Exercise training protects against cancer-induced cardiac remodeling in an animal model of urothelial carcinoma

Limiting cancer-induced cardiac damage has become an increasingly important issue to improve survival rates and quality of life. Exercise training has been shown to reduce cardiovascular complications in several diseases; however, its therapeutic role against cardiovascular consequences of cancer is in its infancy. In order to add new insights on the potential therapeutic effect of exercise training on cancer-related cardiac dysfunction, we used an animal model of urothelial carcinoma submitted to 13 weeks of treadmill exercise after 20 weeks of exposure to the carcinogenic N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (BBN). Data showed that 13 weeks of treadmill exercise reverted cancer-induced cardiomyocytes atrophy and fibrosis, improved cardiac oxidative capacity given by citrate synthase activity and MnSOD content, and increased the levels of the mitochondrial biogenesis markers PGC-1α and mtTFA. Moreover, exercise training reverted cancer-induced decrease of cardiac c-kit levels suggesting enhanced regenerative ability of heart. These cardiac adaptations to exercise were related to a lower incidence of malignant urothelial lesions and less signs of inflammation. Taken together, data from the present study support the beneficial effect of exercise training when started after cancer diagnosis, envisioning the improvement of the cardiovascular function.

Archives of biochemistry and biophysics. 2018 Mar 13 [Epub ahead of print]

Ana Isabel Padrão, Rita Nogueira-Ferreira, Rui Vitorino, Dulce Carvalho, Catarina Correia, Maria João Neuparth, Maria João Pires, Ana Isabel Faustino-Rocha, Lúcio Lara Santos, Paula Alexandra Oliveira, José Alberto Duarte, Daniel Moreira-Gonçalves, Rita Ferreira

QOPNA, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal; CIAFEL, Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, R. Dr. Plácido da Costa 91, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal., iBiMED, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, Agra do Crasto, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal; Departamento de Cirurgia e Fisiologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: ., iBiMED, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, Agra do Crasto, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal; Departamento de Cirurgia e Fisiologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal., QOPNA, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal., CIAFEL, Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, R. Dr. Plácido da Costa 91, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal., CITAB, Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5001-911 Vila Real, Portugal., Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics Group, Research Center of Instituto Português de Oncologia, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal., CIAFEL, Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, R. Dr. Plácido da Costa 91, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal; Departamento de Cirurgia e Fisiologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: .