title: Exercise increases plasma levels of sphingoid base-1 phosphates in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In recent years, blood sphingolipids attracted much attention and have been implicated in both pathophysiology and prevention of cardiovascular diseases and insulin resistance. However, factors affecting concentration and metabolism of sphingolipids in blood remain poorly recognized. We have previously found that exercise alters skeletal muscle sphingolipid metabolism. This finding prompted us to examine whether physical activity induces similar effects in blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy male patients were assigned to either untrained (UT, n = 10) or endurance trained (ET, n = 10) group. The patients performed either a 30 (UT group) or 60 (ET group) min exercise on a cycloergometer at a workload corresponding to 70% of VO(2max) . Blood samples were taken just before exercise, after 30 and 60 (ET group only) min of pedalling and following a 30-min rest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ET patients were characterized by higher basal plasma sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) concentration and decreased content of sphingosine, S1P, sphinganine-1-phosphate (SA1P) and ceramide in erythrocytes. In ET group, plasma concentrations of all measured sphingolipids remained stable both during and after exercise. On the other hand, in UT patients, the post-exercise levels of S1P and SA1P were markedly higher compared with the baseline values and this effect was accompanied by decreased erythrocyte ceramide content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is likely that single bout of exercise and endurance training enhances production and release of S1P by erythrocytes. We speculate that exercise-induced increase in plasma S1P concentration might be one of the mechanisms underlying beneficial effects of physical activity on cardiovascular health and insulin sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical University of Białystok, Poland. marcinb@umwb.edu.pl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baranowski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charmas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Długołęcka
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Górski
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001642:Bicycling; D002518:Ceramides / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D008246:Lysophospholipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D008246:Lysophospholipids; C060504:dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate; C060506:sphingosine 1-phosphate; D013110:Sphingosine