Angiogenin gene-race interaction for resting and exercise BP phenotypes: the HERITAGE Family Study

Common Yoga Protocol Increases Peripheral Blood CD34+ Cells: An Open-Label Single-Arm Exploratory Trial

Purpose

Physical inactivity can be a cause of various lifestyle disorders including atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Lifestyle modification by the inclusion of Yoga and similar activities has shown beneficial effects on disease prevention and psychological management. However, the molecular mechanism at the cellular level is unknown. This study aims to identify the molecular response at systemic level generated after three months of Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) practice.

Methods

A total of 25 healthy adult females were recruited for this study (25 to 55 years). After the drop out of 6 participants at baseline and 2 participants after 1 month; blood samples of 17 participants were assessed. Blood samples were assessed for lipid profile, CD34+ cell enumeration and angiogenesis markers (ie, VEGF, Angiogenin and BDNF) at baseline (before intervention), after one month and after three months of Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) practice. The psychological health of the participants was assessed at baseline and after three months of CYP practice. The psychological tests used were General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Trail Making Test A & B, Digit symbol test, Digit symbol substitution test.

Results

After 3 months of intervention, blood samples of 17 participants were collected and following results were reported (1) percentage of CD34+ cells increased significantly after 3 months of CYP practice (from 18.18±7.32 cells/μL to 42.48±18.83 cells/μL) (effect size: W, 0.40; 95% CI, p = 0.001) (2) neurogenesis marker, ie, BDNF showed a significant change with time after 3 months of CYP intervention (effect size: W, 0.431, 95% CI; p = 0.002), (3) HDL showed an increasing trend (non-significant) after three months of CYP practice (53.017±1.28 mg/dl to 63.94±5.66 mg/dl) (effect size: W, 0.122; 95% CI; p = 0.126) (4) General Health score (10.64 ± 3.53 to 6.52 ± 3.12) (effect size: d, 0.98; 95% CI; p = 0.001) along with visual and executive function improved (69.94±26.21 to 61.88±28.55 (time taken in seconds)) (effect size: d, 0.582; 95% CI; p = 0.036), also stress and anxiety showed reduction (effect size: d, 0.91; 95% CI; p = 0.002) (5) a significant positive correlation was found between: HDL with VEGF (r = 0.547, p = 0.023) and BDNF (r = 0.538, p = 0.039) after 3 months of intervention; also, a significant positive correlation was found between VEGF with BDNF (r = 0.818, p ≤ 0.001) and Angiogenin (r = 0.946, p ≤ 0.001), also, BDNF was also positively correlated with Angiogenin (r = 0.725, p = 0.002) at both 1 month and 3 months after intervention. Also, VEGF and BDNF showed a significantly negative correlation with stress and anxiety questionnaire after the intervention.

Conclusion

The current study provides insights into the molecular response to CYP practice at systemic level. The results suggest that CYP practice indeed increased CD34+ cells in peripheral blood and BDNF also showed a significant change after the intervention. An overall improvement in general health and psychology of the participants was also observed.

The HERITAGE Family Study: A Review of the Effects of Exercise Training on Cardiometabolic Health, with Insights into Molecular Transducers

The aim of the HERITAGE Family Study was to investigate individual differences in response to a standardized endurance exercise program, the role of familial aggregation, and the genetics of response levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk factors. Here we summarize the findings and their potential implications for cardiometabolic health and cardiorespiratory fitness. It begins with overviews of background and planning, recruitment, testing and exercise program protocol, quality control measures, and other relevant organizational issues. A summary of findings is then provided on cardiorespiratory fitness, exercise hemodynamics, insulin and glucose metabolism, lipid and lipoprotein profiles, adiposity and abdominal visceral fat, blood levels of steroids and other hormones, markers of oxidative stress, skeletal muscle morphology and metabolic indicators, and resting metabolic rate. These summaries document the extent of the individual differences in response to a standardized and fully monitored endurance exercise program and document the importance of familial aggregation and heritability level for exercise response traits. Findings from genomic markers, muscle gene expression studies, and proteomic and metabolomics explorations are reviewed, along with lessons learned from a bioinformatics-driven analysis pipeline. The new opportunities being pursued in integrative -omics and physiology have extended considerably the expected life of HERITAGE and are being discussed in relation to the original conceptual model of the study.

