Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2026, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (28): 7287-7296.doi: 10.12307/2026.822

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Differential proteomic analysis of exercise-induced and pathological cardiac hypertrophy models in mice

Qin Di1, 2, Qin Xuelin2, 3, Li Zhu1, Ye Jiachi2, 3, Chen Gan4, Lin Yi5, Peng Yong2, 3   

  1. 1School of Sports and Health, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu Province, China; 2Jiangsu Sports and Health Engineering Collaborative Innovation Center, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu Province, China; 3Sports Science Research Institute, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu Province, China; 4School of Physical Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410012, Hunan Province, China; 5State Owned Assets Management Office, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Received:2025-08-14 Revised:2025-12-08 Online:2026-10-08 Published:2026-02-10
  • Contact: Peng Yong, PhD, Senior experimentalist, Master’s supervisor, Jiangsu Sports and Health Engineering Collaborative Innovation Center, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu Province, China; Sports Science Research Institute, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu Province, China
  • About author:Qin Di, PhD, Associate professor, Master’s supervisor, School of Sports and Health, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu Province, China; Jiangsu Sports and Health Engineering Collaborative Innovation Center, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Supported by:
    Major Project of Basic Science (Natural Science) Research in Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, No. 25KJA180002 (to QD); Major Project of Basic Science (Natural Science) Research in Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, No. 25KJA180003 (to PY); Young and Middle-aged Academic Leaders of “Blue Project” in Jiangsu Province (to QD); National Level Project of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program for College Students in Jiangsu Province, No. 202510330021 (to LZ); The "1+1" Excellent Academic Team Project of Nanjing Sport Institute, No. XSTD202406 (to YJC)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Improving outcomes for patients with pathological cardiac hypertrophy by leveraging the mechanisms of exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy is currently a significant focus in cardiovascular research. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the differences between exercise-induced and pathological cardiac hypertrophy remain incompletely understood.
OBJECTIVE: To identify potential therapeutic targets for pathological cardiac hypertrophy based on cardiac proteomics using mouse models of exercise-induced and pathological cardiac hypertrophy.
METHODS: Twenty-one male C57BL/6J mice, aged 6-8 weeks, were randomly divided into three groups: the control group, the exercise training group, and the isoproterenol group, with 7 mice in each group. Mice in the exercise training group were subjected to continuous exercise training for 8 weeks to establish a model of exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy, while mice in the isoproterenol group were injected subcutaneously with isoproterenol for 7 days to establish a model of pathological cardiac hypertrophy. After successful modeling was verified by assessing the heart mass index, heart mass to tibial length ratio, and performing hematoxylin-eosin staining, wheat germ agglutinin staining, and Sirius red staining, the differential protein expression profiles and functional characteristics of the two cardiac hypertrophy models were analyzed using tandem mass tag-based proteomic technology.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Compared with the control group, the heart mass index and heart mass to tibial length ratio were significantly increased in the exercise training group and isoproterenol group (P < 0.001, P < 0.05). Myocardial cells in the isoproterenol group exhibited more severe damage compared with the control group, as evidenced by the disorganized arrangement of cardiomyocytes and extensive inflammatory cell infiltration. (2) The cross-sectional area of myocardial cells was significantly increased in the exercise training group and isoproterenol group compared with the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The area of myocardial fibrosis was significantly higher in the isoproterenol group compared with the control group (P < 0.01). (3) Proteomic analysis revealed 46 differentially expressed proteins in the exercise training group compared with the control group, 302 differentially expressed proteins in the isoproterenol group compared with the control group, and 340 differentially expressed proteins in the exercise training group compared with the isoproterenol group. Among the differentially expressed proteins in the three comparison groups, two intersection proteins were identified as peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1 (Acox1) and galectin-3. (4) Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis suggested that exercise might induce physiological cardiac hypertrophy by upregulating Acox1 to promote fatty acid metabolism. In contrast, isoproterenol might induce pathological cardiac hypertrophy by downregulating Acox1, potentially leading to peroxisome dysregulation and lipotoxicity. These results suggest that Acox1 and galectin-3 proteins may serve as potential intervention targets for the treatment or prevention of pathological cardiac hypertrophy.


Key words: exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy, pathological cardiac hypertrophy, isoproterenol, tandem mass tag, peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1, galectin-3

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