Comparative analysis of skeletal muscle transcriptional signatures associated with aerobic exercise capacity or response to training in humans and rats

In this study, we set out to dissect the intrinsic and response components of aerobic exercise at the transcriptional level in the skeletal muscle. We employed the selectively bred rat models for divergent intrinsic aerobic capacity, high-capacity runners (HCR) and low-capacity runners (LCR) and for the adaptational aerobic capacity, low response trainers (LRT) and high response trainers (HRT). Using RNA-sequencing, we mapped out the transcriptional profiles of high exercise capacity and high response in skeletal muscle. Lastly, we utilized these signatures to explore molecular mediators of high capacity and response in human volunteers before and after exercise training.