Weeks Of Voluntary Wheel Running Research Articles

Aerobic Exercise Restores Aging-Associated Reductions in Arterial Adropin Levels and Improves Adropin-Induced Nitric Oxide-Dependent Vasorelaxation.

BackgroundAdropin is a peptide hormone that promotes nitric oxide (NO) production via activation of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in endothelial cells. Its circulating levels are reduced with aging and increased with aerobic exercise training (AT). Using a mouse model, we hypothesized that AT restores aging‐associated reductions in arterial and circulating adropin and improves adropin‐induced NO‐dependent vasorelaxation. Further, we hypothesized these findings would be consistent with data obtained in elderly humans.Methods and ResultsIn the animal study, 50‐week‐old SAMP1 male mice that underwent 12 weeks of voluntary wheel running, or kept sedentary, were studied. A separate cohort of 25‐week‐old SAMP1 male mice were used as a mature adult sedentary group. In the human study, 14 healthy elderly subjects completed an 8‐week AT program consisting of 45 minutes of cycling 3 days/week. In mice, we show that advanced age is associated with a decline in arterial and circulating levels of adropin along with deterioration of endothelial function, arterial NO production, and adropin‐induced vasodilation. All these defects were restored by AT. Moreover, AT‐induced increases in arterial adropin were correlated with increases in arterial eNOS phosphorylation and NO production. Consistently with these findings in mice, AT in elderly subjects enhanced circulating adropin levels and these effects were correlated with increases in circulating nitrite/nitrate (NOx) and endothelial function.ConclusionsChanges in arterial adropin that occur with age or AT relate to alterations in endothelial function and NO production, supporting the notion that adropin should be considered a therapeutic target for vascular aging.RegistrationURL: https://www.umin.ac.jp; Unique identifier: UMIN000035520.

TNF signaling via TNF receptors does not mediate the effects of short-term exercise on cognition, anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in middle-aged mice

BackgroundWe recently reported that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling via the TNFR1 and TNFR2 receptors mediates the effects of long-term exercise on locomotion, cognition and anxiety, but not depressive-like behavior. We now investigated whether the TNF signaling via its receptors also mediates the effects of short-term exercise on cognition, anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. MethodsThirteen-month-old C57BL/6 (WT), TNF−/−, TNFR1−/−, and TNFR2−/− mice were provided with 4 weeks of voluntary wheel running followed by behavioral testing using an established behavioral battery. Each genotype had a respective non-exercise control. ResultsThere was no interaction between genotype and exercise in any of the tests but the main effect of genotype, and not exercise, were found to be significant in the open field (OF), forced-swim test (FST) and Barnes maze (BM). In the OF, the control and exercise TNFR2−/− mice spent significantly less time in the inner zone than mice in the control and exercise WT and TNF−/− cohorts. In the FST, control and exercise WT mice showed significantly higher immobility time than their control and exercise TNF−/−, TNFR1−/− and TNFR2−/− cohorts. In the BM, the latency to escape over 4 days of training was significantly higher in all KO groups compared to WT, irrespective of exercise. Also, the latency to escape to the original location during the probe trial was higher for control and exercise WT compared to corresponding TNFR1−/− mice. In contrast, the latency to escape to the new location was lower for control and exercise WT compared to control and exercise TNFR1−/− and TNFR2−/− mice. The latency to escape to the new location in exercise groups was longer compared to control within all genotypes. ConclusionWhile TNF signaling via the TNF receptors mediates cognition, anxiety and depressive-like behaviors independently, it does not mediate the effects of short-term exercise on these behaviors in middle-aged mice.

Exercise promotes satellite cell contribution to myofibers in a load-dependent manner

BackgroundSatellite cells (SCs) are required for muscle repair following injury and are involved in muscle remodeling upon muscular contractions. Exercise stimulates SC accumulation and myonuclear accretion. To what extent exercise training at different mechanical loads drive SC contribution to myonuclei however is unknown.ResultsBy performing SC fate tracing experiments, we show that 8 weeks of voluntary wheel running increased SC contribution to myofibers in mouse plantar flexor muscles in a load-dependent, but fiber type-independent manner. Increased SC fusion however was not exclusively linked to muscle hypertrophy as wheel running without external load substantially increased SC fusion in the absence of fiber hypertrophy. Due to nuclear propagation, nuclear fluorescent fate tracing mouse models were inadequate to quantify SC contribution to myonuclei. Ultimately, by performing fate tracing at the DNA level, we show that SC contribution mirrors myonuclear accretion during exercise.ConclusionsCollectively, mechanical load during exercise independently promotes SC contribution to existing myofibers. Also, due to propagation of nuclear fluorescent reporter proteins, our data warrant caution for the use of existing reporter mouse models for the quantitative evaluation of satellite cell contribution to myonuclei.

