The Effects Of An Acute Bout Of Exercise On Melanocortin Receptor Expression Before And After 12 Weeks Of Exercise Training In Post-Menopausal, Overweight Women

Haston, Cheryl

Publication

The Effects Of An Acute Bout Of Exercise On Melanocortin Receptor Expression Before And After 12 Weeks Of Exercise Training In Post-Menopausal, Overweight Women

Haston, Cheryl

Date

2017

Additional date(s)

2017-05-19

Abstract

There is a plethora of evidence to suggest that exercise helps reduce the risk of a variety of inactivity-related diseases, but few studies have examined the mechanisms through which exercise confers its benefits. In recent years, the interest in the melanocortin system has spiked as researchers discovered the wide range of effects this system has on the body. It was only recently that studies began to illustrate the anti-inflammatory effects of melanocortin 1 and 3, especially in relation to exercise. These studies propelled us to examine the effects of an acute exercise bout on the percentage and density of melanocortin 1 and 3 receptors both before and after 12 weeks of exercise training. We will be incorporating both an aerobic and resistance exercise program in overweight to obese, post-menopausal women. We anticipate finding a significant increase in both parameters before training. Post training, however, we anticipate an increase in the percentage of monocytes expressing MC1R, a decrease in those expressing MC3R, as well as a decrease in the density of both receptors on each monocyte. This study is currently ongoing as we finalize the MCR assays and continue recruiting subjects.