Small RNA-seq during acute maximal exercise reveal RNAs involved in vascular inflammation and cardiometabolic health

Exercise improves cardiometabolic and vascular function, though mechanisms remain unclear. Our objective was to demonstrate the diversity of circulating extracellular RNA (ex-RNA) release during acute exercise in humans and its relevance to exercise-mediated benefits on vascular inflammation. We performed plasma small RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in 26 individuals undergoing symptom-limited maximal treadmill exercise, with replication of our top candidate miRNA in a separate cohort of 59 individuals undergoing bicycle ergometry. We found changes in miRNAs and other ex-RNAs with exercise (e.g., y-RNAs, t-RNAs) implicated in cardiovascular disease. In two independent cohorts of acute maximal exercise, we identified miR-181b-5p as a key ex-RNA increased in plasma after exercise, with validation in a separate cohort. In a mouse model of acute exercise, we found significant increases in miR-181b-5p expression in skeletal muscle after acute exercise in young (but not older) mice. Previous work revealed a strong role for miR-181b-5p in vascular inflammation in obesity, insulin resistance, sepsis, and cardiovascular disease. Circulating ex-RNAs altered in plasma after acute exercise target pathways involved in inflammation, including miR-181b-5p. Further investigation into the role of known (e.g., miRNA) and novel (e.g., y-RNAs) is warranted to uncover new mechanisms of vascular inflammation on exercise-mediated benefits on health. Plasma from samples; collected at baseline and peak exercise -------------------------------- Submitter states "We are currently working on submitting the data for these protected datasets to dbGaP, but wanted to submit the processed data to GEO in the mean time."