Physical activity delays accumulation of immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

BackgroundMyeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are potent suppressors of immune function and may play a key role in the development and progression of metastatic cancers. Aerobic exercise has been shown to have anticancer effects, yet the mechanisms behind this protection are largely unknown. Therefore, we examined the effects of physical activity on MDSC accumulation and function.MethodsFemale BALB/c mice were assigned to one of two primary groups: sedentary tumor (SED+TUM) or wheel run tumor (WR+TUM). After 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running, all animals were randomly subdivided into 4 different timepoint groups; 16, 20, 24, and 28 days post-tumor injection. All mice were inoculated with 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells in the mammary fat pad and WR groups continued to run for the specified time post-injection. Spleen, blood, and tumor samples were analyzed using flow cytometry to assess proportions of MDSCs.ResultsCells expressing MDSC biomarkers were detected in the spleen, blood, and tumor beginning at d16. However, since there was no evidence of immunosuppressive function until d28, we refer to them as immature myeloid cells (IMCs). Compared to SED+TUM, levels of IMCs in the spleen were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in WR+TUM at day 16 (33.0 ± 5.2%; 23.1 ± 10.2% of total cells, respectively) and day 20 (33.9 ± 8.1%; 24.3 ± 5.1% of total cells, respectively). Additionally, there were fewer circulating IMCs in WR+TUM at day 16 and MDSC levels were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the tumor at day 28 in WR+TUM. Additionally, a non-significant 62% and 26% reduction in metastatic lung nodules was observed at days 24 and 28, respectively. At day 28, MDSCs harvested from SED+TUM significantly suppressed CD3+CD4+ T cell proliferation (3.2 ± 1.3 proliferation index) while proliferation in WR+TUM MDSC co-cultures (5.1 ± 1.7 proliferation index) was not different from controls.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that physical activity may delay the accumulation of immunosuppressive MDSCs providing a broader window of opportunity for interventions with immunotherapies.

The Effect of 4-Week Voluntary Wheel Running on Hippocampus Levels of Semaphorin 3B and Hydrogen peroxide and Apoptosis in Diabetic Rats

Background: One of the complications of diabetes is the occurrence of apoptosis in the brain that can lead to cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 4 weeks of voluntary wheel running on hippocampus semaphorin 3B, hydrogen peroxide, and apoptosis in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 32 male Wistar rats weight 235±10gr were assigned randomly to 4 groups (n=8): healthy control (C), healthy exercise (E), control-diabetic (D) and diabetic-exercise (ED). Rats were diabetic by intra-peritoneal injection of STZ dissolved in citrate buffer. The experimental groups ran voluntarily in the wheel running for 4 weeks. The subjects were sacrificed 48 hours after the last training session, then hippocampus tissue was extracted from the brain, and ELISA measurements were performed after homogenization and centrifugation of the tissue. One-way ANOVA and independent t-test were used to evaluate the data. Results: The levels of semaphorin 3B, hydrogen peroxide and apoptosis in D group were significantly higher than C group (P≤0.05). In the ED group, semaphorin 3B, hydrogen peroxide and apoptosis levels were significantly lower than D group (P≤0.05). Semaphorin 3B and apoptosis levels in the E group were significantly lower than C and ED groups (P≤0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that experimental diabetes induction increases semaphorin 3B, hydrogen peroxide and apoptosis rate in the brain hippocampus. Four weeks of voluntary running was associated with a decrease in the hippocampus levels of semaphorin 3B, hydrogen peroxide and apoptosis.

