Effects of Physical Exercise on Endothelial Function and DNA Methylation

Abstract

Essential hypertension is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. Epidemiological studies have shown that physical training can reduce blood pressure (BP), both in hypertensive and healthy individuals. Increasing evidence is emerging that DNA methylation is involved in alteration of the phenotype and of vascular function in response to environmental stimuli. We evaluated repetitive element and gene-specific DNA methylation in peripheral blood leukocytes of 68 volunteers, taken before (T0) and after (T1) a three-month intervention protocol of continuative aerobic physical exercise. DNA methylation was assessed by bisulfite-PCR and pyrosequencing. Comparing T0 and T1 measurements, we found an increase in oxygen consumption at peak of exercise (VO2peak) and a decrease in diastolic BP at rest. Exercise increased the levels of ALU and Long Interspersed Nuclear Element 1 (LINE-1) repetitive elements methylation, and of Endothelin-1 (EDN1), Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS2), and Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF) gene-specific methylation. VO2peak was positively associated with methylation of ALU, EDN1, NOS2, and TNF; systolic BP at rest was inversely associated with LINE-1, EDN1, and NOS2 methylation; diastolic BP was inversely associated with EDN1 and NOS2 methylation. Our findings suggest a possible role of DNA methylation for lowering systemic BP induced by the continuative aerobic physical training program.

Effects of Moderate Intensity Exercise on the Cortical Thickness and Subcortical Volumes of Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease Patients: A Pilot Study

“…Exercise significantly improved blood brain barrier integrity in elderly women, 38 and exercise significantly increased endothelial function and cerebral blood flow, which can prevent neuronal hypoxia and degeneration. 39,40 Meanwhile, many of the regions that showed reduced cortical thickness in Non-Exercise group are components of default mode network (DMN), encompassing posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex, mesial and inferior temporal cortex and inferior parietal cortex. 41 It is significant that important hubs of DMN, bilateral precuneus were all affected in None-Exercise group.…”

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet partially mediates socioeconomic differences in leukocyte LINE-1 methylation: evidence from a cross-sectional study in Italian women

“…Moreover, previous evidence from preclinical and epidemiological studies suggested how dietary factors (i.e. nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns) [14][15][16][17][18] , smoking habits 19,20 , physical activity 21 and weight status 22 might affect DNA methylation process and LINE-1 methylation levels.…”

Biomarkers of geroprotection and cardiovascular health: An overview of omics studies and established clinical biomarkers in the context of diet

“…An interventional study observed slower changes in the methylation state of LINE-1 elements after the adherence to a one year-long Mediterranean diet intervention (Martín-Núñez et al 2014). LINE-1 hypomethylation has also been correlated to a poorer response in terms of weight loss (Garcia-Lacarte et al 2016) and increased systolic blood pressure (Ferrari et al 2019) to diet. Notwithstanding the poorer response, dietary geroprotection is expected to modify the methylation state of LINE-1 elements for the better even in such cases.…”