title: Effects of exercise and antioxidant supplementation on endothelial gene expression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The molecular mechanisms of exercise training induced cardiovascular protection are poorly understood. There is growing evidence that reactive oxygen species may be involved in a number of these adaptations and that antioxidants may be used to investigate this effect.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of exercise training and/or antioxidant supplementation on myocardial endothelium and vascular endothelium gene expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: i) control; ii) exercise trained (90 min of treadmill running 4d per week, 14 weeks); iii) antioxidant-supplemented (α-tocopherol 1000 IU kg(-1) diet and α-lipoic acid 1.6 g kg(-1) diet, mixed with rat chow) and iv) exercise trained and antioxidant-supplemented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  cDNA microarray analysis showed diverse expression changes in both left ventricular and coronary artery endothelial cells. In particular, RT-PCR analysis showed that a gene involved in cardiovascular disease progression, Ras homolog gene family member A, was down-regulated by exercise, and up-regulated by antioxidant supplementation in left ventricular endothelial cells. Furthermore, an important gene involved in inflammation, IL-6, was down-regulated by all treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exercise training and/or antioxidant supplementation affects cardiac endothelial cell gene expression, and their effects on genes such as ras homolog gene family member A and IL-6 provides insight into the molecular mechanisms of their influences on cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement Studies, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. aya.matsumoto@uqconnect.edu.au
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Traute
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Flatscher-Bader
authors.forename: Leigh C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wilce
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Fassett
authors.forename: Judy B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: de Haan
authors.forename: Jeff S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Coombes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants