Effects of running for 1h on gene expression in Achilles tendon cells of SD rats

The Achilles tendon is the thickest tendon in the human body, and Achilles tendinopathy is its most prevalent disorder, often considered a consequence of overuse. While disruption to the collagen fibers represents a significant manifestation of Achilles tendinopathy, strikingly little is known about the mechanisms by which healthy tendon accumulates damage in vivo.As existing studies of tendon biomechanics and mechanobiology predominantly relied on in vitro or ex vivo experiments on isolated tissues, it is still largely unknown whether and how disruptions occur to the collagen molecules in healthy Achilles tendons following physiological activities. We reported the first RNA-seq analysis reflecting transcriptome changes in healthy rat Achilles tendons following running, providing a resource for future investigations in tendon mechanobiology and sports medicine.