Three months of moderate-intensity exercise reduced plasma 3-nitrotyrosine in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
OBJECTIVE
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients display high levels of oxidative stress. Transient exercise-induced increases in oxidative stress are thought to be adaptive in healthy populations. This study investigated the effect of exercise on markers of oxidative stress in RA, following acute exercise and a period of exercise training.


METHODS
Acute exercise study: RA patients (N = 12, age: 56 ± 11) undertook a bout of exercise (30-40 min, 70 % VO2MAX), and blood samples were taken before and after exercise to assess markers of oxidative stress. Training study: RA patients (N = 19, age: 56 ± 10) were randomised into either a control or exercise group, who undertook 3 exercise sessions per week (30-40 min @70 % VO2MAX) for 3 months. Plasma markers of oxidative stress (protein carbonyls (PC), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and catalase (CAT) activity), inflammation (interleukin-8 (IL-8) and C-reactive protein (CRP)) and nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) were assessed before and after training.


RESULTS
Acute exercise study: Protein carbonyls (PC) (+18 %) and NOx (+27 %) were significantly increased following exercise. Training study: 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) decreased (2.18 ± 1.78 to 1.10 ± 0.93 μM) in the exercise group only, alongside increases in aerobic fitness (24.45 ± 4.98 to 27.10 ± 4.51 ml/kg/min(-1)) and reductions in disease activity score (DAS: 3.47 ± 1.17 to 2.88 ± 0.76). PC, LOOH, TAC, IL-8, CRP and NOx concentrations, and CAT activity were unchanged in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Aerobic exercise training did not increase markers of oxidative stress in RA patients. 3-Nitrotyrosine and disease activity were decreased following exercise training.
School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Alex J
AJ
Wadley
Jet J C S
JJ
Veldhuijzen van Zanten
Antonios
A
Stavropoulos-Kalinoglou
George S
GS
Metsios
Jacqueline P
JP
Smith
George D
GD
Kitas
Sarah
S
Aldred
D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004739:England; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010809:Physical Fitness; D050050:Protein Carbonylation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine; D014443:Tyrosine