Does a HIIT modulate BDNF levels, and epigenetic and muscle damage markers in postmenopausal obese women?

Abstract

Recent clinical studies demonstrated that single bouts of exercise including high intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols are able to modulate muscle damage and epigenetic markers as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in different populations, however, this relationship is lacking in obese women. To evaluate the impact of a single bout of HIIT on creatine kinase (CK), BDNF and global histone H3 and H4 acetylation levels in obese postmenopausal women. The sample consisted of 10 volunteers with a body mass index of 27 to 39.9 kg / m2 that were submitted to a single session of HIIT on a cycle ergometer for 60 s (separated by 75 s of active recovery). In order to measure the biomarkers, blood samples (15 ml) were collected immediately before and immediately after the intervention. Our protocol did not modify any biomarkers (P>0.05), although a negative correlation between fat mass and global histone H3 levels (P=0.022) and between oxygen consumption and global histone H4 levels (P=0.003) were found. A single bout of HIIT on a cycle ergometer is not an effective strategy to modulate histone acetylation status, CK and BDNF levels in postmenopausal obese women. Future studies considering different exercise protocols should be done in order to elucidate this issue.