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Enhanced vascular endothelium‐dependent dilation in older men who exercise is associated with markedly lower endothelial oxidative stress
Author(s) -
Pierce Gary L.,
Seals Douglas R.,
Eskurza Iratxe,
Silver Annemarie E.,
Gates Phillip E.,
Walker Ashley E.,
Donato Anthony J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.a932-b
Subject(s) - medicine , brachial artery , oxidative stress , endothelium , endocrinology , aerobic exercise , waist , vo2 max , endothelial dysfunction , nitrotyrosine , nitric oxide , obesity , heart rate , blood pressure , nitric oxide synthase
Compared with their sedentary peers, middle‐aged and older men who regularly perform aerobic‐endurance exercise demonstrate enhanced endothelium‐dependent dilation (EDD). This augmented EDD is believed to be mediated, at least in part, by reduced vascular oxidative stress. However, direct molecular evidence is lacking. To address this, older sedentary (OS: n=12, age 62 ± 2 yrs) and endurance exercise‐trained (OT: n=7, age 62 ± 3 yrs) healthy men were studied. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2 max) was higher (41 ± 2 vs. 29 ± 1 ml/kg/min, p<0.01), and % body fat (%BF, 17 ± 1 vs. 28 ± 2%, p<0.01) and waist circumference (WC, 83 ± 1 vs. 96 ± 4 cm, p<0.05) were lower in OT vs. OS. EDD (brachial artery flow‐mediated dilation) was 46% higher (7.3 ± 0.8 vs. 5.0 ± 0.8%, p<0.05) in OT vs. OS. Abundance of nitrotyrosine (NT; quantitative immunofluorescence), an oxidatively modified protein, was 175% lower in endothelial cells obtained from the brachial artery of OT vs. OS (0.48 ± 0.09 vs. 1.32 ± 0.18 NT/HUVEC intensity, p<0.01). In the pooled group (n=19), VO 2 max (r=−0.55, p<0.05), %BF (r=0.75, p<0.01) and WC (r=0.64, p<0.01) were related to NT. These results indicate that the enhanced EDD in exercising vs. sedentary middle‐aged and older men is associated with markedly reduced endothelial oxidative stress, perhaps related in part to their greater aerobic fitness and lower adiposity. Supported by NIH AG13038, AG06537, AG00279, RR00051