Ovarian hormones and exercise: regulation of peripheral endocannabinoid signaling in female rats
Description
Regular physical activity is an effective strategy to improve health and reduce the risk of chronic disease; however, most Americans do not exercise consistently. The physiological effects shaping exercise habits are influenced by biological sex, with recent evidence showing ovarian hormones play a critical role in modulating these responses. The endocannabinoid system (eCS), which includes CB1 and CB2 receptors, is an important regulator of metabolic and inflammatory balance, and may serve as a key mediator in hormone-exercise interactions. In this study, female rats underwent either sham surgery or ovariectomy and were then assigned to either sedentary or voluntary wheel running (VWR) conditions. RNA was extracted from renal cortex and medulla samples, converted to cDNA, and analyzed by qPCR to assess CB1 and CB2 receptor gene expression. This design enables direct evaluation of the interaction between estrogen and chronic exercise and their effects on peripheral eCS signaling. By defining these hormone-exercise interactions, these findings will lay the groundwork for identifying sex-specific therapeutic strategies that leverage exercise and hormonal status to optimize health outcomes.
Citation Information
Lin, Emma; Watson, Jackson; Clark, Emmaly; Mohamed, Merna; Mathis, Victoria; Yuan, LiLian; and Clayton, Sarah, "Ovarian hormones and exercise: regulation of peripheral endocannabinoid signaling in female rats" (2026). Office of Research DMU Research Symposium. 73.
https://digitalcommons.dmu.edu/researchsymposium/2025rs/2025abstracts/73
Ovarian hormones and exercise: regulation of peripheral endocannabinoid signaling in female rats
Regular physical activity is an effective strategy to improve health and reduce the risk of chronic disease; however, most Americans do not exercise consistently. The physiological effects shaping exercise habits are influenced by biological sex, with recent evidence showing ovarian hormones play a critical role in modulating these responses. The endocannabinoid system (eCS), which includes CB1 and CB2 receptors, is an important regulator of metabolic and inflammatory balance, and may serve as a key mediator in hormone-exercise interactions. In this study, female rats underwent either sham surgery or ovariectomy and were then assigned to either sedentary or voluntary wheel running (VWR) conditions. RNA was extracted from renal cortex and medulla samples, converted to cDNA, and analyzed by qPCR to assess CB1 and CB2 receptor gene expression. This design enables direct evaluation of the interaction between estrogen and chronic exercise and their effects on peripheral eCS signaling. By defining these hormone-exercise interactions, these findings will lay the groundwork for identifying sex-specific therapeutic strategies that leverage exercise and hormonal status to optimize health outcomes.
