Exercise modulation of total antioxidant capacity (TAC): towards a molecular signature of healthy aging

Physically active pregnancies: Insights from the placenta

Physical activity (PA) positively influences pregnancy, a critical period for health promotion, and affects placental structure and function in ways previously overlooked. Here, we summarize the current body of literature examining the association between PA, placenta biology, and physiology while also highlighting areas where gaps in knowledge exist. PA during pregnancy induces metabolic changes, influencing nutrient availability and transporter expression in the placenta. Hormones and cytokines secreted during PA contribute to health benefits, with intricate interactions in pro- and anti-inflammatory markers. Extracellular vesicles and placental "-omics" data suggest that gestational PA can shape placental biology, affecting gene expression, DNA methylation, metabolite profiles, and protein regulation. However, whether cytokines that respond to PA alter placental proteomic profiles during pregnancy remains to be elucidated. The limited research on placenta mitochondria of physically active gestational parents (gesP), has shown improvements in mitochondrial DNA and antioxidant capacity, but the relationship between PA, placental mitochondrial dynamics, and lipid metabolism remains unexplored. Additionally, PA influences the placenta-immune microenvironment, angiogenesis, and may confer positive effects on neurodevelopment and mental health through placental changes, vascularization, and modulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Ongoing exploration is crucial for unraveling the multifaceted impact of PA on the intricate placental environment.

Comparison of preventive and therapeutic effects of continuous exercise on acute lung injury induced with methotrexate

Methotrexate (Mtx) is used to treat various diseases, including cancer, arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. However, it induces oxidative stress and pulmonary inflammation by stimulating production of reactive oxygen species and cytokines. Considering the positive effects of physical activity, our goal was to investigate the preventive and therapeutic role of continuous training (CT) on Mtx-induced lung injury in rats. The rats were divided into five groups of 14 animals: a control group (C); a continuous exercise training group (CT; healthy rats that experienced CT); an acute lung injury with Mtx group (ALI); a pretreatment group with CT (the rats experienced CT before ALI induction), and a post-treatment group with CT (the rats experienced CT after ALI induction). One dose of 20 mg/kg Mtx intraperitoneal was administered in the Mtx and training groups. Forty-eight hours after the last exercise session all rats were sacrificed. According to our results, the levels of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) and caspase-3 in the ALI group significantly increased compared to the control group, and the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), interleukin-10 (IL-10), forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3), and T-bet decreased. In contrast, compared to the acute lung injury group, pretreatment and treatment with CT reduced TNF-α, MDA, MPO, GATA3 and caspase-3 and increased SOD, GPX, TAC, IL-10, FOXP3 and T-bet levels. The effects of CT pretreatment were more significant than the effects of CT post-treatment. Continuous exercise training effectively reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines and ameliorated Mtx-induced injury, and the effects of CT pretreatment were more significant than the effects of CT post-treatment. NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? Considering the high prevalence of lung injury in society, does exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention have ameliorating effects on lung injury? What is the main finding and its importance? Exercise can have healing effects on the lung after pulmonary injury through reducing inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis. Considering the lower side effects of exercise compared to drug treatments, the results of this study may be useful in the future.

Well-Trained Elders Have Antioxidant Responses and an Equal Magnitude of EIMD as Young Adults

Aim The aim of the study was to investigate acute and chronic effects of a two-week eccentric concentric, dynamometric training concerning the time-course changes of blood antioxidant parameters (total antioxidant capacity, catalase enzyme activity, thiol concentration), and to compare the adaptability of young and older muscle to this type of training. Methods Seventeen moderately trained young and older men participated in this research. Subjects performed six eccentric concentric exercise bouts during the training period and maximal voluntary isometric contraction torque, plasma CK and intensity of muscle soreness were determined before and 24 h after the first exercise. During five testing sessions (baseline, 24 h, 48 h, week 1, week 2) the level of blood antioxidants were measured. Results No significant changes were registered in total antioxidant capacity and catalase enzyme activity for any time points; furthermore, no difference was found between groups during the training period. However, total thiol concentrations measured two weeks after the first exercise bout significantly differed between the young and elderly groups. Plasma CK and the subjective intensity of soreness elevated significantly 24 h following the first training, while maximal voluntary isometric contraction torque decreased at the same time. Conclusions Our results do not support previous findings that chronic, short-term eccentric concentric training programs enhance the antioxidant defense of well-trained older and young men. This type and setting of exercise did not cause a different time course of changes in the markers of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) in the studied population. Subjects may already have adapted to maintain constant levels of antioxidants and isometric torque due to their active lifestyle.

