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Carotid inflammation is unaltered by exercise in hypercholesterolemic Swine
Isabelle Masseau1, Michael J Davis, Douglas K Bowles
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|July 11, 2012
Summary
Aerobic exercise did not reduce vascular inflammation or improve endothelial function in hypercholesterolemic swine. However, contrast-enhanced ultrasound effectively detected carotid inflammation using VCAM-1 targeted microbubbles.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Exercise Physiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Vascular inflammation plays a role in cardiovascular disease.
- Exercise is often associated with beneficial cardiovascular effects.
- Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is a key inflammatory marker.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of exercise on carotid endothelial VCAM-1 in familial hypercholesterolemic (FH) swine.
- To evaluate the utility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEU) with VCAM-1-targeted microbubbles (MBs) for in vivo detection of carotid inflammation.
Main Methods:
- Familial hypercholesterolemic (FH) swine were divided into sedentary and exercise-trained groups.
- Exercise involved 16-20 weeks of treadmill aerobic exercise.
- In vivo CEU, endothelial-dependent dilation (EDD) assessment, and VCAM-1 expression analysis were performed.
Main Results:
- Exercise training did not reduce carotid inflammation or improve EDD in FH swine.
- VCAM-1 expression was prominent in the carotid bifurcation.
- CEU signal intensity positively correlated with carotid VCAM-1 protein expression, validating the imaging technique.
Conclusions:
- Aerobic exercise has no effect on carotid endothelial inflammatory markers and EDD in FH swine.
- CEU with VCAM-1-targeted MBs is a viable method for in vivo detection of endothelial inflammation.
- This technique provides a foundation for future therapeutic intervention studies.
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