A Systematically Assembled Signature of Genes to be Deep-Sequenced for Their Associations with the Blood Pressure Response to Exercise

: Background: Exercise is one of the best nonpharmacologic therapies to treat hypertension. The blood pressure (BP) response to exercise is heritable. Yet, the genetic basis for the antihypertensive effects of exercise remains elusive. Methods: To assemble a prioritized gene signature, we performed a systematic review with a series of Boolean searches in PubMed (including Medline) from earliest coverage. The inclusion criteria were human genes in major BP regulatory pathways reported to be associated with: (1) the BP response to exercise; (2) hypertension in genome-wide association studies (GWAS); (3) the BP response to pharmacotherapy; (4a) physical activity and/or obesity in GWAS; and (4b) BP, physical activity, and/or obesity in non-GWAS. Included GWAS reports disclosed the statistically significant thresholds used for multiple testing. Results: The search yielded 1422 reports. Of these, 57 trials qualified from which we extracted 11 genes under criteria 1, 18 genes under criteria 2, 28 genes under criteria 3, 27 genes under criteria 4a, and 29 genes under criteria 4b. We also included 41 genes identified from our previous work. Conclusions: Deep-sequencing the exons of this systematically assembled signature of genes represents a cost and time efficient approach to investigate the genomic basis for the antihypertensive effects of exercise.

Does a family history of coronary heart disease modify the relationship between physical activity and blood pressure in young adults?

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between physical activity, a family history (FH) of coronary heart disease (CHD), and blood pressure (BP) in young adults. We were specifically interested in determining whether the relationship between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and BP was modified by a FH of CHD.

METHODS

Subjects were 230 (103 males, 127 females) university students. Family history was self-reported and habitual physical activity was assessed with a 3-day activity diary. Indicators of habitual physical activity included estimated daily energy expenditure (EE) and EE in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) [median metabolic equivalent (MET) > or =4.8] and inactivity (IA) (MET<2.8). Blood pressure was measured by an automated device according to standard procedures.

RESULTS

A large proportion of the sample (63% of males and 68% of females) reported a FH of CHD. In general, correlations between physical activity and BP were low (r<0.30), but in the expected direction (i.e., positive for IA and negative for MVPA and EE). In males IA was significantly related to BP (r =0.25-0.29), but MVPA was not significantly related to BP (r= -0.01 to -0.16). In females diastolic BP was significantly related to IA (r= -0.21) and total EE (r= -0.18). Total EE was significantly correlated to DBP (r= -0.22) in males and to mean arterial pressure (r= -0.18) in females. No significant differences in BP were found between subjects with or without a FH of CHD. Slightly stronger correlations emerged between MVPA and BP for subjects with a negative FH of CHD compared to those with a positive FH of CHD.

CONCLUSION

These data show a significant association between sedentary behavior and blood pressure in young adults. It is suggestive that the magnitude of the relationship between MVPA and BP may be modified by a FH of CHD. Thus, individuals with a FH of CHD may not be as responsive to increased levels of MVPA compared to those without a FH of CHD.

The human gene map for performance and health-related fitness phenotypes: the 2006-2007 update

This update of the human gene map for physical performance and health-related fitness phenotypes covers the research advances reported in 2006 and 2007. The genes and markers with evidence of association or linkage with a performance or a fitness phenotype in sedentary or active people, in responses to acute exercise, or for training-induced adaptations are positioned on the map of all autosomes and sex chromosomes. Negative studies are reviewed, but a gene or a locus must be supported by at least one positive study before being inserted on the map. A brief discussion on the nature of the evidence and on what to look for in assessing human genetic studies of relevance to fitness and performance is offered in the introduction, followed by a review of all studies published in 2006 and 2007. The findings from these new studies are added to the appropriate tables that are designed to serve as the cumulative summary of all publications with positive genetic associations available to date for a given phenotype and study design. The fitness and performance map now includes 214 autosomal gene entries and quantitative trait loci plus seven others on the X chromosome. Moreover, there are 18 mitochondrial genes that have been shown to influence fitness and performance phenotypes. Thus,the map is growing in complexity. Although the map is exhaustive for currently published accounts of genes and exercise associations and linkages, there are undoubtedly many more gene-exercise interaction effects that have not even been considered thus far. Finally, it should be appreciated that most studies reported to date are based on small sample sizes and cannot therefore provide definitive evidence that DNA sequence variants in a given gene are reliably associated with human variation in fitness and performance traits.

