title: Active paraplegics are protected against exercise-induced oxidative damage through the induction of antioxidant enzymes.
abstract: METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Exercise improves functional capacity in spinal cord injury (SCI). However, exhaustive exercise, especially when sporadic, is linked to the production of reactive oxygen species that may have a detrimental effect on SCI. We aimed to study the effect of a single bout of exhaustive exercise on systemic oxidative stress parameters and on the expression of antioxidant enzymes in individuals with paraplegia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in the Physical Therapy department and the Physical Education and Sports department of the University of Valencia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen paraplegic subjects were submitted to a graded exercise test (GET) until volitional exhaustion. They were divided into active or non-active groups. Blood samples were drawn immediately, 1 and 2 h after the GET. We determined plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonylation as markers of oxidative damage. Antioxidant gene expression (catalase and glutathione peroxidase-GPx) was determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a significant increase in plasma MDA and protein carbonyls immediately after the GET (P<0.05). This increment correlated significantly with the lactate levels. Active paraplegics showed lower levels of exercise-induced oxidative damage (P<0.05) and higher exercise-induced catalase (P<0.01) and GPx (P<0.05) gene expression after the GET.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that exercise training may be useful in SCI patients to develop systemic antioxidant defenses that may protect them against exercise-induced oxidative damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inglés
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serra-Añó
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia; Investigación Hospital Clínico Universitario/INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gambini
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abu-Sharif
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia; Investigación Hospital Clínico Universitario/INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dromant
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia; Investigación Hospital Clínico Universitario/INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garcia-Valles
authors.affiliation: European University of Madrid and Research Institute of Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pareja-Galeano
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garcia-Lucerga
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia; Investigación Hospital Clínico Universitario/INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gomez-Cabrera
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D008875:Middle Aged; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D050050:Protein Carbonylation / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase