The Effects of Exercise Serum From Prepubertal Girls and Women on In Vitro Myoblast and Osteoblast Proliferation and Differentiation

In girls and women, the authors studied the effects of an acute bout of low-impact, moderate-intensity exercise serum on myoblast and osteoblast proliferation in vitro.A total of 12 pre/early pubertal girls (8-10 y old) and 12 women (20-30 y old) cycled at 60% VO2max for 1 hour followed by 1-hour recovery. Blood samples were collected at rest, mid-exercise, end of exercise, mid-recovery, and end of recovery. C2C12 myoblasts and MC3T3E1 osteoblasts were incubated with serum from each time point for 1 hour, then monitored for 24 hours (myoblasts) or 36 hours (osteoblasts) to examine proliferation. Cells were also monitored for 6 days (myoblasts) to examine myotube formation and 21 days (osteoblasts) to examine mineralization.Exercise did not affect myoblast or osteoblast proliferation. Girls exhibited lower cell proliferation relative to women at end of exercise (osteoblasts, P = .041; myoblasts, P = .029) and mid-recovery (osteoblasts, P = .010). Mineralization was lower at end of recovery relative to rest (P = .014) in both girls and women. Myotube formation was not affected by exercise or group.The systemic environment following one acute bout of low-impact moderate-intensity exercise in girls and women does not elicit osteoblast or myoblast activity in vitro. Differences in myoblast and osteoblast proliferation between girls and women may be influenced by maturation.