Increases in plasma levels of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides after running a marathon: are their effects partly counterbalanced by adrenocortical steroids?

Abstract

Objective: Long-distance running results in considerable stress. Little evidence exists about the role of the atrial and brain natriuretic peptides, ANP and BNP, deriving from the myocardium. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of running 42.195 km on changes in circulating natriuretic propeptides and adrenocortical steroids. Design and methods: We studied 17 male and 2 female runners (age: 28-62 years) participating in a marathon. Blood samples were obtained before and immediately after the competition. proANP(1 -98) and proANP(1 -30) as well as were determined by enzyme immunoassays. Results: Runners finished the competition between 2 h 58 min and 4 h 25 min. We observed a more pronounced increase in proANP(1-98) (þ58%) and proANP(1-30) (þ99%, both P , 0.001) compared with Nt-proBNP(8 -29) (þ 6%; P ¼ 0.005). Increases in proANP(1 -30) positively correlated with runners' age (r ¼ 0.53; P ¼ 0.02). We also observed a marked increase in cortisol (þ 73%) and especially in aldosterone (þ431%, both P , 0.001). Conclusions: Cardiac strain during long-distance running may explain the pronounced increase in proANP. Other explanations for the observed rise in plasma levels might be a change in the permeability of myocardial cells and an impaired clearance. A rise in adrenocortical steroids may compensate for the negative influence of ANP on natriuresis and blood pressure. Positive effects of ANP during a marathon could be the regulation of body temperature by influencing sweat glands as well as the stimulation of lipolysis compensating for the enormous energy demand.

An Unsuspected Metabolic Role for Atrial Natriuretic Peptides

“…95 During exercise, in addition to catecholamines, ANP plays a noticeable role in the control of lipid mobilization in SCAAT. Elevated plasma levels of ANP were found after prolonged exercise (eg, long distance running) 94 and exaggerated release of ANP has been reported in older individuals. 102 One of the positive and specific effects of ANP during prolonged exercise might be to sustain lipid mobilization from AT.…”

“…During exercise, the SNS is activated and, concomitantly, ANP/BNP are released from the exercising heart. 67,69,94 Exercise-induced lipid mobilizing challenges were performed using in situ microdialysis in SCAAT in healthy young men during 2 successive exercise bouts performed at 35% and 60% VO max after placebo, local, or oral nonselective ␤-antagonist (tertatolol) treatment. In placebo-treated subjects, as expected, exercise raised extracellular glycerol concentration (EGC).…”

Atrial natriuretic peptide stimulates lipid mobilization during repeated bouts of endurance exercise

“…It is the most suitable method available to perform mechanistic explorations of adipose tissue function in vivo (1, 3). Exercise is a prerequisite for both SNS activation (11, 15) and NP release (5,26). We (25) demonstrated that physiological ANP release during acute endurance exercise contributes to the stimulation of lipid mobilization and NEFA supply for the working muscle.…”

The acute effect of high intensity aerobic training on ANP and Endothelin-1 in obese women

“…Bian et al (2016) showed that in rabbite acute hypoxia significantly promotes the production of atrial ET-1 which, in turn, regulates ANP secretion through the activation of ET receptor and the subsequent MAPK/ERK and-PI3K/Akt signaling pathways [25]. But as it is observed in figure 1 Niessner and colleagues [2003], in a study with the object of studding effects of marathon running on ANP level changes and adrenal steroids, have observed a high increase in plasma levels of 58 percent proANP1-98 and 99 percent proANP1-30 hormones and suggested that probably increase of adrenal steroid levels is for compensating negative effect of ANP on natriuresis and hypertension [26].…”