Forty high-intensity interval training sessions blunt exercise-induced changes in the nuclear protein content of PGC-1α and p53 in human skeletal muscle

Exercise-induced increases in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor {gamma} coactivator-1 (PGC-1) and p53 protein content in the nucleus mediate the initial phase of exercise-induced mitochondrial biogenesis. Here we investigated if exercise-induced increases in these and other markers of mitochondrial biogenesis were altered after 40 sessions of twice-daily high-volume high-intensity interval training (HVT) in human skeletal muscle. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were collected from 10 healthy recreationally active participants before, immediately post, and 3h after a session of HIIE performed at the same absolute exercise intensity before and after HVT (Pre-HVT and Post-HVT, respectively). The protein content of common markers of exercise-induced mitochondrial biogenesis were assessed in nuclear- and cytosolic-enriched fractions by immunoblotting; mRNA contents of key transcription factors and mitochondrial genes were assessed by qPCR. Despite exercise-induced increases in PGC-1, p53, and plant homeodomain finger-containing protein 20 (PHF20) protein content, the phosphorylation of p53 and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (p-p53Ser15 and p-ACCSer79, respectively), and PGC-1 mRNA Pre-HVT, no significant changes were observed Post-HVT. Forty sessions of twice-daily high-intensity interval training blunted all of the measured exercise-induced molecular events associated with mitochondrial biogenesis that were observed Pre-HVT. Future studies should determine if this loss relates to the decrease in relative exercise intensity, habituation to the same exercise stimulus, or a combination of both.