Voluntary running does not reduce neuroinflammation or improve non-cognitive behavior in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer\u2019s disease

Physical exercise has been suggested to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as well as ameliorate the progression of the disease. However, we recently published results from two large epidemiological studies showing no such beneficial effects on the development of AD. In addition, long-term, voluntary running in the 5xFAD mouse model of AD did not affect levels of soluble amyloid beta (Aβ), synaptic proteins or cognitive function. In this follow-up study, we investigate whether running could impact other pathological aspects of the disease, such as insoluble Aβ levels, the neuroinflammatory response and non-cognitive behavioral impairments. We investigated the effects of 24 weeks of voluntary wheel running in female 5xFAD mice (n = 30) starting at 2–3 months of age, before substantial extracellular plaque formation. Running mice developed hindlimb clasping earlier (p = 0.009) compared to sedentary controls. Further, running exacerbated the exploratory behavior in Elevated plus maze (p = 0.001) and anxiety in Open field (p = 0.024) tests. Additionally, microglia, cytokines and insoluble Aβ levels were not affected. Taken together, our findings suggest that voluntary wheel running is not a beneficial intervention to halt disease progression in 5xFAD mice.

SAT-545 The Response of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid (HPT) Axis to a Palatable Diet or Exercise Depends on Sex and Housing Conditions in Adult Rats

Single housing induces behavioral, neuroendocrine and metabolic alterations. As thyroid hormones (TH) regulate several aspects of metabolism, and HPT axis is modulated by energy status and emotional stress, we evaluated the effect of isolation on HPT axis response to a palatable diet under basal conditions and after an acute stressor as restraint. Weaned female or male rat pups (Wistar) were caged alone (isolated, Iso; n=8) or in groups of 4 (group housed, Gh; n=12) at postnatal day (PND) 22. At adulthood (PND 63), Gh and Iso rats had access to chow or a palatable diet (Pd: peanuts, cookies, chow) for 1 or 3 months and exposed, in the latter, to 1 h of restraint stress (RES). Gh or Iso males and females increased their kcal intake of Pd, inducing white fat (WAT) accumulation (more in females), leptinemia and insulinemia. Pd for1 month increased Trh-degrading enzyme expression in both Gh sexes, and decreased TSH in Gh males. In females, T4 increased in Gh-Pd; TSH and T4 reduced in Iso-Pd rats. After 3 months of Pd, RES activated adrenal axis, but its response was curtailed by Pd in Gh-males, and to a lesser extent in Iso. In Gh-Pd females, corticosterone decreased but not in Iso. RES-induced inhibition of HPT axis was not diminished by Pd in Gh-males, as seen in the adrenal response, on the contrary, it decreased even further to a similar extent as did Iso in Trh expression, TSH and T4 levels; Iso reduced T3 levels independent of diet. In females, the only significant change was an increase in Trh mRNA levels in Iso-chow. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) gene expression was affected in Gh and Iso males by Pd (Adrb3 and Dio2) whereas in females, Dio2 decreased only in Iso-Pd. These results support a differential adrenal and HPT responses due to sex and housing. HPT axis activity increases by energy demands, we thus studied the effect of 2 weeks of voluntary wheel running (WR) in Gh and Iso adult rats. Controls were sedentary (Sed) pair-fed to the amount of food consumed by WR groups. Females ran more than males and, in either sex, Gh and Iso ran equivalently. WR reduced body weight gain in Iso and Gh males, without changes in fat mass. Gh females lost body weight, but not Iso; ovaric and subcutaneous fat decreased in Gh rats, Iso only lost subcutaneous fat. WR diminished PVN Trh mRNA levels and increased serum TSH in female Gh. Iso blunted several TH- and exercise-induced targets in BAT and WAT. WR stimulated BAT expression of Adrb3 and Ucp1 in Gh or Iso males whereas in Iso females, Dio2 and Ucp1. WR increased Adrb3 in WAT of Gh males or females and Pparg in Gh males and in Iso females. These results show the complex and multifactorial modulation of metabolism between males and females. In conclusion, single housing has long-term consequences in metabolism and HPT axis activity, and sex determines the hormonal responses to diet or exercise in adulthood. Grants: PAPIIT-IA200417 (LJH), IN204316 and CONACyT 284883 (PJB)

Intact DNA Repair in Differentiated Cardiomyocytes is Essential for Maintaining Cardiac Function in Response to Physiological Stimulus

IntroductionDNA in every cell is continuously damaged and DNA repair mechanisms are essential for protection against DNA damage‐induced aging‐related diseases. Evidence indicates that DNA damage is associated with heart failure. We have shown that unrepaired endogenously generated DNA damage drives the early onset of progressive heart failure (de Boer et al. Cardiovasc Res, 2018;114:S105). Here we studied the effects of a physiological stimulus on cardiac function in a mouse model with deficient DNA repair.MethodsTo increase the burden of spontaneous DNA damage, we generated mice with cardiomyocyte‐restricted inactivation of DNA repair endonuclease XPG (αMHC‐Xpgc/−). To induce physiological left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, mice were exposed to 11 weeks of voluntary wheel running. Subsequently, LV geometry, function and structure were studied at age 16 weeks.ResultsCardiomyocyte‐restricted inactivation of Xpg resulted in systolic as well as diastolic LV dysfunction, demonstrated by decreases in fractional shortening, LVdP/dtP40 and LVdP/dtmin and increases in LV end‐diastolic lumen diameter (LVEDD) and relaxation time constant tau compared to WT (Table). In addition, expression level of hypertrophy maker gene β‐myosin heavy chain (β‐MHC) was elevated. Physical activity has been shown to be beneficial for maintaining and improving cardiac function in mice after myocardial infarction (de Waard et al. Circ Res, 2007;100:1097). In contrast, exercise failed to ameliorate LV remodeling and dysfunction in αMHC‐Xpgc/−, as it produced further increases in LVEDD, tau and β‐MHC compared to sedentary αMHC‐Xpgc/− (Table). Moreover, myocardial collagen content and the number of γH2A. X positive nuclei, a marker for DNA damage, were increased, suggesting that αMHC‐Xpgc/− showed increased susceptibility to exercise.ConclusionCardiomyocyte‐restricted loss of DNA repair protein Xpg increases cardiac vulnerability to develop heart failure in response to exercise training. These findings underscore the importance of genomic stability for maintenance of cardiac function, not only during basal conditions, but also in response to a physiological stimulus.Support or Funding InformationSupported by a NHF Grant 2007B024 and CVON‐ARENA (CVON2011‐11).This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

An exercise-induced improvement in isolated skeletal muscle contractility does not affect the performance-enhancing benefit of 70 µmol l-1 caffeine treatment.

This study aimed to examine the effects of exercise-induced increases in skeletal muscle contractile performance on isolated skeletal muscle caffeine sensitivity in mice. CD1 mice (n=28; 30 weeks old) either served as controls or underwent 8 weeks of voluntary wheel running. Following the treatment intervention, whole soleus (SOL) or a section of the costal diaphragm (DIA) was isolated from each mouse and tested to determine the effect of 70 µmol l-1 caffeine on work loop power output. Although caffeine elicited a significant increase in power of both the SOL and the DIA relative to levels in a non-caffeine-treated control, the effect was not different between the experimental groups, despite the muscles of the trained group producing significantly greater muscle power. There was no significant relationship between training volume or baseline work loop power and the caffeine response. These results indicate that an exercise-induced increase in muscle performance did not influence the performance-enhancing effects of caffeine.

Exercise Training Has Contrasting Effects in Myocardial Infarction and Pressure Overload Due to Divergent Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Regulation.

The beneficial effects of exercise training (EX) on cardiac pathology are well recognized. Previously, we found that the effects of EX on cardiac dysfunction in mice critically depend on the underlying etiology. EX exerted beneficial effects after myocardial infarction (MI); however, cardiac pathology following pressure overload produced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) was aggravated by EX. In the presented study, we investigated whether the contrasting effects of EX on cardiac dysfunction can be explained by an etiology-specific response of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) to EX, which divergently affects the balance between nitric oxide and superoxide. For this purpose, mice were exposed to eight weeks of voluntary wheel running or sedentary housing (SED), immediately after sham, MI, or TAC surgery. Left ventricular (LV) function was assessed using echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements. EX ameliorated LV dysfunction and remodeling after MI, but not following TAC, in which EX even aggravated fibrosis. Strikingly, EX attenuated superoxide levels after MI, but exacerbated NOS-dependent superoxide levels following TAC. Similarly, elevated eNOS S-glutathionylation and eNOS monomerization, which were observed in both MI and TAC, were corrected by EX in MI, but aggravated by EX after TAC. Additionally, EX reduced antioxidant activity in TAC, while it was maintained following EX in MI. In conclusion, the present study shows that EX mitigates cardiac dysfunction after MI, likely by attenuating eNOS uncoupling-mediated oxidative stress, whereas EX tends to aggravate cardiac dysfunction following TAC, likely due to exacerbating eNOS-mediated oxidative stress.

