Cardiac endurance training alters plasma profiles of circular RNA MBOAT2

Abstract

Marathon running is an extreme physical activity which determines cardiopulmonary adaption of athletes. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) as potential biomarkers in the blood stream have so far not been tested after such strenuous activities. In silico approaches were performed to identify the potential candidate circRNA MBOAT2. Next, we demonstrated high stability and conservation of circRNA MBOAT2 as well as its abundancy in human plasma. In addition to Sanger sequencing of the circRNA specific head-to-tail junction, or back-splice site, we established a synthetic plasmid standard which allowed exact copy number calculations of circRNA MBOAT2. We then analysed plasmatic circRNA MBOAT2 and observed a significantly lower level 24 h after the marathon. Such alterations were correlated to physical exercise parameters confirming the role of circRNA MBOAT2 as a promising non-coding RNA biomarker detecting cardiopulmonary adaption.