Abstract
Background: Currently, the number of the elderly has been rising sharply worldwide. Seemingly, age-inducedcerebral endothelial dysfunction may lead to vascular abnormality that can later progress to cerebrovascularand neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, several evidences have shown that age-related oxidative stress anddecline in cellular function appeared in the vascular system both in humans and laboratory animals. The role ofexercise training in the regulation of age-related oxidative stress and endothelial functions have been reported.Objectives: To investigate whether exercise training can prevent age-induced cerebral endothelial dysfunctionassociated to PI3K/Akt signaling.Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sedentary-young group (SE-Young, 4 months),sedentary-aged group (SE-Aged, 22 - 24 months), and swimming trained-aged group (ET-Aged, 22 - 24 months),which individually swam 1 hour/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of the exercise period, the rats tookrest for 24 hours. After a phosphate buffer saline (PBS) perfusion, brain was used for determining CD31 byimmunohistochemistry. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), phospho-Akt level (p-Akt), and malondialdehyde(MDA) levels in the brain were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: The aged rats’ physiological characteristics had significant alteration when compared to the younggroup (P < 0.05). However, ET-Aged rats showed significantly reduced resting mean arterial blood pressure whencompared to the young group (P < 0.05). This study also showed that exercise could upregulate VEGF, p-Aktlevel, and increase CD31 in the ET-aged group. Furthermore, tissue MDA in ET-Aged rats was significantlyreduced when compared to SE-Aged rats (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Our findings imply that exercise training protected age-induced cerebral endothelial dysfunctionassociated with its effects of oxidative stress and PI3K/Akt signaling.
DOI
10.58837/CHULA.CMJ.63.4.3
First Page
229
Last Page
238
Recommended Citation
Chanpakdee, Channipa; Viboolvorakul, Sheepsumon; and Patumraj, Suthiluk
(2019)
"Exercise training improves age-related changes in cerebral capillary vascularity through the upregulation of PI3K / Akt signaling,"
Chulalongkorn Medical Journal: Vol. 63:
Iss.
4, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58837/CHULA.CMJ.63.4.3
Available at:
https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/clmjournal/vol63/iss4/4
