Context: Circulating miRNAs are potential biomarkers that can be important molecules driving cell-to-cell communication.
Objective: To investigate circulating muscle-specific miRNAs in recreational athletes.
Materials and methods: Three miRNAs from whole plasma before and after a half-marathon were analyzed by qPCR.
Results: MiR-1, -133a, and -206 significantly increased after the race.
Discussion: Increased levels of miRNAs after exercise point to potential biomarkers and to the possibility of being functional players following endurance training.
Conclusion: These miRNAs are potential biomarkers of muscle damage or adaptation to exercise.
Keywords: Exercise; extracellular vesicles; microRNA; plasma; quantitative PCR.