Intermittent AP-1 activation in muscles contributes to exercise-induced health benefits

Abstract

Regular physical exercise extends healthspan, yet the molecular mechanisms that translate intermittent contractile stress into lasting benefit remain incompletely understood. Using global nuclear run-on (GRO-seq) in mouse skeletal muscle after treadmill running, we profiled enhancer RNA (eRNA), a sensitive marker of enhancer activity. Activation protein-1 (AP-1), a family of pioneering factors for senescence, emerged as the top transcription factor with motif enrichment in exercise-activated enhancers. Our screen in the contracting C2C12 myotubes pinpointed cFos/JunD as the primary AP-1 factor responsible for contraction-induced transcriptional changes. Muscle-specific overexpression of A-Fos, a dominant-negative mutant of cFos, disrupted transcriptomic responses to exercise and attenuated exercise-mediated improvement in muscle functions. Interestingly, intermittent but not continuous overexpression of cFos/JunD in mouse muscles mimicked exercise-induced transcriptomic changes, increased mitochondrial volume density, enhanced muscle strength and fatigue resistance, and improved glucose tolerance. These results define a transcriptional regulatory signaling pathway linking exercise intermittency to beneficial adaptations and highlight the necessary recovery cycles in training. The paradoxical anti- and pro-aging roles of AP-1 offer insights into the timing and dynamics of stressors and stress responses in shaping senescence and healthspan.