Endurance Exercise Does Not Impair mTOR Signalling After Resistance Exercise

Abstract

Resistance exercise is known to stimulate muscle hypertrophy and this effect is mainly mediated by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. In contrast, endurance exercise results in a divergent phenotypic response which to a large extent is mediated by adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Research indicates that molecular interference may exist, possibly through an inhibitory effect on mTOR signalling by AMPK, when these two modes of exercise are combined. PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of subsequent endurance exercise on resistance exercise induced mTOR signalling. METHODS: In a randomized and cross-over fashion, ten male subjects performed either heavy resistance exercise (R) or heavy resistance exercise followed by endurance exercise (RE) on two separate occasions. The R protocol consisted of thirteen sets of leg press exercise with 3 minutes of recovery allowed between each set. In the RE session, resistance exercise was followed by 15 minutes recovery after which 30 min of cycling was initiated at an intensity equal to 70 % of the subjects' maximal oxygen consumption. Muscle biopsies were collected before, 1 and 3 hours after resistance exercise in both trials. Samples were analyzed for several signalling proteins in the mTOR pathway using western blot technique. RESULTS: Phosphorylation of mTOR increased approx. twofold at 1 h post resistance exercise and remained elevated at the 3 h time point (p< 0.01) with no difference between the two trials. Phosphorylation of p70S6k, a downstream target of mTOR, was increased about 6-and18-fold at 1 h and 3 h post resistance exercise (p< 0.01). There was no difference in p70S6k phosphorylation at any time point between the two trials. Phosphorylation of the eukaryotic elongation factor eEF2 was decreased 3- to 4-fold at both time points post resistance exercise (p< 0.01) with no difference between trials. Phosphorylation of AMPK was unchanged at the 1 h time point but decreased approximately 30 % from pre-exercise values in both trials at 3 h post resistance exercise (p< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The signalling response following heavy resistance exercise is not blunted by subsequent endurance exercise. Supported by the Swedish National Centre for Research in Sports.