Aerobic exercise training reduces plasma endothelin-1 concentration in older women

Abstract

Endothelial function deteriorates with aging. On the other hand, exercise training improves the function of vascular endothelial cells. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), which is produced by vascular endothelial cells, has potent constrictor and proliferative activity in vascular smooth muscle cells and, therefore, has been implicated in regulation of vascular tonus and progression of atherosclerosis. We previously reported significantly higher plasma ET-1 concentration in middle-aged than in young humans, and recently we showed that plasma ET-1 concentration was significantly decreased by aerobic exercise training in healthy young humans. We hypothesized that plasma ET-1 concentration increases with age, even in healthy adults, and that lifestyle modification (i.e., exercise) can reduce plasma ET-1 concentration in previously sedentary older adults. We measured plasma ET-1 concentration in healthy young women (21-28 yr old), healthy middle-aged women (31-47 yr old), and healthy older women (61-69 yr old). The plasma level of ET-1 significantly increased with aging (1.02 +/- 0.08, 1.33 +/- 0.11, and 2.90 +/- 0.20 pg/ml in young, middle-aged, and older women, respectively). Thus plasma ET-1 concentration was markedly higher in healthy older women than in healthy young or middle-aged women (by approximately 3- and 2-fold, respectively). In healthy older women, we also measured plasma ET-1 concentration after 3 mo of aerobic exercise (cycling on a leg ergometer at 80% of ventilatory threshold for 30 min, 5 days/wk). Regular exercise significantly decreased plasma ET-1 concentration in the healthy older women (2.22 +/- 0.16 pg/ml, P < 0.01) and also significantly reduced their blood pressure. The present study suggests that regular aerobic-endurance exercise reduces plasma ET-1 concentration in older humans, and this reduction in plasma ET-1 concentration may have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system (i.e., prevention of progression of hypertension and/or atherosclerosis by endogenous ET-1).

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, Diastolic Dysfunction, Pulse Pressure, and Plasma ET-1 in Marathon Runners With Exaggerated Blood Pressure Response

“…33,34) Increased blood pressure 35) or increased ET-1 production 17) have unfavorable effects on the arterial walls. Maeda, et al 36,37) previously reported that the plasma level of ET-1 was decreased by aerobic exercise training in young and elderly humans. In this study, we observed that participation in endurance exercise had more of an effect on the plasma level of ET-1 than the effect caused by essential hypertension.…”

Effect of Endothelin 1 Genotype on Blood Pressure Is Dependent on Physical Activity or Fitness Levels

“…Two studies in small groups of young and elderly Japanese subjects have reported significant reductions in plasma EDN1 levels after 2 to 3 months of endurance training. 31,32 Also, EDN1 mRNA levels in the heart were significantly lower in exercise-trained (12 weeks) spontaneously hypertensive rats than in sedentary control animals. 33 However, in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats, EDN1 expression in the heart either tended to decrease or increase after exercise training.…”

Link between blood flow and muscle protein metabolism in elderly adults

“…The muscle blood flow represents only 15-20% of the resting cardiac output, but during maximal exercise increases to approximately 85% of total cardiac output. With aging, neural activity [60][61][62] and endothelin-1 concentration 63) increase, while endothelial function [64][65][66] , aortic distensibility 67) , and capillary number decrease 8-11) . Moreover, erythrocyte-mediated ATP release, which mediates vasodilation during conditions of erythrocyte deoxygenation, decreases with aging 68) .…”