Dose-depended cfDNA and ms_cfDNA kinetics to muscle-damaging exercise.

Duration of the project

01.02.2019. - 01.06.2019.

Countries and institutions involved in the project

flag-LT
Lithuanian Sports University
flag-DE
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Aim of the project

Acute strenuous exercise leads to a dose dependent transient inflammation and can lead to muscle tissue trauma. Without sufficient recovery, a more severe form of chronic tissue trauma can develop which finally leads to reduced performance and overtraining syndrome. Here, we aim to analyse the kinetics of cell free DNA (cfDNA) and classical markers such as interleukine-6 (IL-6) and creatine kinase (CK), after the induction of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Inflammation related, acute, and transient increases in cfDNA have been observed in a number of different exercises (Breitbach et al. Sports Med. 2012 Jul 1;42(7):565-86) and chronic increases have been observed after 12 weeks of high intensity resistance training (Fatouros et al. Clin Chem. 2006 Sep;52(9):1820-4). However, the tissue specificity of the cfDNA has not been evaluated yet. Next to the conventional analysis of cfDNA kinetics we will start to establish and conduct an analysis of muscle specific DNA sequences (ms_cfDNA). The analysis will be based on de-methylated DNA sequences, which are main regulatory sequences during muscle cell development. The analysis might result in a highly specific and sensitive muscle tissue marker to prevent chronic overtraining.

The background information and results will be presented in a lecture, The lecture will be recorded and the recording of the lecture will be published in lsu.lt;

Articles about the project and main results will be published in www.idw-online.de, www.uni-mainz.de and www.lsu.lt;

Main results will be presented in 12th Baltic Sport Science Conference.

Potential speakers: PhD Elmo Neuberger or MD, PhD
Perikles Simon.

Main activities of the project

  1. The experiments as well as blood sample drawing and the analysis of the classical marker will be conducted at the Lithuanian Sports University.
  2. The analysis of cfDNA parameters will be organized at the University of Mainz.

Target group and number of persons involved

Direct: The project is directly relevant for the four applicants (5 people), to intensify the cooperation between our departments. Moreover, the scientific staff members of the departments in Mainz and Lithuania benefit from the Baltic German exchange indirectly (total 11 people in indirect target group). We aim to impart our spectrum of methods between our departments so that future personnel will benefit from the obtained knowledge.

Indirect: The joint project will be visible to the scientific community of Mainz and Lithuania and might initiate further fruitful collaborations between the countries. Additionally, in line with the guest lecture the sport science students benefit from the knowledge exchange. Importantly, the development of a novel and more specific and sensitive marker of tissue damage could be of importance for a large number of high-level athletes. The knowledge about ideal recovery time can prevent the development of chronic and severe trauma.

Public events

Lecture in Lithuanian Sport University (Kaunas, Lithuania) May 2019, Speakers PhD Elmo Neuberger or MD, PhD Perikles Simon.

12th Baltic Sport Science Conference (April 25-26, 2019, Vilnius, Lithuania), Speakers PhD Elmo Neuberger or MD, PhD Perikles Simon.

Press release