Robert Nowak

Effect of 12-week-long aerobic training programme on body composition, aerobic capacity, complete blood count and blood lipid profile among young women

Background Numerous data suggest that aerobic-type exercise improves lipoprotein-lipid profiles, cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in young women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological response to high-low impact aerobic fitness among young women. Materials and methods Thirty-four young women aged 22 (19-24) years were divided into three groups: underweight (N = 10), normal weight (N = 12) and overweight (N = 12). Aerobic capacity, anthropometry and body composition together with complete blood count and lipid profile were determined before and after completion of a 12-week-long training period. Results The training programme caused a significant decrease in weight (by 4.3 kg, P = 0.003), body mass index (by 1.3 kg/m2, P = 0.003), free fat mass (by 2.1 kg, P = 0.002), total body water (by 0.4 kg, P = 0.036), percentage of fat (by 3 percent points, P = 0.002), all analyzed skinfolds thicknesses, as well as the lipid profile in overweight group, and no changes in normal weight group. Significant changes in weight (by 4.2 kg, P = 0.005), body mass index (by 0.9 kg/m2, P = 0.005), crus skinfold thickness (by 3.3 mm, P = 0.028), and in maximum oxygen uptake (by 2.49 mL/kg/min; P = 0.047) were observed among underweight women. No change in total blood count was observed in all groups. Conclusion Twelve-week-long fitness training programme of two alternating styles (low and high impact) has a beneficial effect on overweight young women.

Retaining cytotoxic activity of anthrapyridone CO1 against multidrug resistant cells is related to the ability to induce concomitantly apoptosis and lysosomal death of leukaemia HL60/VINC and HL60/DOX cells

The effect of anthrapyridone compound CO1 retaining cytotoxic activity against multidrug resistant (MDR) tumour cells on inducing cell death of the sensitive leukaemia HL60 cell line and its MDR sublines (HL60/VINC and HL60/DOX) was examined.

Anthraquinone antitumour agents, doxorubicin, pirarubicin and benzoperimidine BP1, trigger caspase-3/caspase-8-dependent apoptosis of leukaemia sensitive HL60 and resistant HL60/VINC and HL60/DOX cells

We examined the effect of selected anthraquinone antitumour agents – doxorubicin (DOX), pirarubicin (PIRA) and benzoperimidine BP1 – on inducing apoptosis of the sensitive leukaemia HL60 cell line and its multidrug resistance sublines overexpressing P-glycoprotein (HL60/VINC) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (HL60/DOX). All agents used at IC50 and IC90 were able to influence the cell cycle of sensitive HL60 and resistant cells and induce apoptosis. Interestingly, it was seen that HL60/VINC cells were more susceptible to undergo caspase-3/caspase-8-dependent apoptosis induced by the studied anthraquinone compounds compared with HL60 and HL60/DOX cells. However, the examined agents did not change the expression of Fas receptors on the surface of HL60-sensitive and-resistant cells.

Post-Effort Changes in Activity of Traditional Diagnostic Enzymatic Markers in Football Players’ Blood / Promene U Aktivnostima Tradicionalnih Dijagnostičkih Enzimskih Markera U Krvi Fudbalera Posle Fizičkog Naprezanja

