Physical exercise increases urinary excretion of lipoxin A4 and related compounds

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) 2003-06, Vol.94 (6), p.2237-2240
• Main Authors: Gangemi, Sebastiano, Luciotti, Graziella, D'Urbano, Etrusca, Mallamace, Agostino, Santoro, Domenico, Bellinghieri, Guido, Davi, Giovanni, Romano, Mario
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Adult; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Enzymes; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Female; Humans; Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids - urine; Lipoxins; Male; Metabolism; Physical Endurance; Reference Values; Time Factors; Urine
• ISSN: 8750-7587; 1522-1601
• DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01004.2002

1  Department of Human Pathology, and 5  Experimental and Clinical Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Messina, 98125 Messina; 2  Center of Excellence on Aging, and Departments of 3  Biomedical Science and 4  Medicine and Aging, University "G. D'Annunzio," 66013 Chieti, Italy Lipoxins (LX) are lipoxygenase-derived eicosanoids with potent anti-inflammatory activities and vascular bed-dependent vasodilatory actions. LX can be formed in vitro and in vivo in a number of conditions, and we have reported that immunoreactive LXA 4 (iLXA 4 ) is physiologically excreted with human urine. Using a recently developed LX extraction method coupled to an ELISA, we examined whether iLXA 4 excretion was modified by strenuous exercise, which is known to trigger potential LX-forming events. Maximal exertion significantly increased iLXA 4 urinary excretion in nine healthy volunteers (0.061 ± 0.023 vs. 0.113 ± 0.057 ng/mg creatinine; P  = 0.028). iLXA 4 levels returned to baseline after 6 h and increased, although at a smaller extent, after 24 h. A significant correlation ( r  = 0.988) was denoted between iLXA 4 ELISA measurements and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography quantitation of a previously described urinary tetraene, confirming its LXA 4 -related nature. These findings show for the first time that an increase in excretion of LXA 4 -related compounds can be observed in response to strenuous exercise. This may be the reflection of an enhanced LX biosynthesis, which may represent a safeguard mechanism that keeps the inflammatory reaction triggered by physical stress under control. arachidonic acid; lipoxygenase; inflammation; metabolism