Voluntary Wheel Running Does Not Alter Mortality to or Immunogenicity of Vaccinia Virus in Mice: A Pilot Study.

Exercise has been shown to improve immune responses to viral infections and vaccines in several mouse models. However, previous pathogen studies have primarily used infections limited to the respiratory tract. Additionally, previous studies have utilized forced treadmill exercise paradigms, and voluntary wheel running (VWR) has been shown to have differential effects on the immune system in non-infection models. We examined whether VWR could improve morbidity and mortality to a 50% lethal dose of vaccinia virus (VACV), a systemic pathogen commonly used to examine immune responses. Additionally, we examined whether VWR could improve antibody response to a replication-deficient strain of VACV, mimicking a vaccination. Male C57Bl/6J mice underwent 8 weeks of VWR or remained sedentary, then were infected intranasally with 105 PFU VACV strain WR and followed 14 days for weight loss. Mice in the vaccination study ran or were sedentary for 8 weeks, then were given 106 PFU of replication-deficient VACV strain MVA intraperitoneally. Blood was collected at 1, 2, and 4 weeks post-inoculation, and anti-VACV IgG titer was determined by ELISA. VWR did not improve mortality due to VACV infection (p = 0.26), although fewer VWR mice (4/10) died compared to sedentary (SED, 6/10). VWR did not prevent body weight loss due to infection compared to SED (p = 0.20), although VWR mice loss slightly less weight compared to SED through the first 6 days post-infection. Food intake was significantly reduced in SED post-infection compared to VWR (p = 0.05). VWR mice developed a greater IgG antibody response, although this was not significant (p = 0.22). In summary, VWR did not protect against mortality to VACV or prevent infection-induced weight loss, and VWR did not enhance antibody responses. However, there were non-significant trends toward VWR-related improvements in these outcomes, and post-infection food intake was improved by VWR.

The effects of 8 weeks voluntary wheel running on the contractile performance of isolated locomotory (soleus) and respiratory (diaphragm) skeletal muscle during early ageing.

Decreased skeletal muscle performance with increasing age is strongly associated with reduced mobility and quality of life. Increased physical activity is a widely prescribed method of reducing the detrimental effects of ageing on skeletal muscle contractility. The present study used isometric and work loop testing protocols to uniquely investigate the effects of 8 weeks of voluntary wheel running on the contractile performance of isolated dynapenic soleus and diaphragm muscles of 38-week-old CD1 mice. When compared with untrained controls, voluntary wheel running induced significant improvements in maximal isometric stress and work loop power, a reduced resistance to fatigue, but greater cumulative work during fatiguing work loop contractions in isolated muscle. These differences occurred without appreciable changes in lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, sarco-endoplasmic reticulum ATPase or myosin heavy chain expression synonymous with this form of training in younger rodent models. Despite the given improvement in contractile performance, the average running distance significantly declined over the course of the training period, indicating that this form of training may not be sufficient to fully counteract the longer-term ageing-induced decline in skeletal muscle contractile performance. Although these results indicate that regular low-intensity physical activity may be beneficial in offsetting the age-related decline in skeletal muscle contractility, future work focusing on the maintenance of a healthy body mass with increasing age and its effects on myosin-actin cross-bridge kinetics and Ca2+ handling is needed to clarify the mechanisms causing the improved contractile performance in trained dynapenic skeletal muscle.

Prior voluntary wheel running attenuates neuropathic pain.

Exercise is known to exert a systemic anti-inflammatory influence, but whether its effects are sufficient to protect against subsequent neuropathic pain is underinvestigated. We report that 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running terminating before chronic constriction injury (CCI) prevented the full development of allodynia for the ∼3-month duration of the injury. Neuroimmune signaling was assessed at 3 and 14 days after CCI. Prior exercise normalized ipsilateral dorsal spinal cord expression of neuroexcitatory interleukin (IL)-1β production and the attendant glutamate transporter GLT-1 decrease, as well as expression of the disinhibitory P2X4R-BDNF axis. The expression of the macrophage marker Iba1 and the chemokine CCL2 (MCP-1), and a neuronal injury marker (activating transcription factor 3), was attenuated by prior running in the ipsilateral lumbar dorsal root ganglia. Prior exercise suppressed macrophage infiltration and/or injury site proliferation, given decreased presence of macrophage markers Iba1, iNOS (M1), and Arg-1 (M2; expression was time dependent). Chronic constriction injury-driven increases in serum proinflammatory chemokines were suppressed by prior running, whereas IL-10 was increased. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were also stimulated with lipopolysaccharide ex vivo, wherein CCI-induced increases in IL-1β, nitrite, and IL-10 were suppressed by prior exercise. Last, unrestricted voluntary wheel running, beginning either the day of, or 2 weeks after, CCI, progressively reversed neuropathic pain. This study is the first to investigate the behavioral and neuroimmune consequences of regular exercise terminating before nerve injury. This study suggests that chronic pain should be considered a component of "the diseasome of physical inactivity," and that an active lifestyle may prevent neuropathic pain.