The human gene map for performance and health-related fitness phenotypes: the 2005 update

The current review presents the 2005 update of the human gene map for physical performance and health-related fitness phenotypes. It is based on peer-reviewed papers published by the end of 2005. The genes and markers with evidence of association or linkage with a performance or fitness phenotype in sedentary or active people, in adaptation to acute exercise, or for training-induced changes are positioned on the genetic map of all autosomes and the X chromosome. Negative studies are reviewed, but a gene or locus must be supported by at least one positive study before being inserted on the map. By the end of 2000, in the early version of the gene map, 29 loci were depicted. In contrast, the 2005 human gene map for physical performance and health-related phenotypes includes 165 autosomal gene entries and QTL, plus five others on the X chromosome. Moreover, there are 17 mitochondrial genes in which sequence variants have been shown to influence relevant fitness and performance phenotypes. Thus, the map is growing in complexity. Unfortunately, progress is slow in the field of genetics of fitness and performance, primarily because the number of laboratories and scientists focused on the role of genes and sequence variations in exercise-related traits continues to be quite limited.

Isolation of an adult blood-derived progenitor cell population capable of differentiation into angiogenic, myocardial and neural lineages

Blood-derived adult stem cells were previously considered impractical for therapeutic use because of their small numbers. This report describes the isolation of a novel human cell population derived from the peripheral blood, termed synergetic cell population (SCP), and defined by the expression of CD31Bright, CD34+, CD45-/Dim and CD34Bright, but not lineage-specific features. The SCP was capable of differentiating into a variety of cell lineages upon exposure to defined culture conditions. The resulting cells exhibited morphological, immunocytochemical and functional characteristics of angiogenic, neural or myocardial lineages. Angiogenic cell precursors (ACPs) expressed CD34, CD133, KDR, Tie-2, CD144, von Willebrand factor, CD31Bright, concomitant binding of Ulex-Lectin and uptake of acetylated low density lipoprotein (Ac-LDL), secreted interleukin-8, vascular endothelial growth factor and angiogenin and formed tube-like structures in vitro. The majority of CD31Bright ACP cells demonstrated Ac-LDL uptake. Neural cell precursors (NCPs) expressed the neuronal markers Nestin, betaIII-Tubulin, and Neu-N, the glial markers GFAP and O4, and responded to neurotransmitter stimulation. Myocardial cell precursors (MCPs) expressed Desmin, cardiac Troponin and Connexin 43. In conclusion, the simple and rapid method of SCP generation and the resulting considerable quantities of lineage-specific precursor cells makes it a potential source of autologous treatment for a variety of diseases.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Genotype is Not Associated With Exercise Capacity or the Training Effect of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients After Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

The relationship of the genotype for the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) with exercise capacity or training effects has been studied in athletes or healthy persons, but recently the ACE DD genotype was reported to be associated with decreased exercise capacity in patients with congestive heart failure. Therefore, in the present study the association between the ACE genotype and exercise capacity was investigated in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) participating in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for 3 months.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study population comprised 168 patients stratified as II (n=75), ID (n=67), and DD (n=26) according to ACE genotype. Baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was similar among the genotype groups. In all patients, exercise capacity (peak work rate (PWR) and peak oxygen uptake (PVO 2)) significantly increased after CR. However, no differences were observed in PWR and PVO2 among the genotype groups at baseline or after CR. The results were similar even when analyzed in 60 patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction (LVEF <45%).

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that there is no association between ACE I/D polymorphism and exercise capacity in patients after AMI, even with LV dysfunction. Furthermore, ACE genotype may have no influence on the effects of CR after AMI.

