Training Induced Muscle Exosome Release (TIMER)

December 19, 2025 updated by: Yuan Wen

Muscle-derived Extracellular Vesicles and Their Interactions With Adipocytes in Human Metabolic Dysfunction

The primary objective of this study is to quantify miR-1 release from muscle in extra-cellular vesicles following an acute resistance exercise bout and potential delivery to subcutaneous adipose tissue in young healthy and obese adults.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Numerous studies in humans and animals have shown that aerobic exercise is beneficial to adipose tissue function and whole-body metabolism. Both acute and chronic aerobic exercise enhance adipocyte catecholamine sensitivity in humans and animals. Although relatively few studies have investigated whether adipose adrenergic signaling is affected by resistance exercise (RE), it is known that a single bout of RE can increase circulating NEFA and resting energy expenditure and decrease respiratory quotient for up to 24 hours, indicative of increased adipocyte lipolysis and muscle fatty acid oxidation. Furthermore, the lipolytic response to RE is impaired in obese men. Using synergist ablation, a model of RE in mice, the investigators show that adipose transcriptional responses are exosome-dependent, and that serum exosomes enhance adipocyte catecholamine sensitivity and lipolysis for at least 24 hours. To the investigator's knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a potential mechanism whereby RE imparts metabolic adaptations in adipose. Since adipose metabolic function is crucial for determining whole-body metabolic outcomes, the ability of RE-induced exosomes to improve adipose metabolism has significant clinical implications.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

38

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

  • Name: Douglas Long, M.S.
  • Phone Number: 859-323-5438
  • Email: delong2@uky.edu

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

    • Kentucky
      • Lexington, Kentucky, United States, 40536
        • University Of Kentucky

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 30 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18-30 years of age.
  • Either BMI <25 or >30.
  • Relatively sedentary, reporting no participation in regular (>1 day per week) exercise for at least the past 3 months.
  • Non-smoker.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • BMI between 25 and 30.
  • Evidence or signs and symptoms for cardiovascular disease (previous heart attack, arrhythmias, angina, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, unusual pain in neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen, or back, swelling in feet, legs, or ankles).
  • Evidence or signs and symptoms of metabolic syndrome or disorder (diagnosis of diabetes or insulin resistance, elevated BP, high fasting blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels).
  • Chronic aspirin or NSAID use (unless it can be safely stopped prior to the biopsies), and any other use of an anticoagulant (e.g., Coumadin) or history of bleeding including history of hypo- or hyper-coagulation disorders.
  • Neurological, musculoskeletal, or other disorder that would preclude safe participation in the weight lifting tasks and all performance tests.
  • Any other medical condition that would interfere with testing or increase one's risk of complications during exercise, as judged by the study physician.
  • Any other condition or events considered exclusionary by the PI and/or physician, such as non-compliance.
  • Lidocaine allergy (1% lidocaine is the local anesthetic used during the muscle biopsy procedure).
  • Pregnancy.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Acute Resistance Exercise
Participants will perform four exercises: squat, knee extension, leg press, and lat pulldown at 80% of 1-RM determined during a previous visit.
Participants will perform three sets of eight repetitions, with a 90-120 second rest between sets, with a fourth set performed to failure. All resistance exercise will be performed on pneumatic resistance devices (Keiser Sports Health Equipment, Fresno, CA).
Other Names:
  • Strength Training

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
miR-1 Abundance
Time Frame: 90 minutes
Exosomal, muscle, and adipose miR-1 abundance will be quantified at baseline and following an acute bout of resistance exercise by qPCR.
90 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: John McCarthy, Ph.D., University Of Kentucky
  • Principal Investigator: Yuan Wen, Ph.D., University Of Kentucky

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

March 14, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 30, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

November 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 29, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 3, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

August 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

January 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 19, 2025

Last Verified

December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 43910
  • 3R01DK119619-02S1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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