Endurance training attenuates acute exercise-induced monocyte transcriptomic responses in adolescents, with sex-specific molecular adaptations

Q: What was the main finding of the study?

The main finding was that 8 weeks of endurance training significantly reduced the monocyte transcriptomic response to acute exercise in adolescents, with a larger reduction in females (98%) compared to males (70%).

Q: How did the monocyte response differ between sexes before training?

Before training, females had a much larger transcriptomic response (5,135 differentially expressed transcripts) compared to males (567), and the pathways involved were different, with females showing adipose tissue crosstalk and oxidative metabolism, and males showing vascular function-related pathways.

Q: What does this imply for cardiovascular health?

The attenuation of monocyte transcriptional responsiveness after training may reflect improved immune regulation and reduced inflammatory potential, which could be beneficial for vascular health and reduce cardiovascular disease risk later in life.

Q: What type of exercise was used in the training program?

The training program consisted of supervised endurance training with brief supplementary strength work, performed for 60 minutes per session, 3 sessions per week, over 8 weeks.

In adolescents aged 14-17, an 8-week endurance training program markedly reduced the number of differentially expressed monocyte transcripts in response to acute exercise, from 5,135 to 94 in females (98% reduction) and from 567 to 165 in males (70% reduction). Pre-training, females showed a much larger transcriptomic response than males, with pathway enrichment related to adipose tissue crosstalk and oxidative metabolism, while males showed vascular function-related pathways.

Last updated: Aug 6, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score32/100

Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆

Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆

Mechanism★★★★★

Safety★★★★☆

Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Endurance Training Attenuates Acute Exercise-Induced Monocyte Transcriptomic Responses in Adolescents: Sex-Specific Molecular Adaptations.

observational

Plaza-Florido A, Haddad F, Cooper DM, Radom-Aizik S · Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) (2026)

Participants: N/A

Duration: 8 weeks

Intervention: 8-week supervised endurance training with brief supplementary strength work (60 min/session, 3 sessions/week), followed by an acute exercise challenge (ten 2-min cycling bouts at 70% maximal work rate with 1-min rest intervals)

Outcome: Monocyte transcriptomic response to acute exercise, measured by whole-transcriptome RNA-seq (number of differentially expressed transcripts, FDR < 0.1)

Effect Size: N/A

Population: Adolescents aged 14-17 years (12 males, 9 females)

Result:

PubMed: 42545855 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00282.2026

Mechanism Graph

Acute exercise induces changes in monocyte gene expression

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Pre-training, females show a larger transcriptomic response than males

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Endurance training reduces the magnitude of this response in both sexes

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Result: Attenuated monocyte transcriptional responsiveness, potentially affecting vascular and cardiovascular health

Limitations

⚠Small sample size (n=21) limits generalizability
⚠FDR threshold of 0.1 is less stringent than typical 0.05, potentially inflating the number of differentially expressed transcripts

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the main finding of the study?▼

The main finding was that 8 weeks of endurance training significantly reduced the monocyte transcriptomic response to acute exercise in adolescents, with a larger reduction in females (98%) compared to males (70%).

How did the monocyte response differ between sexes before training?▼

Before training, females had a much larger transcriptomic response (5,135 differentially expressed transcripts) compared to males (567), and the pathways involved were different, with females showing adipose tissue crosstalk and oxidative metabolism, and males showing vascular function-related pathways.

What does this imply for cardiovascular health?▼

The attenuation of monocyte transcriptional responsiveness after training may reflect improved immune regulation and reduced inflammatory potential, which could be beneficial for vascular health and reduce cardiovascular disease risk later in life.

What type of exercise was used in the training program?▼

The training program consisted of supervised endurance training with brief supplementary strength work, performed for 60 minutes per session, 3 sessions per week, over 8 weeks.

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References

1.Plaza-Florido A, Haddad F, Cooper DM, Radom-Aizik S. "Endurance Training Attenuates Acute Exercise-Induced Monocyte Transcriptomic Responses in Adolescents: Sex-Specific Molecular Adaptations.." Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 2026. PMID: 42545855 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00282.2026

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