Abstract
Exercise elicits skeletal-muscle adaptations which are important for improved health
outcomes. We compared the effects of a futsal game (FUT) and moderate-intensity continuous
exercise (MOD), on the skeletal-muscle protein signalling responses in young, healthy
individuals. 16 men undertook an incremental exercise test and a resting muscle biopsy
performed >48 h apart. They were then randomly allocated to either FUT (n=12) consisting
of 2 x 20 min halves, or MOD (n=8) consisting of a work-matched running bout performed
at an intensity corresponding to the individual ventilatory threshold 1. Work matching
was achieved by means of triaxial accelerometers. Immediately after FUT and MOD, participants
underwent a second biopsy to assess exercise-induced changes in protein signalling.
Total and phosphorylated protein abundance was assessed via western blotting. Both
FUT and MOD altered signalling responses in skeletal muscle. FUT increased total ATF2
protein abundance (p=0.048) and phosphorylation (p=0.029), while no changes occurred
with MOD. Both exercise regimes increased ACC phosphorylation (p=0.01) and returned
a trend for increased p38MAPK phosphorylation. Futsal may be employed as an alternative
to continuous exercise to elicit muscle adaptations which may be associated with improved
health outcomes. As only FUT increased ATF2 activation, this protein might be a target
of future investigation on exercise-induced signalling.
Key words
intermittent exercise - protein signalling - ATF2 - football
