title: Exercise attenuates matrix metalloproteinase activity in preexisting atherosclerotic plaque.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Few studies have investigated if exercise by itself has anti-atherosclerotic effects, without combining interventions with a low-fat diet. We studied the effects of exercise as a stand-alone intervention on preexisting atheromata by measuring not only plaque size but also the levels of plaque-destabilizing matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in vivo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We used near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) molecular imaging with an MMP-2/9 activatable NIRF probe to visualize the inflammatory protease activity within preexisting atheromata of 17-week-old ApoE(-/-) mice on: (a) normal chow diet (NCD), (b) Western diet (WD), and (c) WD with treadmill exercise for 10 weeks. We also measured tissue levels of aortic lipid peroxidation (LPO) and plasma levels of glucose/lipid/cytokine profiles. Exercise did not attenuate growth of preexisting atheromatous plaques. However, exercise strongly decreased proteolytic activity in plaques for animals on WD, with levels decreasing almost to NCD levels. Exercise was associated with decreased aortic LPO levels and increased blood adiponectin/leptin levels; however, exercise did not affect WD-consumption/weight-gain or improve blood glucose/lipid profiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exercise training reduced aortic MMP activity in mice with preexisting atheromata, even though they remained on a high fat diet and plaque-growth was not attenuated.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Imaging and Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shon
authors.forename: Jong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nahrendorf
authors.forename: Dawid
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schellingerhout
authors.forename: Jeong-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byeong-Teck
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Sang-Wuk
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Eo-Jin
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ju Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Kwangmeyung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ick Chan
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Dong Kun
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myoung Mook
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong-Eog
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007259:Infrared Rays; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008853:Microscopy; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; C499919:Adipoq protein, mouse; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D001786:Blood Glucose; D016207:Cytokines; D020738:Leptin; D008055:Lipids; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; C522362:Mmp2 protein, mouse; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; C501830:Mmp9 protein, mouse