Impact of Obesity on Exercise-Induced Skeletal Muscle Exosomes.

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles (EVs) that can function as effective delivery vehicles through systemic circulation due to the protective effects of the phospholipid bilayer. Our previous work in mice indicated that resistance exercise induces the release of skeletal muscle EVs to promote adipose lipolysis through the action of microRNA-1. To better understand the effect of resistance exercise on exosomes in humans, we collected blood samples as well as skeletal muscle and adipose tissue biopsies before and after a single bout of resistance exercise. Using the ExoView platform, we were able to analyze subpopulations of exosomes based on their surface tetraspanin markers (CD63, CD81, and CD9). Our preliminary findings show that serum CD81/CD9 exosome abundance is significantly lower in high BMI (>30) subjects, and serum CD63/CD81 exosome abundance may be differentially affected by exercise in subjects with high BMI. Further studies are necessary to define the nucleic acid and protein contents of the exercise-induced exosomes. To this end, we have generated a transgenic mouse with an inducible skeletal muscle specific exosome surface protein reporter, which will allow definitive tracking of exosomes released from skeletal muscle that are delivered to other organ systems.