The human gene map for performance and health-related fitness phenotypes: the 2003 update

This review presents the 2003 update of the human gene map for physical performance and health-related fitness phenotypes. It is based on peer-reviewed papers published by the end of 2003 and includes association studies with candidate genes, genome-wide scans with polymorphic markers, and single-gene defects causing exercise intolerance to variable degrees. The genes and markers with evidence of association or linkage with a performance or fitness phenotype in sedentary or active people, in adaptation to acute exercise, or for training-induced changes are positioned on the genetic map of all autosomes and the X chromosome. Negative studies are reviewed but a gene or locus must be supported by at least one positive study before being inserted on the map. By the end of 2000, 29 loci were depicted on the first edition of the map. In contrast, the 2003 human gene map for physical performance and health-related phenotypes includes 109 autosomal gene entries and QTL, plus two on the X chromosome. Moreover, there are 15 mitochondrial genes in which sequence variants have been shown to influence relevant fitness and performance phenotypes.

The human gene map for performance and health-related fitness phenotypes: the 2002 update

This review presents the 2002 update of the human gene map for physical performance and health-related phenotypes. It is based on peer-reviewed papers published by the end of 2002 and includes association studies with candidate genes, genome-wide scans with polymorphic markers, and single gene defects causing exercise intolerance to variable degrees. The genes and markers with evidence of association or linkage with a performance or fitness phenotype in sedentary or active people, in adaptation to acute exercise, or for training-induced changes are positioned on the genetic map of all autosomes and the X chromosome. Negative studies are reviewed, but a gene or locus must be supported by at least one positive study before being inserted on the map. By the end of 2000, 29 loci were depicted on the map. The 2001 map includes 71 loci on the autosomes and two on the X chromosome. In contrast, the 2002 human gene map for physical performance and health-related phenotypes includes 90 gene entries and QTL, plus two on the X chromosome. To all these loci, one must add 14 mitochondrial genes in which sequence variants have been shown to influence relevant fitness and performance phenotypes.

The human gene map for performance and health-related fitness phenotypes: the 2001 update

This review presents the 2001 update of the human gene map for physical performance and health-related phenotypes. It is based on scientific papers published by the end of 2001. Association studies with candidate genes, genome-wide scans with polymorphic markers, and single gene defects causing exercise intolerance to variable degrees are included. The genes and markers with evidence of association or linkage with a performance or fitness phenotype in sedentary or active people, in adaptation to acute exercise or for training-induced changes are positioned on the genetic map of all autosomes and the X chromosome. Negative studies are reviewed, but a gene or locus must be supported by at least one positive study before being inserted on the map. By the end of 2000, there were 29 loci depicted on the map. The 2001 map includes 71 loci on the autosomes and two on the X chromosome. Among these genes or markers, 24 are from prior publications on exercise intolerance and four relate to other pathologies. Finally, 13 sequence variants in mitochondrial DNA have been shown to influence relevant fitness and performance phenotypes.

TGF-beta(1) gene-race interactions for resting and exercise blood pressure in the HERITAGE Family Study

We examined the possible association between a transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) gene polymorphism in codon 10 and blood pressure (BP) at rest, in acute response to exercise in the pretrained (sedentary) and trained states, as well as in its training response (Delta) to 20 wk of endurance exercise. Subjects were 257 black and 480 white, healthy sedentary normotensive subjects from the HERITAGE Family Study. The polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction and digestion with the Msp A1 I endonuclease yielding a wild (leucine-10) and a mutant (proline-10) allele. Resting and exercise [50 W plus 60, 80, and 100% maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2)(max))] BP were determined before and after training. Significant (P < 0.05) race-genotype interactions were found for systolic (S) BP in both the sedentary and trained states. Among whites but not in blacks, the TGF-beta(1) genotypes were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with sedentary-state SBP at rest, at 50 W, and at 60 and 100% VO(2)(max)as well as with trained-state SBP at rest and at 80 and 100% VO(2)(max). The leucine-10 homozygotes had significantly (P < 0.05) lower SBP than proline-10 homozygotes. DeltaBP was not significantly associated with genotype. These results support the hypothesis of an association between the TGF-beta(1) marker in codon 10 and SBP at rest and in response to acute exercise in whites but not in blacks.