Molecular Mediators of Exercise: Cross-Organ Communication Promoting Health and Combating Disease

Dear Colleagues,

Physical exercise exerts a profound impact on health and disease. The direct benefits of activity are often associated with improved cardiovascular function and muscle adaptation. However, it also triggers a series of signaling pathways that produce bioactive molecules from different organs in the body, contributing to health benefits. For instance, these molecules, currently known as ‘myokines’, are secretory products of the working muscle that have recently attracted significant attention from basic scientists and clinical practitioners. Myokines, including proteins, miRNAs, and exosomes, are intricately regulated by muscle contraction through mechanical transduction pathways. In particular, individual striated myocytes are involved in paracrine and endocrine communication, not only with each other but also with a wide range of organs and tissues, including adipose tissue, the immune system, the liver, the pancreas, bones, and the brain. Although the term ‘myokine’ traditionally refers to muscle-derived factors, recent research has expanded this perspective. Adipose tissue (adipokines) and liver (hepatokines) also release circulating factors in response to exercise, collectively called ‘exerkines’. These exercise-responsive factors paint a vibrant picture of interorgan communication and coordinated responses to physical activity.

Exerkines are key mediators of exercise-induced adaptations and health benefits. They act through a variety of communication channels and pathways, including paracrine, endocrine (hormonal), and even autocrine, facilitating complex crosstalk between different cells, tissues, and organs. Exerkines encompass cytokines, nucleic acids (miRNAs, mRNAs, and mitochondrial DNA), lipids, and metabolites, often encapsulated within extracellular vesicles.

Understanding the role of these molecules in tissue communication holds promise for treating disorders associated with metabolic diseases and other systems, including the cardiovascular, pulmonary, digestive, nervous, and reproductive systems. This Special Issue aims to highlight this approach by publishing experimental data and reviews addressing these aspects in various experimental and clinical settings. We welcome the submission of topics related to the impact of exercise on disease and health in experimental and clinical studies, with particular emphasis on physiological mediators, intracellular pathways, and pharmacological agents constituting a background for the pharmacotherapy of various disorders.

Prof. Dr. Jan Bilski
Prof. Dr. Tomasz Brzozowski
Guest Editors

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