title: Moderate-intensity endurance training improves endothelial glycocalyx layer integrity in healthy young men.
abstract: What is the central question of this study? The main aim of the present study was to determine the effect of prolonged moderate-intensity endurance training on the endothelial glycocalyx layer integrity in relationship to the training-induced changes in oxidative stress and antioxidant defence in humans. What is the main finding and its importance? We have shown, for the first time, a protective effect of prolonged moderate-intensity endurance training on endothelial glycocalyx layer integrity, as judged by significantly lower basal and end-exercise serum concentrations of glycocalyx damage markers, i.e. syndecan-1 and heparan sulfate, accompanied by attenuation of oxidative stress and enhancement of antioxidant defence after training in previously untrained healthy young men. In this study, we evaluated the effect of 20 weeks of moderate-intensity endurance training (ET) on the endothelial glycocalyx layer integrity in relationship to the training-induced changes in antioxidant defence. Eleven healthy young, untrained men performed an incremental cycling exercise bout until exhaustion before and after 20 weeks of ET. Endurance training consisted of 40 min sessions, mainly of moderate intensity (∼50% of maximal oxygen uptake), performed four times per week. Venous blood samples were taken at rest and at the end of the maximal exercise test. Muscle biopsies from vastus lateralis were taken before and after the training. Endurance training resulted in a significant increase in physical capacity (P < 0.05) as reflected by an increase in power output reached at the lactate threshold and at maximal oxygen uptake. Training led to a decrease (P < 0.05) in basal and end-exercise concentrations of blood markers of glycocalyx damage (syndecan-1 and heparan sulfate). The lowering of glycocalyx shedding after the ET was accompanied by an attenuation of oxidative stress, as evidenced by a decrease in the basal plasma concentration of isoprostanes, and by an increase in antioxidant defence, reflected by an enhancement in superoxide dismutase 2 protein content in vastus lateralis (P < 0.05). In contrast, training did not induce a significant increase in basal nitrite/nitrate plasma concentration (P > 0.05). Moderate-intensity ET exerts a pronounced protective effect on endothelial glycocalyx integrity at rest and during exercise, probably through an improvement of antioxidant defence that may represent the vasoprotective mechanisms highly responsive to moderate-intensity endurance training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Muscle Physiology, Faculty of Rehabilitation, University School of Physical Education, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0898-1707
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Majerczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Muscle Physiology, Faculty of Rehabilitation, University School of Physical Education, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grandys
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Care, State Higher Vocational School in Tarnow, Tarnow, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Duda
authors.affiliation: Jagiellonian Center for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zakrzewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balcerczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation in Traumatology, Faculty of Rehabilitation, University School of Physical Education, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kolodziejski
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Szymoniak-Chochol
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Ryszard T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Smolenski
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bartosz
authors.affiliation: Jagiellonian Center for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.|Chair of Pharmacology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chlopicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Muscle Physiology, Faculty of Rehabilitation, University School of Physical Education, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zoladz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D019276:Glycocalyx / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007773:Lactates / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D000099156:Superoxide Dismutase 2
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007773:Lactates; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000099156:Superoxide Dismutase 2
keywords: endothelium; exercise; oxidative stress