Longitudinal associations of physical activity with plasma metabolites among colorectal cancer survivors up to 2\xa0years after treatment

Eline H Van Roekel,Audrey Gicquiau,Marc J Gunter,Linda Van Delden,Ilja C W Arts,Michèl Aquarius,Augustin Scalbert,Paolo Vineis,Sabina Rinaldi,Matty P Weijenberg,Stéphanie O Breukink,Martijn J L Bours,Eric T P Keulen,Michael F Leitzmann,Vivian Viallon

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-92279-9

Abstract

We investigated longitudinal associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and light-intensity physical activity (LPA) with plasma concentrations of 138 metabolites after colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. Self-reported physical activity data and blood samples were obtained at 6 weeks, and 6, 12 and 24 months post-treatment in stage I-III CRC survivors (n = 252). Metabolite concentrations were measured by tandem mass spectrometry (BIOCRATES AbsoluteIDQp180 kit). Linear mixed models were used to evaluate confounder-adjusted longitudinal associations. Inter-individual (between-participant differences) and intra-individual associations (within-participant changes over time) were assessed as percentage difference in metabolite concentration per 5 h/week of MVPA or LPA. At 6 weeks post-treatment, participants reported a median of 6.5 h/week of MVPA (interquartile range:2.3,13.5) and 7.5 h/week of LPA (2.0,15.8). Inter-individual associations were observed with more MVPA being related (FDR-adjusted q-value < 0.05) to higher concentrations of arginine, citrulline and histidine, eight lysophosphatidylcholines, nine diacylphosphatidylcholines, 13 acyl-alkylphosphatidylcholines, two sphingomyelins, and acylcarnitine C10:1. No intra-individual associations were found. LPA was not associated with any metabolite. More MVPA was associated with higher concentrations of several lipids and three amino acids, which have been linked to anti-inflammatory processes and improved metabolic health. Mechanistic studies are needed to investigate whether these metabolites may affect prognosis.

Highlights

We investigated longitudinal associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and light-intensity physical activity (LPA) with plasma concentrations of 138 metabolites after colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment
We found that CRC survivors who engaged in more MVPA had higher plasma concentrations of acylcarnitine C10:1, arginine, histidine and citrulline, and eight lysoPCs, nine diacyl PCs, 13 acyl-alkyl PCs, and two SMs
Our observations of MVPA being positively associated with several mutually correlated PCs and SMs, are in contrast with findings from a population-based study in Germany where self-reported physical activity was not associated with PCs and SMs, measured using a similar targeted metabolomics approach (BIOCRATES p150)[24]

Summary

Introduction

We investigated longitudinal associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and light-intensity physical activity (LPA) with plasma concentrations of 138 metabolites after colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. Self-reported physical activity data and blood samples were obtained at 6 weeks, and 6, 12 and 24 months post-treatment in stage I-III CRC survivors (n = 252). Interindividual (between-participant differences) and intra-individual associations (within-participant changes over time) were assessed as percentage difference in metabolite concentration per 5 h/week of MVPA or LPA. At 6 weeks post-treatment, participants reported a median of 6.5 h/week of MVPA (interquartile range:2.3,13.5) and 7.5 h/week of LPA (2.0,15.8). Inter-individual associations were observed with more MVPA being related (FDR-adjusted q-value < 0.05) to higher concentrations of arginine, citrulline and histidine, eight lysophosphatidylcholines, nine diacylphosphatidylcholines, 13 acyl-alkylphosphatidylcholines, two sphingomyelins, and acylcarnitine C10:1. Mechanistic studies are needed to investigate whether these metabolites may affect prognosis

Methods

Results

Conclusion