Human Hair Follicle Transcriptome Profiling: A Minimally Invasive Tool to Assess Molecular Adaptations Upon Low-Volume, High-Intensity Interval Training

The study demonstrated that hair follicle transcriptome profiling could be a minimally invasive tool to assess molecular adaptations from a 10-day high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program. By analyzing gene differential expression and gene set analyses through RNA-Seq, researchers identified differentially expressed protein-coding genes and enriched gene ontology terms and KEGG pathways related to energy metabolism, cell proliferation, muscle adaptations, and cytokine interactions. Key signaling pathways such as G-protein-mediated signal transduction, PI3K-PKB, and JAK-STAT were over-represented. Additionally, HIIT-responsive microRNAs, like miR-99a, were identified, highlighting the potential of using hair follicle transcriptomic responses to explore both existing and new biomarkers for HIIT.