Physical exercise increases binding of POMC to blood extracellular vesicles.

ABSTRACT: Physical exercise affects multiple physiological processes, including those regulated by hormones, such as energy balance, stress responses, and pain perception. The prohormone precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gives rise to β-endorphin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, β-lipotropin, and the melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSH), which act through melanocortin (MC1-5) and opioid receptors to influence these key physiological responses. Here, we identified a mechanism by which full-length POMC interacts with small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) in the circulation. In healthy adults, the fraction of plasma POMC associated with sEVs increased fourfold following intense exercise, despite unchanged POMC and sEV concentrations. POMC-positive sEVs contained leukocyte or megakaryocyte/platelet marke

SUBMITTER: Santos MF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12745691 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature