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Biomedical subjects

L L Ji

Publications and source records attributed to L L Ji.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Oxidative stress during exercise: implication of antioxidant nutrients.

Research evidence has accumulated in the past decade that strenuous aerobic exercise is associated with oxidative stress and tissue damage in the body. There is indication that generation of oxygen free radicals and other reactive oxygen species may be the underlying mechanism for exercise-induced oxidative damage, but a causal relationship remains to be established. Enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants play a vital role in protecting tissues from excessive oxidative damage during exercise. Depletion of each of the antioxidant systems increases the vulnerability of various tissues and cellular components to reactive oxygen species. Because acute strenuous exercise and chronic exercise training increase the consumption of various antioxidants, it is conceivable that dietary supplementation of specific antioxidants would be beneficial.

Antioxidants↗

Effects of acute exercise on hepatic lipogenic enzymes in fasted and refed rats.

The effects of an acute bout of prolonged exhaustive exercise on the activities of hepatic lipogenic enzymes have been investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: fasted for 48 h without refeeding (FA) and fasted for 48 h and refed a diet high in fructose (RF) or in cornstarch (RC). One-half of each group of rats exercised on a treadmill at 20 m/min, 5% grade, until exhaustion and the other half rested for the same amount of time without food. Dietary intakes during refeeding were kept equal between the exercised and rested control animals. Activities of all hepatic lipogenic enzymes measured, i.e., fatty acid synthase (FAS), L-type pyruvate kinase (L-PK), ATP citrate lyase, malic enzyme, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, were induced dramatically by fasting-refeeding and were significantly higher in the RF than in the RC rats (P < 0.05). FAS activity was increased 19- and 39-fold, respectively, in the RC and RF rats compared with the FA rats. Exercise decreased FAS activity to approximately one-third of the resting control value in both RC and RF rats (P < 0.05) but not in FA rats. L-PK activity was elevated by 55% in RC and 100% in RF rats compared with FA rats (P < 0.05). FA and RF rats also showed a reduction of L-PK activity with exercise. No significant alteration of other lipogenic enzymes was observed after exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

ATP Citrate (pro-S)-Lyase↗

Effects of Adriamycin on heart mitochondrial function in rested and exercised rats.

The effect of Adriamycin (ADM) administration on heart mitochondria was investigated in rats at rest and after an acute bout of maximal exercise. ADM was given intravenously at a dosage of 8 mg/kg body weight 24 and 1 hr before rats were decapitated. Respiratory functions of the isolated heart mitochondria were measured polarographically with both site 1 (pyruvate-malate and 2-oxoglutarate) and site 2 (succinate) substrates. State 4 (basal) respiration was increased using all substrates in ADM-treated rat hearts compared with non-drug control hearts. The mitochondrial respiratory control index was decreased with ADM, but the reduction was due to an increase in state 4 rather than a decrease of state 3 (ADP-stimulated) respiration. ADM administration abolished an exercise-induced elevation of state 3 respiration using all substrates. There was no significant myocardial oxidative damage of dysfunction as evaluated by lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activity. Addition of exogenous free radicals to the respiratory medium using hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase resulted in significant deterioration of mitochondrial function in all parameters measured, but no drug- or exercise-specific patterns of damage were revealed. It is concluded that the current dose of ADM (20% of the established cumulative toxic dose) administered within 24 hr can interfere with normal heart mitochondrial function both at rest and during heavy exercise, but does not elicit overwhelming oxidative damage to the myocardium.

Animals↗

Regional training-induced alterations in diaphragmatic oxidative and antioxidant enzymes.

We examined the relationship between the intensity and duration of exercise training and the up-regulation of diaphragmatic oxidative and antioxidant enzyme activities. Nine groups of rats exercised for 10 weeks (4 days/week). Groups of animals exercised at three intensities (low, moderate, and high); at each exercise intensity, a group of animals ran at one of three exercise durations (30, 60, and 90 min/day). Sedentary animals served as controls. Muscle oxidative capacity was assessed by citrate synthase (CS) activity while antioxidant capacity was evaluated by total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities. All intensities and durations of exercise training promoted significant (P < 0.05) increases in costal diaphragmatic CS, SOD, and GPX activities. Increases in costal CS, SOD, and GPX activity were independent of the exercise intensity and duration. High and moderate intensity exercise of 90 min duration significantly elevated (P < 0.05) crural diaphragm CS activity. Further, high and moderate intensity exercise of durations > or = 60 min promoted significant (P < 0.05) increases in crural diaphragm SOD activities. Exercise did not influence (P > 0.05) crural diaphragm GPX activity. We conclude that the training threshold for up-regulation of oxidative and antioxidant enzyme activities differs between the costal and crural diaphragm.

Animals↗

Metabolic and antioxidant enzyme activities in the diaphragm: effects of acute exercise.

Disruption of cellular constituents including inhibition or "downregulation" of metabolic enzyme activity has been associated with free radical stress in locomotor muscle with acute, strenuous exercise. However, the effects of acute, strenuous exercise on important metabolic and antioxidant enzyme activity levels in the diaphragm are unknown. Twenty 4-month-old and twenty 24-month-old female Fischer-344 rats were divided at random into young exercised (YE; n = 10)/old exercised (OE; n = 10); young control (YC; n = 10)/old control (OC; n = 10) groups. Animals in both young and old exercise groups ran on a treadmill (10% uphill grade) for 40 min at approximately 75% of age group VO2 max. Immediately following the treadmill run, both exercise and control groups were euthanized with sodium pentobarbital. Costal (COD) and crural diaphragm (CRD) were quickly removed and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Lipid peroxidation was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in COD of YE vs. YC rats. Activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPX) was unaltered in the diaphragm by acute exercise (P > 0.05) in both age groups. There was a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity with exercise (P < 0.05). Post-hocs revealed SOD activity was approximately 20% greater (P = 0.066) in YE CRD only. Activities of the metabolic enzymes phosphofructokinase (PFK), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and citrate synthase (CS) were not affected by acute exercise in YE or OE. Strenuous exercise resulted in a small trend towards a decrease in 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HADH) activity in YE COD (P = 0.115) and YE CRD (P = 0.082). We conclude that the employed bout of exercise induces some free radical stress, while metabolic enzymes are protected, in the diaphragm.

Aging↗

Cardiac hypertrophy alters myocardial response to ischaemia and reperfusion in vivo.

The impact of cardiac hypertrophy on myocardial biochemical and physiological responses to ischaemia-reperfusion (I-R) was investigated in vivo. Hypertrophy was produced by aortic constriction (PH) or swimming training (TH). Open-chest rat hearts in PH, TH and a sedentary control group (SC) were subjected: (1) to ischaemia, by surgical occlusion of the main descending branch of the left coronary artery for 30 min; (2) to I-R, by releasing the occluded blood vessel for 15 min; or (3) to a sham operation. Ischaemia per se had little effect on heart oxidative and antioxidant status, or lipid peroxidation. However, I-R significantly decreased glutathione (GSH) content, increased glutathione disulfide (GSSG) content, and reduced GSH/GSSG ratio in the SC hearts. These alterations were associated with decreased activities of GSH peroxidase and GSSG reductase, and an increase in lipid peroxidation. Myocardial ATP, total adenine nucleotide content and energy charge in SC were significantly decreased after ischaemia, whereas levels of purine nucleotide derivatives, particularly adenosine, were elevated. No significant alteration of GSH status of adenine nucleotide metabolism occurred after ischaemia or I-R in hypertrophied hearts. In both PH and TH, glutathione content was significantly higher than in SC, whereas activities of GSH peroxidase and GSSG reductases were lower. TH rats maintained a higher heart rate (HR), peak systolic pressure, and energy charge during I-R. These data indicate that hypertrophied but well-functioned hearts may be more resistant to I-R induced disturbances of myocardial oxidative and antioxidant functions.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

Influence of exercise and fiber type on antioxidant enzyme activity in rat skeletal muscle.

These experiments examined the influence of exercise intensity and duration on antioxidant enzyme activity in locomotor muscles differing in fiber type composition. Nine groups of female Sprague-Dawley rats (age 120 days) exercised 4 days/wk on a motor-driven treadmill for 10 wk. The impact of three levels of exercise intensity (low, moderate, and high: approximately 55, approximately 65, and approximately 75% of maximal oxygen consumption, respectively) and exercise duration (30, 60, and 90 min/day) was assessed. Sedentary animals served as controls. Oxidative capacity in the soleus and white and red gastrocnemius was assessed by measurement of citrate synthase (CS) activity, and antioxidant capacity was evaluated by assay of total superoxide dismutase, catalase, and total glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities. In all muscles, CS activity increased as a function of exercise duration. Furthermore, in the soleus and white gastrocnemius, the magnitude of the training-induced increase in CS activity was directly related to exercise intensity. In contrast, the peak increase in CS activity in the red gastrocnemius was relatively independent of exercise intensity. Catalase activity was not increased (P > 0.05) in any muscle with training. Training-induced changes in superoxide dismutase and GPX activities were muscle specific; specifically, exercise training significantly (P < 0.05) increased superoxide dismutase activity in the soleus as a function of exercise duration up to 60 min/day. Conversely, training-induced significant (P < 0.05) increases in GPX activity occurred in red gastrocnemius only; the magnitude of the GPX increase was directly related to exercise duration but relatively independent of intensity. These data demonstrate that exercise training-induced changes in muscle antioxidant enzymes are muscle specific.

Animals↗

Aging and exercise training in skeletal muscle: responses of glutathione and antioxidant enzyme systems.

Glutathione (GSH) content and antioxidant enzyme activities were investigated in skeletal muscle of young, adult, and old male Fischer 344 rats. Furthermore, the effect of 10 wk of exercise training on these antioxidant systems was evaluated at all ages. In the soleus muscle, GSH concentration increased markedly with age, with no significant change in glutathione disulfide (GSSG) content. Training caused a 30% decrease of GSH (P < 0.05) in the soleus of young rats and a reduction of the GSH-to-GSSG ratio at all ages. Activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), a key enzyme for GSH uptake by muscle, was also significantly decreased with training. GSH, GSSG, and the GSH-to-GSSG ratio were not altered with aging or training in the deep portion of vastus lateralis muscle (DVL). Activities of GSH peroxidase (GPX), GSSG reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and GSH sulfur-transferase were increased significantly with aging in both soleus and DVL. In DVL, training increased GPX and SOD activities in the young rats, whereas in soleus, training decreased GR and CAT activities in the adult rats and GGT and CAT activities in the old rats. Muscle lipid peroxidation was significantly increased with aging in both DVL and soleus but was not affected by training. These data indicate that aging may cause not only an overall elevation of antioxidant enzyme activities but also a fiber-specific adaptation of GSH system in skeletal muscle. Exercise training, although increasing selective antioxidant enzymes in the young rats, does not offer additional protection against oxidative stress in the senescent muscle.

Aging↗

Effects of exercise training on diet-induced lipogenic enzymes and body composition in rats.

It is well known that a carbohydrate-rich diet promotes lipogenesis via induction of hepatic lipogenic enzymes, whereas chronic physical exercise reduces body fat. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether exercise training can decrease diet-induced hepatic lipogenic enzymes and total body fat composition. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into exercise trained (T) and sedentary (S) groups. Training was performed on a treadmill for 8 weeks for up to 25 m/minute, 15% grade for 90 minutes/day, 5 days/week. The T and S groups were further divided into four dietary treatments. Fifty percent of the calories for each diet were from a basal ingredient and the other 50% were from either cornstarch (C), glucose (G), fructose (Fr), or fat (Fa). T significantly decreased body fat and increased body water content in all dietary groups (p < 0.01), but had no effect on body weight. Fr rats had significantly heavier liver weight than did the remaining groups. Activities of hepatic fatty acid synthase, ATP-citrate lyase (CL), malic enzyme (ME), pyruvate kinase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were significantly higher in Fr and lower in Fa compared with C and G. Training significantly increased activities of CL and ME in Fa, but had little effect on these enzymes in other groups. These data suggest that the fat-reducing effect of conventional exercise training is elicited by regulatory mechanisms other than by a reduction of hepatic lipogenic enzymes.

Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase↗

Rigorous exercise training increases superoxide dismutase activity in ventricular myocardium.

Controversy exists as to the effect of endurance training on myocardial antioxidant enzyme activity. These experiments sought to clarify this issue by examining antioxidant enzyme activities in the rat ventricular myocardium in response to different intensities and durations of exercise training. Female Fischer-344 rats (120 days old) were assigned to either a sedentary control group or one of nine exercise training groups. Animals were exercised on a motorized treadmill for 10 wk; combinations of three durations (30, 60, and 90 min/day), and three levels of exercise intensity (low, moderate, and high) were studied. Exercise training did not alter (P > 0.05) citrate synthase, catalase, or glutathione peroxidase activities in the right or left ventricle. In contrast, high-intensity exercise (all durations) and moderate-intensity exercise (90 min/day) resulted in a significant increase (P < 0.05; +28-30%) in right ventricular superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Similarly, high-intensity exercise training (all durations) resulted in a significant elevation (P < 0.05; +14-26%) of left ventricular SOD activity. Furthermore, low- and moderate-intensity exercise training of long duration (i.e., 60-90 min/day) resulted in significant increases (P < 0.05; +10-23%) in left ventricular SOD activity. These data support the hypothesis that high-intensity exercise (> or = 30 min/day) or moderate-intensity exercise of long duration (> or = 60 min/day) is effective in upregulating SOD activity in the ventricular myocardium.

Animals↗

Acute exercise and skeletal muscle antioxidant and metabolic enzymes: effects of fiber type and age.

Inhibition of metabolic enzyme activity has been associated with free radical stress in locomotor muscle with prolonged or intense exercise. However, it is not known whether such alterations with acute exercise in skeletal muscle are influenced by muscle fiber type or age. Twenty 4-mo-old and twenty 24-mo-old female Fischer-344 rats were divided at random into young exercised (YE; n = 10), old exercised (OE; n = 10), young control (YC; n = 10), and old control (OC; n = 10) groups. Animals in both YE and OE groups ran on a treadmill (10% uphill grade) for 40 min at approximately 75% of each age-group's maximal O2 consumption. Immediately after the treadmill run, white gastrocnemius (WG), red gastrocnemius (RG), and soleus (SOL) muscles were removed and quick-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Malondialdehyde was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in RG of YE vs. YC rats. Glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly elevated (P < 0.05) in the WG of YE rats. Analysis of variance revealed a significant over-all increase in superoxide dismutase activity with exercise. Activities of phosphofructokinase (PFK), citrate synthase, succinate dehydrogenase, and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase were unchanged (P > 0.05) with acute exercise in the SOL. However, PFK activity was decreased in the WG by 60% in OE but only 33% in YE, and in the RG by 41% in OE but only 21% in YE. We conclude that maximal glycolytic flux in the gastrocnemius may be adversely affected by acute exercise, and this effect was more pronounced in the 24-mo-old group.

Aging↗

Blood glutathione status during exercise: effect of carbohydrate supplementation.

Blood glutathione status and activities of antioxidant enzymes have been investigated during prolonged exercise with or without carbohydrate (CHO) supplementation. Eight subjects cycled at approximately 70% of maximal oxygen uptake to fatigue [134 +/- 19 (SE) min] on the first occasion (control, CON) and at the same work load and duration on the second occasion but with CHO ingestion during exercise. Blood reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration increased from 0.55 +/- 0.05 mM at rest to 0.77 +/- 0.09 mM after 120 min of exercise during CON (P < 0.01) but remained constant during CHO exercise. Blood glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels were unchanged during CON and CHO exercise. Blood GSH + GSSG content and GSH/GSSG ratio were also significantly (P < 0.05) elevated during CON but not during CHO exercise. The increases in GSH and GSH + GSSG in CON were associated with decreases in plasma glucose and insulin levels. Activities of blood GSH peroxidase, GSSG reductase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were significantly increased during the CHO exercise, whereas only GSSG reductase activity was elevated during the CON ride. It is concluded that blood GSH increases during prolonged exercise and that CHO supplementation may prevent blood GSH increase possibly because of its inhibitory effects on hepatic hormonal releases, which stimulate GSH output.

Adult↗

Antioxidant enzyme response to exercise and aging.

Antioxidant enzymes play an important role in defending the cells against free radical-mediated oxidative damage. The present investigations, using rats as models, indicate that antioxidant enzyme systems undergo significant alteration during aging and in response to acute and chronic exercise. Hepatic and myocardial antioxidant enzymes show a general decline at older age, whereas activity of glutathione-related enzymes in the liver and mitochondrial enzymes in the heart increase significantly. Skeletal muscle antioxidant enzymes are uniformly elevated during aging. An acute bout of exercise can increase activity of certain antioxidant enzymes in various tissues. The mechanism for this activation is unclear. Exercise training has little effect on hepatic or myocardial enzyme systems but can cause adaptive responses in skeletal muscle antioxidant enzymes, particularly glutathione peroxidase. These findings suggest that both aging and exercise may impose an oxidative stress to the body.

Aging↗

Antioxidant enzyme response to selenium deficiency in rat myocardium.

Influences of dietary selenium (Se) deficiency, physical training and an acute bout of exercise on myocardial antioxidant enzyme activity, lipid peroxidation and related biochemical properties were investigated in post-weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats. An experimental group was fed a diet containing less than 0.01 mg Se/kg and had free access to distilled water (Se-D), whereas control rats were supplemented with 0.5 mg Se/l in drinking water (Se-A). Se deficiency depleted heart mitochondrial and cytosolic Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity to 24 and 3%, respectively, of those in Se-A rats. Heart mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD) activity was 24% higher (p less than 0.05) in Se-D than in Se-A rats. Cytosolic (copper-zinc) SOD and catalase activities were not altered, whereas glutathione S-transferase activity was significantly decreased in Se-D (p less than 0.01). Myocardial antioxidant enzyme activities were not affected by either training or an acute exercise bout. Heart lipid peroxidation and activities of several enzymes in substrate metabolism were also unaffected by Se or exercise. It is concluded that rat heart has sufficient reserve of antioxidant enzyme capacity in coping with oxidative stress imposed by Se deficiency or exercise. The adaptation of Mn SOD may reveal its potential role in myocardial antioxidant defense.

