Exercise Provides Direct Biphasic Cardioprotection via Manganese Superoxide Dismutase Activation

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Abstract
Epidemiologic investigations have shown that exercise reduces morbidity and mortality from coronary artery disease. In this study, using a rat model, we attempted to determine whether exercise can reduce ischemic injury to the heart and elucidate a mechanism for the cardioprotective effect of exercise. Results showed that exercise significantly reduced the magnitude of a myocardial infarction in biphasic manner. The time course for cardioprotection resembled that of the change in manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) activity. The administration of the antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide to Mn-SOD abolished the expected decrease in infarct size. We showed that the level of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) increased after exercise. The simultaneous administration of the neutralizing antibodies to the cytokines abolished the exercise-induced cardioprotection and the activation of Mn-SOD. Furthermore, TNF-α can mimic the biphasic pattern of cardioprotection and activation of Mn-SOD. An antioxidant completely abolished cardioprotection and the activation of Mn-SOD by exercise or the injection of TNF-α as well as exercise-induced increase in TNF-α and IL-1β. The production of reactive oxygen species and endogenous TNF-α and IL-1β induced by exercise leads to the activation of Mn-SOD, which plays major roles in the acquisition of biphasic cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.