Probing the transcriptome response to shivering in skeletal muscle using a multilayered bioinformatics approach
- 1University Medical Centre Utrecht: Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht
Abstract
Cold acclimation holds therapeutic potential for improving metabolic health. We previously demonstrated that repeated cold-induced shivering enhances insulin sensitivity in humans. However, the molecular pathways that underlie the skeletal muscle shivering response, and how these relate to beneficial physiological effects, remain poorly understood. In this study, we combined complementary bioinformatics approaches to allow in-depth analysis of the transcriptomic response of human skeletal muscle to repeated shivering. We identified a robust transcriptional signature and show a sex-specific component in the shivering skeletal muscle response, which seemed to diminish following cold adaptation. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into cold-induced muscle adaptations, shed light on potential interesting molecular targets for further investigation, and emphasize the importance of including both sexes in future cold acclimation studies.
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BibTeX
@misc{kalkhoven2026probing,
title = {{Probing the transcriptome response to shivering in skeletal muscle using a multilayered bioinformatics approach}},
author = {E. Kalkhoven and R. E. Baak and G. J. E. J. Hooiveld and P. Schrauwen and J. Hoeks and R. Raymakers and A. van der Stolpe and S. Kersten},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.64898/2026.08.27.747657},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.27.747657v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Probing the transcriptome response to shivering in skeletal muscle using a multilayered bioinformatics approach
AU - E. Kalkhoven
AU - R. E. Baak
AU - G. J. E. J. Hooiveld
AU - P. Schrauwen
AU - J. Hoeks
AU - R. Raymakers
AU - A. van der Stolpe
AU - S. Kersten
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/27
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.08.27.747657
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.27.747657v1
AB - Cold acclimation holds therapeutic potential for improving metabolic health. We previously demonstrated that repeated cold-induced shivering enhances insulin sensitivity in humans. However, the molecular pathways that underlie the skeletal muscle shivering response, and how these relate to beneficial physiological effects, remain poorly understood. In this study, we combined complementary bioinformatics approaches to allow in-depth analysis of the transcriptomic response of human skeletal muscle to repeated shivering. We identified a robust transcriptional signature and show a sex-specific component in the shivering skeletal muscle response, which seemed to diminish following cold adaptation. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into cold-induced muscle adaptations, shed light on potential interesting molecular targets for further investigation, and emphasize the importance of including both sexes in future cold acclimation studies.
ER -