Regular aerobic exercise increased VEGF levels in both soleus and gastrocnemius muscles correlated with hippocampal learning and VEGF levels

Physical exercise improves learning and memory abilities by increasing the levels of several growth factors in the hippocampus. One growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), is primarily produced in the muscles and not only increases in the periphery during exercise but can also cross the blood-brain barrier. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of regular aerobic chronic exercise on different types of muscle fibers and the relationships between learning/memory and muscle induced-VEGF. Following a one-week adaptation period, male rats underwent treadmill training at a speed of 8 m/min for 30 min daily, 3 days a week for 6 weeks. Memory functions were evaluated using the Morris water maze. VEGF, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in type 1 and type 2 muscle fibers and VEGF levels were also measured in the hippocampus. Exercise positively affected both learning and memory and also increased VEGF levels in both muscle fiber types. Muscle VEGF levels positively correlate with hippocampal learning and hippocampal VEGF levels. Exercise reduced both SOD and MDA levels in type 1 and type 2 muscle fibers, whereas GPx levels decreased only in type 2 muscle fibers. Our findings suggest that regular aerobic exercise elevates VEGF levels and diminishes oxidative stress in both fiber types. Exercise-induced VEGF levels in both type 1 and 2 muscle fibers appear to be associated with the positive effect of exercise on learning and memory function and is accompanied by an increase in VEGF levels in the hippocampus. Further research is needed to elucidate the exact mechanism by which fiber type-specific VEGF mediates hippocampal neurogenesis and angiogenesis

Serum insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels in liver cirrhosis

Background/aims: Impaired growth hormone-insulin like growth factor system in hepatic cirrhosis leads to cirrhosis-relaled complications. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether serum levels of insulin like growth factor-1 and insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 are related to the level of hepatic dysfunction, clinical grade, and etiologic factors of the disease in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: Forty-two patients with liver cirrhosis who were diagnosed by means of clinical findings, endoscopy, imaging studies, or histapathology were enrolled in the study. An age- and sex-matched control group was comprised of 37 healthy controls with no signs of liver disease by clinical or laboratory findings. The demographic features (age, sex, height, and weight) and serum levels of liver function tests, area, creatinine, sodium, potassium, insulin like growth factor-1, and insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 and hemogram values were recorded for each individual. The patients were grouped according to Child Pugh classification and etiology. Results: Insulin like growth factor-1 and insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 levels were significantly lower in the cirrhotic group in comparison to the control group (p<0.005). A statistically significaut decrease in levels of insulin like growth factor-1 and insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 was correlated with the degree of liver dysfunction, namely, lowest decrease in Child Pugh class A and highest decrease in class C. With respect to etiology, insulin like growth factor-1 levels of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis were significantly lower than those of hepatitis B-related cirrhosis. There was no relation between insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 level and etiology. In the cirrhotic group, insulin like growth factor-1 level was positively correlated with serum albumin and negatively correlated with serum creatinine and sodium levels and spleen size. Likewise, insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 level was positively correlated with serum albumin. There was a negative correlation between insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 level and serum bilirubin and spleen size. Conclusions: Insulin like growth factor-1 and insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 levels are related to the level of clinical impairment and were independent of the etiology. They may serve as novel markers of hepatocellular dysfunction

Examination Of Empathy-Like Behavior in Nicotine-Preferring Rat Lines And Controls

[No Abstract Available][BAP-TDK-2020-21454]BAP-TDK-2020-21454; EUHADYEK:2019-059

Ischemic preconditioning attenuates the lipid peroxidation and remote lung injury in the rat model of unilateral lower limb ischemia reperfusion

Ischemia and reperfusion of the skeletal muscle tissue may cause remote lung injury. We aimed to evaluate the protective effect of ischemic preconditioning (IP) on the lung during unilateral lower limb ischemia reperfusion (IR)