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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Dec;116(11-12):2315-2326.
doi: 10.1007/s00421-016-3480-1. Epub 2016 Oct 3.

Passive and post-exercise cold-water immersion augments PGC-1α and VEGF expression in human skeletal muscle

C H Joo  1   2 , R Allan  1 , B Drust  1 , G L Close  1 , T S Jeong  1 , J D Bartlett  3 , C Mawhinney  1 , J Louhelainen  4 , J P Morton  1 , Warren Gregson  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Passive and post-exercise cold-water immersion augments PGC-1α and VEGF expression in human skeletal muscle

C H Joo et al. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that both post-exercise and passive cold water immersion (CWI) increases PGC-1α and VEGF mRNA expression in human skeletal muscle.

Method: Study 1 Nine males completed an intermittent running protocol (8 × 3-min bouts at 90 % [Formula: see text], interspersed with 3-min active recovery (1.5-min at 25 % and 1.5-min at 50 % [Formula: see text]) before undergoing CWI (10 min at 8 °C) or seated rest (CONT) in a counterbalanced, randomised manner. Study 2 Ten males underwent an identical CWI protocol under passive conditions.

Results: Study 1 PGC-1α mRNA increased in CONT (~3.4-fold; P < 0.001) and CWI (~5.9-fold; P < 0.001) at 3 h post-exercise with a greater increase observed in CWI (P < 0.001). VEGFtotal mRNA increased after CWI only (~2.4-fold) compared with CONT (~1.1-fold) at 3 h post-exercise (P < 0.01). Study 2 Following CWI, PGC-1α mRNA expression was significantly increased ~1.3-fold (P = 0.001) and 1.4-fold (P = 0.0004) at 3 and 6 h, respectively. Similarly, VEGF165 mRNA was significantly increased in CWI ~1.9-fold (P = 0.03) and 2.2-fold (P = 0.009) at 3 and 6 h post-immersion.

Conclusions: Data confirm post-exercise CWI augments the acute exercise-induced expression of PGC-1α mRNA in human skeletal muscle compared to exercise per se. Additionally CWI per se mediates the activation of PGC-1α and VEGF mRNA expression in human skeletal muscle. Cold water may therefore enhance the adaptive response to acute exercise.

Keywords: CWI; PGC-1α; VEGF.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared. Funding No funding is declared.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Changes in muscle temperature (Tm) (3 cm), thigh temperature and rectal temperature post-exercise (Study 1; a) and Passive CWI (Study 2; b). a *Significant difference from pre-immersion (P < 0.05). +Significant difference between conditions (P < 0.05). b *P < 0.05 significantly different from pre-immersion
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
PGC-1α, VEGFtotal, VEGF165 mRNA responses to post-exercise (Study 1, a) and passive CWI (Study 2, b). a *Significant difference from pre-exercise (P < 0.05). +Significant difference between conditions (P < 0.05). b *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 significantly different from pre-immersion
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Catecholamine responses pre- and post-passive CWI. **P < 0.01; significantly different from pre-immersion
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Representative Western Blots for PGC-1α and VEGF after post-exercise CWI (Study 1; a, b) and passive CWI (Study 2; c, d)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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