Abstract 395: Voluntary Exercise Enhances Cardiac Growth in Response to Chronic β-Adrenergic Receptor Stimulation

Exercise training protects the heart against the adverse effects of cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have identified a number of cardiac adaptations including the activation of hypertrophic signaling pathways unique to exercise. However, the underlying mechanisms by which exercise confers cardioprotection are not entirely understood. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the role of voluntary exercise in the context of chronic β-adrenergic receptor stimulation. To do this, we developed a novel experimental model in which nine-week-old female and male CB6F1 hybrid mice were subjected to 5 weeks of voluntary wheel running (EX) or housed under sedentary conditions (SED). For the final two weeks, mice were administered either vehicle (VEH) or isoproterenol (ISO, 30mg/kg/day) via an osmotic pump. As expected, we found that ISO significantly increased heart size in sedentary females and males (SED+ISO) compared to sedentary mice receiving VEH (SED+VEH). Consistent with previously published data, exercise capacity was also greater in females compared to males with regards to running duration and distance regardless of the experimental group. While exercise capacity was not affected by the administration of VEH, mice receiving ISO (EX+ISO) exercised significantly less. Cardiac growth in EX+VEH mice was significantly increased in both females and males compared to their respective SED+VEH counterparts. Importantly, EX+ISO females and males have significantly larger hearts than their respective SED+ISO cohorts. Moreover, EX+ISO mice also exhibited greater increases in cardiac size as compared to their respective EX+VEH counterparts. Thus, we conclude that there appears to be an additive effect of voluntary exercise and ISO administration in both females and males in terms of cardiac growth. These preliminary data are in contrast to previously published data which found that controlled exercise programs reduced cardiac hypertrophy under conditions of chronic β-adrenergic receptor stimulation. We are currently investigating the processes that lead to the larger heart sizes in the EX+ISO mice and aim to better understand the underlying mechanisms of exercise-mediated cardioprotection.

Parameters for abolishing conditioned place preference for cocaine from running and environmental enrichment in male C57BL/6J mice

RationaleEvidence suggests that 4 weeks of voluntary wheel running abolishes conditioned place preference (CPP) for cocaine in male C57BL/6J mice. ObjectivesTo determine the duration and timing of exposure to running wheels necessary to reduce CPP, and the extent to which the running per se influences CPP as compared to environmental enrichment without running. MethodsA total of 239 males were conditioned for 4days twice daily with cocaine (10mg/kg) and then split into 7 intervention groups prior to 4days of CPP testing. Experiment 1 consisted of two groups housed as follows: short sedentary group (SS; n=20) in normal cages for 1 week; the short running group (SR; n=20) with running wheels for 1 week. Experiment 2 consisted of five groups housed as follows; short 1 week of running followed by a 3 week sedentary period (SRS; n=20); a 3 week sedentary period followed by 1 week of running (SSR; n=20); long sedentary group (LS; n=66) in normal cages for 4 weeks; long running group (LR; n=66) with running wheels for 4 weeks; and long environmental enrichment group (EE; n=27) with toys for 4 weeks. ResultsLevels of running were similar in all running groups. Both running and environmental enrichment reduced CPP relative to sedentary groups. ConclusionsResults suggest that the abolishment of cocaine CPP from running is robust and occurs with as low as 1 week of intervention but may be related to enrichment component of running rather than physical activity.

