Figure 1
Effects of excessive nighttime exercise on the phase of circadian gene expression. In an athlete who regularly performed vigorous exercise between 20:00 and 22:00, the clock gene expression rhythm of facial-hair follicle cells was measured with the branched DNA method; Mar. 22 and Jun. 12 were during the period when the athlete was exercising regularly (Exercise “+”), while Aug. 7 and Aug. 15 were during the period when the athlete was not training (Exercise “-“). Time-course sampling of facial hairs was carried out, and the rhythms of clock gene expression were measured. Clock gene levels were normalized to Protein Phosphatase 1 A (Pp1a). The lifestyle habits (sleeping and eating) of the subject are shown in Table 1. Acrophases were calculated using the software program Acro, which is provided by Dr. Roberto Refinetti. Calculated circadian peak times are then shown in the right lower corner of each figure (red).
Figure 2
Effects of excessive nighttime exercise on the amplitude and maximum levels of circadian gene expression. The relative amplitudes (Top) and maximum levels (Bottom) of clock gene expression rhythms were calculated, and changes over time are shown. After a cosine-curve fitting was performed, relative amplitudes were calculated by dividing peak values by trough values. Maximum levels (Right) are equal to the peak values deduced by the cosine-curve fitting.