title: Role of exercise in maintaining the integrity of the neuromuscular junction.
abstract: Physical activity plays an important role in preventing chronic disease in adults and the elderly. Exercise has beneficial effects on the nervous system, including at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Exercise causes hypertrophy of NMJs and improves recovery from peripheral nerve injuries, whereas decreased physical activity causes degenerative changes in NMJs. Recent studies have begun to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise. These mechanisms involve Bassoon, neuregulin-1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α, insulin-like growth factor-1, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin 4, Homer, and nuclear factor of activated T cells c1. For example, NMJ denervation and active zone decreases have been observed in aged NMJs, but these age-dependent degenerative changes can be ameliorated by exercise. In this review we assess the effects of exercise on the maintenance and regeneration of NMJs and highlight recent insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these exercise effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, MS 3051, HLSIC Room 2073, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160, USA.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishimune
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stanford
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C498440:BSN protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020890:Neuregulin-1; D047495:PPAR gamma
keywords: active zone; aging; exercise; laminin; synapse