Effects of ACE2 deficiency on physical performance and physiological adaptations of cardiac and skeletal muscle to exercise.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is related to physiological adaptations induced by exercise. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 2 is a major regulator of the RAS in tissues, as it metabolizes angiotensin (Ang) II to Ang-(1-7). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of ACE2 deficiency on physical performance and physiological adaptations induced by voluntary running. Physical performance, body composition and plasma angiotensin levels, as well as tissue morphology and gene expression of RAS components in the left ventricle (LV) and skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius), were evaluated in ACE2-deficient (ACE2(-/y)) and wild-type (ACE2(+/y)) mice after 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running. ACE2(-/y) mice run less than ACE2(+/y) mice (19±4.7 vs. 26±12.6 revolutions per day × 100, P<0.01). The ACE2(+/y) group presented a lower fat mass (15±1.1%) and higher muscle mass (76.6±1.6%) after 6 weeks of voluntary running compared with the sedentary control group (fat mass: 18.3±2.1%; muscle mass: 72.7±2.2). However, no change in body composition was observed in ACE2(-/y) mice after exercise. Heart and skeletal muscle hypertrophy was observed only in trained ACE2(+/y) mice. Besides a small decrease in Ang I in ACE2(-/y) mice, plasma levels of angiotensin peptides remained unchanged by exercise or ACE2 deficiency. In the LV of trained animals, AT2 gene expression was higher in ACE2(+/y) compared with ACE2(-/y) mice. ACE2 deficiency leads to an increase in AT1 gene expression in skeletal muscle. ACE expression in soleus was increased in all exercised groups. ACE2 deficiency affects physical performance and impairs cardiac and skeletal muscle adaptations to exercise.

Behavioural Effects of Adult Vitamin D Deficiency in BALB/c Mice Are not Associated with Proliferation or Survival of Neurons in the Adult Hippocampus.

Epidemiological studies have shown that up to one third of adults have insufficient levels of vitamin D and there is an association between low vitamin D concentrations and adverse brain outcomes, such as depression. Vitamin D has been shown to be involved in processes associated with neurogenesis during development. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that adult vitamin D (AVD) deficiency in BALB/c mice was associated with (a) adult hippocampal neurogenesis at baseline, b) following 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running and (c) a depressive-like phenotype on the forced swim test (FST), which may be linked to alterations in hippocampal neurogenesis. We assessed proliferation and survival of adult born hippocampal neurons by counting the number of cells positive for Ki67 and doublecortin (DCX), and incorporation of 5-Bromo-2’-Deoxyuridine (BrdU) within newly born mature neurons using immunohistochemistry. There were no significant effects of diet on number of Ki67+, DCX+ or BrdU+ cells in the dentate gyrus. All mice showed significantly increased number of Ki67+ cells and BrdU incorporation, and decreased immobility time in the FST, after voluntary wheel running. A significant correlation was found in control mice between immobility time in the FST and level of hippocampal neurogenesis, however, no such correlation was found for AVD-deficient mice. We conclude that AVD deficiency was not associated with impaired proliferation or survival of adult born neurons in BALB/c mice and that the impact on rodent behaviour may not be due to altered neurogenesis per se, but to altered function of new hippocampal neurons or processes independent of adult neurogenesis.

Abstract 14119: Contrasting Effects of Exercise Training After Acute Myocardial Infarction versus Aortic Stenosis Depend Critically on the Regulation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase

Introduction: The cardiovascular benefits of exercise training (EX) are widely appreciated. Previously we found that the cardiac effects of EX critically depend on the underlying cause of heart disease. Hypothesis: The underlying etiology determines how EX affects the endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS)-mediated balance between NO and superoxide (O2-). Methods: Mice were subjected to sham surgery, myocardial infarction (MI) or transverse aortic constriction (TAC), and subsequently exposed to 8 weeks of voluntary wheel running or sedentary housing. Left ventricular (LV) function was assessed by echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements; fibrosis by Picro-sirius Red staining; peroxynitrite (ONOO-) and O2- production by luminol- and lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence respectively, with or without the NOS inhibitor L-NAME; eNOS uncoupling and eNOS S-glutathionylation by western blot and coimmunoprecipitation, respectively; cardiac NO by the Griess reaction. Results: EX ameliorated LV dysfunction and fibrosis in MI but not TAC (Table 1). Strikingly, O2- generation was blunted by EX in MI, but exacerbated by EX in TAC, which was largely NOS-dependent. Accordingly, eNOS uncoupling and eNOS S-glutathionylation were corrected by EX in MI but aggravated in TAC mice. In parallel, ONOO- levels was attenuated by EX in MI but aggravated by EX in TAC. Cardiac NO levels were reduced in MI and TAC and normalized by EX in MI. Conclusions: The contrasting effects of EX in MI vs TAC can be explained by the highly divergent effects of EX on eNOS regulation, resulting in blunted vs aggravated oxidative stress by EX in MI vs TAC.

