurance training is beneficial for prevention or treatment of cardiovascular disease. However, its molecular mechanism is incompletely understood. Accumulating evidence indicates that skeletal muscle produces various bioactive secretory molecules, also known as myokines, which can affect the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Here, we sought to identify the myokine that is regulated by endurance exercise and investigate its role in the development of cardiovascular disease. After screening of gene expression profiles and predicited secretory proteins in skeletal muscle in sedentary versus treadmill exercised mice, we found that myonectin was a myokine that was upregulated by treadmill exercise. Myonectin protected the heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury. Myonectin reduced apoptotic activity and inflammatory response in cultured cardiac myocytes. These data suggest that myonectin acts as an exercise-induced myokine that has protective effects on heart disease.

DECENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.41/The DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE