title: Why Does Exercise "Trigger" Adaptive Protective Responses in the Heart?
abstract: Numerous epidemiological studies suggest that individuals who exercise have decreased cardiac morbidity and mortality. Pre-clinical studies in animal models also find clear cardioprotective phenotypes in animals that exercise, specifically characterized by lower myocardial infarction and arrhythmia. Despite the clear benefits, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms that are responsible for exercise preconditioning are not fully understood. In particular, the adaptive signaling events that occur during exercise to "trigger" cardioprotection represent emerging paradigms. In this review, we discuss recent studies that have identified several different factors that appear to initiate exercise preconditioning. We summarize the evidence for and against specific cellular factors in triggering exercise adaptations and identify areas for future study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville NC USA.
authors.forename: Rick J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Alleman
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville NC USA.
authors.forename: Luke M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville NC USA.
authors.forename: Alvin M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville NC USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Brown
keywords: Preconditioning; cardiac; exercise; heart; mitochondria