Mechanistic Insights of Chelator Complexes with Essential Transition Metals: Antioxidant/Pro-Oxidant Activity and Applications in Medicine

The antioxidant/pro-oxidant activity of drugs and dietary molecules and their role in the maintenance of redox homeostasis, as well as the implications in health and different diseases, have not yet been fully evaluated. In particular, the redox activity and other interactions of drugs with essential redox metal ions, such as iron and copper, need further investigation. These metal ions are ubiquitous in human nutrition but also widely found in dietary supplements and appear to exert major effects on redox homeostasis in health, but also on many diseases of free radical pathology. In this context, the redox mechanistic insights of mainly three prototype groups of drugs, namely alpha-ketohydroxypyridines (alpha-hydroxypyridones), e.g., deferiprone, anthraquinones, e.g., doxorubicin and thiosemicarbazones, e.g., triapine and their metal complexes were examined; details of the mechanisms of their redox activity were reviewed, with emphasis on the biological implications and potential clinical applications, including anticancer activity. Furthermore, the redox properties of these three classes of chelators were compared to those of the iron chelating drugs and also to vitamin C, with an emphasis on their potential clinical interactions and future clinical application prospects in cancer, neurodegenerative and other diseases.

Sled dogs as a model for PM2.5 exposure from wildfires in Alaska

Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exposure induces oxidative stress associated with many negative health outcomes such as respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disease. Research shows that diet and exercise can improve antioxidant defense against oxidative stress. This study is the first to use an Arctic animal model to investigate the cumulative effects of two lifestyle interventions on the antioxidant response before, during, and after ambient PM 2.5 exposure from wildfire: antioxidant supplementation (Arthrospira platensis) and exercise. In a two-factorial, longitudinal design, this study divided sled dogs (n = 48) into four groups (exercise and supplemented, exercise, supplemented, and control) to (1) test the effects of a 30-day exercise and antioxidant supplementation protocol on antioxidant response; and (2) measure the antioxidant response of all groups during and after a natural wildfire event. Commercial assays for total antioxidant power (TAP) and the enzymatic antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) were used as markers for antioxidant status and response. During the forest fire, SOD was increased 5- to 10-fold over pre/post-exposure levels in all groups suggesting an endogenous upregulation of defense systems in response to the acute environmental stress. TAP was lower in all groups at peak PM2.5 exposure compared to 48 h after peak exposure in all groups except the exercise alone group which may indicate that exercise offers improved endogenous defense.

How Robust is the Evidence for a Role of Oxidative Stress in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities?

Growing interest in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has led to emerging evidence implicating a role for oxidative stress. However, understanding the strength of this association is made challenging by the use of a variety of purported biomarkers of oxidative stress, many of which have either uncertain specificity or flawed methods of analysis. This review aims to address this issue, which is widespread in the ASD and IDD literature, by providing readers with information concerning the strengths and limitations of the choice and analysis of biomarkers of oxidative stress. We highlight that biomarkers and assays should be specific, sensitive, reproducible, precise, robust, and chosen with careful consideration. Future studies should be sufficiently powered and address sample collection, processing, and storage which are, additionally, poorly considered, sources of bad practice, and potential errors. Only with these issues considered, will the data lead to conclusions as to the precise role of oxidative stress in ASDs and IDD.

Implementation of public health policies for healthy lifestyles promotion: what Brazil should tell us?

The objective of this work was to update Brazilian experiences on implementation research (IR)regarding promotion of healthy lifestyles to decrease the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCD). Some Brazilian governmental activities for promotion of healthy lifestyles have been adopted around the world such as the case of the "World Physical Activity Day" and the"Walking for health program". Following the example of many other developing and developed countries, Brazilian government has been sponsored leisure-time physical activity and healthy eating programs which still were not capable of promoting massive participation, especially from workers, elderly and people from the less privileged socioeconomic classes. Although successful exercise promotion strategies have been done in Brazil, the implementation science on promotion of healthy lifestyles is still rising and more research is necessary to identify the settings, circumstances, and processes for effective and sustainable adoption of healthy dietary and exercise practices. Understanding problems, concerns and barriers for implementation of health promotion (HP) policies in Brazil could be useful for many other developing nations.

Assessment of endothelial dysfunction in childhood obesity and clinical use

The association of obesity with noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular complications and diabetes, is considered a major threat to the management of health care worldwide. Epidemiological findings show that childhood obesity is rapidly rising in Western society, as well as in developing countries. This pandemic is not without consequences and can affect the risk of future cardiovascular disease in these children. Childhood obesity is associated with endothelial dysfunction, the first yet still reversible step towards atherosclerosis. Advanced research techniques have added further insight on how childhood obesity and associated comorbidities lead to endothelial dysfunction. Techniques used to measure endothelial function were further brought to perfection, and novel biomarkers, including endothelial progenitor cells, were discovered. The aim of this paper is to provide a critical overview on both in vivo as well as in vitro markers for endothelial integrity. Additionally, an in-depth description of the mechanisms that disrupt the delicate balance between endothelial damage and repair will be given. Finally, the effects of lifestyle interventions and pharmacotherapy on endothelial dysfunction will be reviewed.