Chronic Physical Activity In Transgenic Sad Mice

Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is characterized by hemorheological disorders, enhanced oxidative stress and impaired vascular function which promote the risk to trigger acute painful vaso-occlusive crises (VOC). The finding of new therapeutic approaches to improve the biological profile and the clinical management of SCA patients is a permanent challenge. As for cardiac and metabolic diseases, individualized chronic exercise programs have been suggested to improve the health status in SCA but until now no study tested this hypothesis in humans because of the vaso-occlusive risks that SCA patients could encounter during such a protocol. PURPOSE: To determine if 8 weeks of voluntary wheel running may improve blood rheology and nitric oxide bioavailability (NOx) and reduce oxidative stress in transgenic sickle mice model. METHODS: C57Bl/6J (C57) and transgenic SAD mice (31.7 ±3.6 weeks old) were randomly divided in sedentary (SED) or physical activity (PA) group. C57PA and SADPA were housed in cages equipped with running wheels. After 8 weeks, mice were euthanized either after normoxic conditions or hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) stress (4 hours at 6.5% oxygen followed by 2 hours of reoxygenation in ambient air). Blood samples were used to measure hematocrit and blood viscosity at two shear rates (18.75 and 375 s-1) and hematocrit-to-blood viscosity ratio (HVR) was calculated as the ratio of both values. Oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde, MDA) and antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, GPX; superoxide dismutase, SOD, catalase) were assayed on the heart and NOx levels were determined in the lungs using nitrite/nitrate assay. RESULTS: Chronic exercise training decreased blood viscosity (-18.2%, P<0.05), increased HVR ratio (+40%, P<0.01) at moderate shear rate but not at high shear rate and enhanced enzymatic antioxidant activity of GPX (+96%, P<0.05) in normoxia in SAD mice. Simultaneously in response to H/R stress MDA and NOx concentrations respectively decreased (-22.4%, P<0.05) and increased (P<0.05) in SADPA mice compared with SADSED. CONCLUSION: Physical activity in SAD mice seems to be an efficient way to reduce biological factors involved in VOC events via the improvement of microvascular blood flow, redox status and NOx bioavailability.

Physical Activity Motivation: are Nucleus Accumbens Dopamine and Opioid Signaling Involved

Neuro‐molecular mechanisms that regulate physical activity motivation are poorly understood. The mesolimbic dopamine system has been postulated to influence rewarding behaviors and may be involved in the central control of physical activity motivation. Therefore, we investigated 1) differences in nucleus accumbens (NAc) mRNA expression of dopamine‐related genes in rats selectively bred for low motivation for voluntary running (LVR) versus high motivation for voluntary running (HVR) behavior after 9 weeks of voluntary wheel running or being sedentary (n=8 per group), and 2) how NAc opioid receptor mu1 (Oprm1) modulation impacts nightly running behavior in LVR rats (n=7). On average, HVR with wheels ran significantly further (23.88 ± 6.69 vs. 2.56 ± 0.45 km/day), longer (387.60 ± 14.94 vs. 60.48 ± 9.91 min/day), and faster (61.73 ± 1.25 vs. 41.91 ± 2.45 m/min) than LVR. Relative mRNA levels of the dopamine‐related genes dopamine receptor1 (Drd1), Drd2, Drd5, tyrosine hydrolase, and protein kinase inhibitor a were significantly decreased in LVR vs. HVR, regardless of running wheel availability. Similarly, Oprm1 mRNA level was ~4.3‐fold lower in the LVR vs. HVR (p &lt; 0.001). Surprisingly, no differences in other dopamine‐target genes were observed between LVR and HVR. In LVR, NAc injection of the Oprm1 agonist DAMGO decreased running for the entire dark‐cycle and for hours 4‐12 of the dark cycle (p &lt; 0.05) at a dose of 2.5μg per side, but not with 0.25μg per side. Oprm1 antagonist naltrexone injection (5, 10, and 20μg per side) had no significant impact on running behavior. In conclusion, mRNA level differences related to NAc dopamine and opioid function between LVR and HVR may account for differences in physical activity motivation, and modulation of opioid signaling may alter voluntary running behavior.