A standardized randomized 6-month aerobic exercise-training down-regulated pro-inflammatory genes, but up-regulated anti-inflammatory, neuron survival and axon growth-related genes

• Published in: Experimental gerontology 2015-09, Vol.69, p.159-169
• Main Authors: Iyalomhe, Osigbemhe, Chen, Yuanxiu, Allard, Joanne, Ntekim, Oyonumo, Johnson, Sheree, Bond, Vernon, Goerlitz, David, Li, James, Obisesan, Thomas O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerobic exercise; Aged; Cognitive Dysfunction - genetics; Cognitive Dysfunction - physiopathology; Cognitive Dysfunction - therapy; Down-Regulation; Exercise - physiology; Exercise - psychology; Female; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling - methods; Genome-Wide Association Study; Humans; Inflammation - genetics; Male; Microarray; Mild cognitive impairment; Muscle Stretching Exercises - methods; Nervous System Physiological Phenomena - genetics; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Statistics as Topic; Treatment Outcome; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 0531-5565; 1873-6815
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2015.05.005

There is considerable support for the view that aerobic exercise may confer cognitive benefits to mild cognitively impaired elderly persons. However, the biological mechanisms mediating these effects are not entirely clear. As a preliminary step towards informing this gap in knowledge, we enrolled older adults confirmed to have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a 6-month exercise program. Male and female subjects were randomized into a 6-month program of either aerobic or stretch (control) exercise. Data collected from the first 10 completers, aerobic exercise (n=5) or stretch (control) exercise (n=5), were used to determine intervention-induced changes in the global gene expression profiles of the aerobic and stretch groups. Using microarray, we identified genes with altered expression (relative to baseline values) in response to the 6-month exercise intervention. Genes whose expression were altered by at least two-fold, and met the p-value cutoff of 0.01 were inputted into the Ingenuity Pathway Knowledge Base Library to generate gene-interaction networks. After a 6-month aerobic exercise-training, genes promoting inflammation became down-regulated, whereas genes having anti-inflammatory properties and those modulating immune function or promoting neuron survival and axon growth, became up-regulated (all fold change≥±2.0, p