Attenuated inflammatory profile following single and repeated handgrip exercise and remote ischemic preconditioning in patients with cerebral small vessel disease

Improvement of the Immunity System Through Sports: Novel Regulatory Mechanisms for Hypertension

Hypertension and its resulting target organ damage is a complex process associated with a range of physiological and molecular factors, including immune regulation. The profound effects of exercise on normal immune system function and the development and progression of hypertension are well known. This review aims to create new avenues for preventing and treating hypertension and its associated target organ damage. This narrative review emphasizes the role of exercise training in the prevention/treatment of hypertension development through immune response modulation and presents current perspectives on the available scientific evidence. Several studies have shown that exercise regulates hypertension by altering immune cells, which is partly attributable to the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise training. Regular exercise modifies immune modulation and could represent a new mechanism for regulating hypertension. Although the utilization of exercise training and the immune system in conjunction for treating and preventing hypertension is still in its early stages, current scientific literature indicates numerous potential physiological links between exercise training, the immune system, and hypertension.

Causal relationship of inflammatory cytokines and serum metabolites in cerebral small vessel disease: a two-step Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim was to investigate the causal relationships of inflammatory cytokines and serum metabolites in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).

METHODS

Bidirectional Mendelian randomization was first conducted to screen inflammatory cytokines and serum metabolites that were associated with imaging features of CSVD, including white matter hyperintensities, recent small subcortical infarcts, cortical cerebral microinfarcts, cerebral microbleeds, lacunes and enlarged perivascular spaces. Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness and pleiotropy of these results. Subsequently, inflammatory cytokines and serum metabolites that were associated with CSVD were subjected to functional enrichment. Finally, mediation analysis was employed to investigate whether inflammatory cytokines or serum metabolites acted as an intermediary for the other in their causal relationship with CSVD.

RESULTS

Of the inflammatory cytokines, five were risk factors (e.g., tumour-necrosis-factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) and five (e.g., fibroblast growth factor 19) were protective factors for CSVD. Eleven serum metabolites that increased CSVD risk and 13 metabolites that decreased CSVD risk were also identified. The majority of these markers of CSVD susceptibility were lipid metabolites. Natural killer cell receptor sub-type 2B4 was determined to act as a mediating factor of an unidentified metabolite for the enlargement of perivascular spaces.

CONCLUSION

Several inflammatory cytokines and serum metabolites had causal relationships with imaging features of CSVD. A natural killer cell receptor mediated in part the promotional effect of a metabolite on perivascular space enlargement.

Research hotspots and frontiers of preconditioning in cerebral ischemia: A bibliometric analysis

Background

Preconditioning is a promising strategy against ischemic brain injury, and numerous studies in vitro and in vivo have demonstrated its neuroprotective effects. However, at present there is no bibliometric analysis of preconditioning in cerebral ischemia. Therefore, a comprehensive overview of the current status, hot spots, and emerging trends in this research field is necessary.

Materials and methods

Studies on preconditioning in cerebral ischemia from January 1999-December 2022 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. CiteSpace was used for data mining and visual analysis.

Results

A total of 1738 papers on preconditioning in cerebral ischemia were included in the study. The annual publications showed an upwards and then downwards trend but currently remain high in terms of annual publications. The US was the leading country, followed by China, the most active country in recent years. Capital Medical University published the largest number of articles. Perez-Pinzon, Miguel A contributed the most publications, while KITAGAWA K was the most cited author. The focus of the study covered three areas: (1) relevant diseases and experimental models, (2) types of preconditioning and stimuli, and (3) mechanisms of ischemic tolerance. Remote ischemic preconditioning, preconditioning of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and inflammation are the frontiers of research in this field.

Conclusion

Our study provides a visual and scientific overview of research on preconditioning in cerebral ischemia, providing valuable information and new directions for researchers.

Single and 7-day handgrip and squat exercise prevents endothelial ischemia-reperfusion injury in individuals with cardiovascular disease risk factors

Whole body exercise provides protection against endothelial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. In this crossover study, we examined the effects of 1) single bout of local exercise (handgrip, squats) on endothelial responses to IR, and 2) if 7 days of daily local exercise bolsters these effects in individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Fifteen participants (9 women, 58 ± 5 yr, ≥2 CVD risk factors) attended the laboratory for six visits. Subsequent to familiarization (visit 1), during visit 2 (control) brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured before and after IR (15-min upper-arm ischemia, 15-min reperfusion). One week later, participants were randomized to 4 × 5-min unilateral handgrip (50% maximal voluntary contraction, 25 rpm) or squat exercises (15 rpm), followed by IR plus FMD measurements. Subsequently, home-based exercise was performed (6 days), followed by another visit to the laboratory for the IR protocol plus FMD measurements (18-24 h after the last exercise bout). After a 2-wk washout period, procedures were repeated with the alternative exercise mode. For a single exercise bout, we found a significant IR injury × exercise mode interaction (P < 0.01) but no main effect of injury (P = 0.08) or condition (P = 0.61). A lower post-IR FMD was evident after control (pre-IR: 4.3 ± 2.1% to post-IR: 2.9 ± 1.9%, P < 0.01) but not after handgrip (pre-IR: 3.8 ± 1.6% to post-IR: 3.4 ± 1.5%, P = 0.31) or squats (pre-IR: 3.9 ± 1.8% to post-IR: 4.0 ± 1.9%, P = 0.74). After 7 days of daily exercise, we found no change in FMD post-IR following handgrip (pre-IR: 4.3 ± 1.9% to post-IR: 4.7 ± 3.2%) or squats (pre-IR: 3.7 ± 2.1% to post-IR: 4.7 ± 3.0%, P > 0.05). Single bouts of dynamic, local exercise (handgrip, squats) provide remote protection against endothelial IR-induced injury in individuals with CVD risk factors, with 1-wk daily, home-based exercise preserving these effects for up to 24 h following the last exercise bout.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We show that single bouts of dynamic handgrip and squat exercise provide remote protection against endothelial ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced injury in individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, with 1-wk daily, home-based exercise preserving these effects for up to 24 h following the last exercise bout.