A Different Kind of Exercise Boost: Irisin Injections and Liver Health

Exercise is great for the body, especially the liver. It cuts down on stress that oxidizes (takes away oxygen from) cells. Scientists think a protein called irisin might be behind this benefit. In a study, mice got irisin injections or did endurance exercises for 8 weeks. Researchers looked at how these experiences affected liver protection behaviors, like heat shock proteins (HSPs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), and the levels of irisin in the blood. They wanted to see if irisin injections could mimic the good effects of exercise on the liver. Let’s dive into what they found! First, did you know muscles release irisin when you work out? This is interesting because Butterwick and colleagues wanted to check if mimicking exercise effects is as good as actually exercising. They focused on the liver because it's a key organ for managing body functions.Researchers monitored mice that either ran or received irisin injections. The idea was to see if the body's stress management tools, such as HSP70 and miR-223a, responded similarly in both scenarios. HSP70 helps cells protect themselves from harm. miRNAs, like miR-223a, adjust the body's responses. Scientists also measured serum irisin levels to see if the injections could trigger the same reactions as exercise. The results? Well, irisin injections didn't quite mimic the full effect of exercise. While they did increase HSP70 and miR-223a, the irisin protein's impact on liver health wasn’t the same. This shows that while irisin is important, there might be other factors at play when it comes to exercise benefits.