title: Postexercise muscle cooling enhances gene expression of PGC-1α.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the influence of localized muscle cooling on postexercise vascular, metabolic, and mitochondrial-related gene expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine physically active males performed 30 min of continuous running at 70% of their maximal aerobic velocity, followed by intermittent running to exhaustion at 100% maximal aerobic velocity. After exercise, subjects immersed one leg in a cold water bath (10°C, COLD) to the level of their gluteal fold for 15 min. The contralateral leg remained outside the water bath and served as control (CON). Core body temperature was monitored throughout the experiment, whereas muscle biopsies and muscle temperature (Tm) measurements were obtained from the vastus lateralis before exercise (PRE), immediately postexercise (POST-EX, Tm only), immediately after cooling, and 3 h postexercise (POST-3H).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exercise significantly increased core body temperature (PRE, 37.1°C ± 0.4°C vs POST-EX, 39.3°C ± 0.5°C, P < 0.001) and Tm in both CON (PRE, 33.9°C ± 0.7°C vs POST-EX, 39.1°C ± 0.5°C) and COLD legs (PRE, 34.2°C ± 0.9°C vs POST-EX, 39.4°C ± 0.3°C), respectively (P < 0.001). After cooling, Tm was significantly lower in COLD (28.9°C ± 2.3°C vs 37.0°C ± 0.8°C, P < 0.001) whereas PGC-1α messenger RNA expression was significantly higher in COLD at POST-3H (P = 0.014). Significant time effects were evident for changes in vascular endothelial growth factor (P = 0.038) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (P = 0.019) expression. However, no significant condition effects between COLD and CON were evident for changes in both vascular endothelial growth factor and neuronal nitric oxide synthase expressions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that an acute postexercise cooling intervention enhances the gene expression of PGC-1α and may therefore provide a valuable strategy to enhance exercise-induced mitochondrial biogenesis.
authors.affiliation: 1Centre for Sports and Exercise Science Research, School of Exercise and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, AUSTRALIA; 2School of Human Life Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, AUSTRALIA; 3School of Medicine, Deakin University, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA; and 4Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ihsan
authors.forename: Greig
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Hui Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lewandowski
authors.forename: Annateresa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papazzo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cameron-Smith
authors.forename: Chris R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Abbiss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063269:Mitochondrial Turnover; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; C486497:PPARGC1A protein, human; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; D014157:Transcription Factors