Animals↗

Responses of glutathione system and antioxidant enzymes to exhaustive exercise and hydroperoxide.

Glutathione (gamma-glutamylcysteinylglycine) is one of the major antioxidants in the body. The present study investigated the changes of glutathione status, oxidative injury, and antioxidant enzyme systems after an exhaustive bout of treadmill running and/or hydroperoxide injection in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Concentrations of total and reduced glutathione in deep vastus lateralis muscle were significantly increased (P less than 0.01) after exhaustive exercise with either hydroperoxide (t-butyl hydroperoxide) or saline injection, whereas hydroperoxide alone had no significant effect. Exhaustive exercise increased muscle glutathione disulfide content by 75 and 60% (P less than 0.05), respectively, in hydroperoxide and saline groups. Concentrations of glutathione-related amino acids glutamate, cysteine, and aspartate were significantly increased in the same muscle after exhaustion. Hepatic glutathione status was not affected by either hydroperoxide injection or exercise. Glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities were significantly elevated after exhaustive exercise with or without hydroperoxide injection in muscle but not in liver. Hydroperoxide and exhaustive exercise enhanced lipid peroxidation in muscle and liver, respectively. It is concluded that exhaustive exercise can impose a severe oxidative stress on skeletal muscle and that glutathione systems as well as antioxidant enzymes are important in coping with free radical-mediated muscle injury.

Amino Acids↗

Glutathione and antioxidant enzymes in skeletal muscle: effects of fiber type and exercise intensity.

Glutathione status and antioxidant enzymes in various types of rat skeletal muscle were studied after an acute bout of exercise (Ex) at different intensities. Glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) concentrations were the highest in soleus (SO) muscle, followed by those in deep (DVL) and then superficial (SVL) portions of vastus lateralis. In DVL, but not in SO or SVL, muscle GSH increased proportionally with Ex intensity and reached 1.8 +/- 0.08 mumol/g wet wt compared with 1.5 +/- 0.03 (P < 0.05) in resting controls (R). GSSG in DVL was increased from 0.10 +/- 0.01 mumol/g wet wt in R to 0.14 +/- 0.01 (P < 0.05) after Ex. Total glutathione (GSH + GSSG) contents in DVL were also significantly elevated with Ex, whereas GSH/GSSG ratio was unchanged. Activities of GSH peroxidase (GPX), GSSG reductase (GR), and catalase (CAT) were significantly higher in SO than in DVL and SVL, but there was no difference in superoxide dismutase activity between the three muscle types. Furthermore, Ex at moderate intensities elicited significant increases in GPX, GR, and CAT activities in DVL muscle. None of the antioxidant enzymes was affected by exercise in SO. It is concluded that rat DVL muscle is particularly vulnerable to exercise-induced free radical damage and that a disturbance of muscle GSH status is indicative of an oxidative stress.

Animals↗

Antioxidant enzyme activity during prolonged exercise in amenorrheic and eumenorrheic athletes.

Exogenous 17 beta-estradiol (E2) has been shown to be associated with elevated levels of erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of endogenous E2, as defined by menstrual status (amenorrhea v eumenorrhea), on activity of blood antioxidant enzymes at rest and during prolonged exercise. Six amenorrheic (AMc) and six eumenorrheic (EUc) athletes were subjected to a treadmill running test at 60% VO2max for 90 minutes. Serial blood samples were taken from a forearm vein at rest, 30, 60, and 90 minutes during exercise, and 15 minutes into recovery. Resting estrogen levels were significantly lower in AMc athletes at rest and during exercise as compared with EUc athletes, whereas plasma cortisol levels in AMc were significantly higher. GPX activity was significantly higher in AMc than EUc at rest (46.9 +/- 7.7 v 30.2 +/- 2.2 nmol/min x mg Hb, P less than .05, respectively) and throughout exercise. Glutathione reductase (GR) activity was similar between the two groups at rest and was significantly higher (P less than .01) in AMc than EUc during exercise. Plasma lipid peroxidation and catalase activity did not change significantly in response to exercise, nor were they different between AMc and EUc athletes. GPX activity was found to be negatively correlated with E2 (r = -.64, P less than .01) and positively correlated with cortisol (r = .69, P less than .01). It is tentatively concluded that the alteration of hormonal status in amenorrhea has an influence on the blood antioxidant enzyme system.

Adult↗