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. 2018 Mar:9:187-191.
doi: 10.1016/j.molmet.2017.12.016. Epub 2018 Jan 17.

Exercise increases circulating GDF15 in humans

Maximilian Kleinert  1 , Christoffer Clemmensen  2 , Kim A Sjøberg  3 , Christian Strini Carl  3 , Jacob Fuglsbjerg Jeppesen  4 , Jørgen F P Wojtaszewski  3 , Bente Kiens  3 , Erik A Richter  5
Affiliations

Exercise increases circulating GDF15 in humans

Maximilian Kleinert et al. Mol Metab. 2018 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: The growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a stress-sensitive circulating factor that regulates systemic energy balance. Since exercise is a transient physiological stress that has pleiotropic effects on whole-body energy metabolism, we herein explored the effect of exercise on a) circulating GDF15 levels and b) GDF15 release from skeletal muscle in humans.

Methods: Seven healthy males either rested or exercised at 67% of their VO2max for 1 h and blood was sampled from the femoral artery and femoral vein before, during, and after exercise. Plasma GDF15 concentrations were determined in these samples.

Results: Plasma GDF15 levels increased 34% with exercise (p < 0.001) and further increased to 64% above resting values at 120 min (p < 0.001) after the cessation of exercise. There was no difference between the arterial and venous GDF15 concentration before, during, and after exercise. During a resting control trial, GDF15 levels measured in the same subjects were unaltered.

Conclusions: Vigorous submaximal exercise increases circulating GDF15 levels in humans, but skeletal muscle tissue does not appear to be the source.

Keywords: Growth differentiation factor 15; Physical activity; Recovery; Skeletal muscle.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Vigorous submaximal exercise increases circulating GDF15 in humans. Seven healthy males exercised at 67% of their VO2max for 1 h. Blood, sampled from the femoral artery and femoral vein, was drawn before (Pre), during (EX) and after (Recovery) exercise at indicated time points. Plasma GDF15 concentrations were determined in these samples and are shown for each individual subject (A,B) and as means ± SEM (C). The matching symbol in A and B represents the same subject. The arteriovenous (a–v) GDF15 difference was calculated (D). In the same subjects, plasma GDF15 levels were determined in blood from the femoral artery, collected during a separate rest study (E). Delta (Δ) GDF15 levels were calculated for the exercise and rest trial for the indicated time points (F). Data for D–F are also means ± SEM. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001 compared to Pre (in C) or as indicated (in F); ###p < 0.001 compared to 60 min.
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