Microarray expression analysis of effects of exercise training: increase in atrial MLC-1 in rat ventricles

Previous studies have shown that endurance exercise training increases myocardial contractility. We have previously described training-induced alterations in myocardial contractile function at the cellular level, including an increase in the Ca2+ sensitivity of tension. To determine the molecular mechanism(s) of these changes, oligonucleotide microarrays were used to analyze the gene expression profile in ventricles from endurance-trained rats. We used an 11-wk treadmill training protocol that we have previously shown results in increased contractility in cardiac myocytes. After the training, the hearts were removed and RNA was isolated from the ventricles of nine trained and nine control rats. With the use of an Affymetrix Rat Genome U34A Array, we detected altered expression of 27 genes. Several genes previously found to have increased expression in hypertrophied myocardium, such as atrial natriuretic factor and skeletal α-actin, were decreased with training in this study. From the standpoint of altered contractile performance, the most significant finding was an increase in the expression of atrial myosin light chain 1 (aMLC-1) in the trained ventricular tissue. We confirmed microarray results for aMLC-1 using RT-PCR and also confirmed a training-induced increase in aMLC-1 protein using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. aMLC-1 content has been previously shown to be increased in human cardiac hypertrophy and has been associated with increased Ca2+sensitivity of tension and increased power output. These results suggest that increased expression of aMLC-1 in response to training may be responsible, at least in part, for previously observed training-induced enhancement of contractile function.