Moreover, we found that the expression of other key autophagy-related genes such as ULK1, Atg12, and Atg4B, was significantly upregulated at the protein level in the left ventricle of rats with exercise-induced myocardial hypertrophy, whereas SQSTM1 (a marker of reduced autophagy) was downregulated. The gene discussed is ULK1; the disease is cardiac hypertrophy.