Summary Background: Long-term and intensive physical effort causes metabolic and biochemical adaptations for both athletic and non-athletic objectives. Knowing the importance of aerobic training in football players, the aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the activity of: creatinine kinase (CK), creatine kinase MB (CKMB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ahydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH), cholinesterase (ChE) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in response to a semi-long distance outdoor run under aerobic conditions among both female and male football players. Methods: Sixteen participants aged 21.9±2 years (women) and 18.4±0.5 years (men), all of them voluntarily recruited football players, took part in an outdoor run, the women covering a distance of 7.4±0.3 km while men covered a distance of 10.7±1.0 km. Plasma activities of the studied enzymes were determined using an appropriate diagnostic assay kit. Results: Our results indicate that total LDH activity could be a useful tool in evaluating physical fitness among athletes. We simultaneously established that ChE could not be a marker useful in assessing metabolic response to physical effort in athletes. Moreover, our results suggest that post-effort changes in ALP activity might be used to estimate early symptoms of certain vitamin deficiencies in an athlete’s diet. Conclusions: We confirmed that the assessment of activity of selected traditional diagnostic enzymatic markers provides information about muscle state after physical effort. Kratak sadržaj Uvod: Dugoročno i intenzivno flzičko naprezanje izaziva meta- boličke i biohemijske promene radi sportskih ali i nesportskih ciljeva. S obzirom na važnost aerobnog treninga za fudbalere, ova studija imala je za cilj određivanje promena u aktivnosti- ma: kreatinin kinaze (CK), kreatin kinaze MB (CKMB), laktat dehidrogenaze (LDH), a-hidroksibutirat dehidrogenaze (HBDH), holinesteraze (ChE) i alkalne fosfataze (ALP) u okviru odgovora na trčanje napolju, na poludugoj stazi, u aerobnim uslovima, _kod igrača fudbala muškog i ženskog pola. Metode: Šesnaest učesnika starosti 21,9±2 godine (žene) i 18,4±0,5 godina (muškarci), dobrovoljno regrutovanih fud- balera, učestvovalo je u trci napolju, u kojoj su žene prelazile 7,4±0,3 km a muškarci razdaljinu od 10,7±1,0 km. Aktiv- nosti proučavanih enzima u plazmi određene su odgova- rajučim dijagnostičkim testovima. Rezultati: Naši rezultati pokazuju da bi ukupna aktivnost LDH mogla ^>iti korisno sredstvo za procenjivanje fizičke spremnos- ti kod sportista. Istovremeno smo ustanovili da ChE ne može biti koristan marker za određivanje metaboličkog odgovora na fizičko naprezanje kod sportista. Pored toga, naši rezultati pokazuju da se promene u aktivnosti ALP posle naprezanja mogu koristiti za otkrivanje ranih simptoma deficijencije nekih vitamina u ishrani sportista. Zaključak: Potvrdili smo da određivanje aktivnosti izabranih tradicionalnih dijagnostičkih enzimskih markera donosi infor- macije o stanju mišića posle fizičkog naprezanja.

Effect of selected NAD + analogues on mitochondria activity and proliferation of endothelial EA.hy926 cells

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of 1-methylnicotinamide (MNA) and 1-methyl-3-nitropyridine (MNP) on mitochondria activity and proliferation of endothelial EA.hy926 cells. The activity of MNA was also referred to nicotinamide (NAM) being MNA metabolic precursor. NAM and MNA used at high concentrations (up to 1 mM) had no effect on mitochondria metabolism and proliferation of EA.hy926 cells. It could be related to the fact that these compounds hardly cross the cell membrane. It supports the results of our previous study suggesting that anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects of MNA could be associated with its ability to bind to glycosaminoglycans, especially heparins, located on the endothelium membrane without entering into target cells. In contrast, MNP caused substantial changes in mitochondria activity and proliferation of EA.hy926 cells. This compound used at low concentrations (below 100 microM) blocked the cell cycle of EA.hy926 cells in G1 phase and was very effective in inhibiting cell growth (IC50=13.8+/-2.4 microM). At higher concentrations (0.1-1 mM) MNP caused a significant reduction of cell survival. The observed effects of MNP could be related, at least in part, to its ability to influence the ATP and NAD+ intracellular levels. MNP caused also important changes in Ca2+ intracellular concentration, significant decrease in inner mitochondrial membrane potential and high increase in mitochondrial respiration of EA.hy926 cells. The observed effects of MNP may be related in part to its cellular metabolites detected after 45 min incubation with 250 microM MNP.

The Impact of the Progressive Efficiency Test on a Rowing Ergometer on White Blood Cells Distribution and Clinical Chemistry Changes in Paralympic Rowers During the Preparatory Stage Before the Paralympic Games in Rio, 2016 – A Case Report

Abstract There is a large gap in knowledge regarding research on post-exercise blood changes in disabled athletes. There are relatively few data on adaptive mechanisms to exercise in disabled athletes, including disabled rowers. Two rowers from a Polish adaptive rowing settle TAMix2x that qualified for the Paralympic Games in Rio, 2016 took part in this study. They performed a progressive test on a rowing ergometer until exhaustion. The cardiorespiratory fitness measures, complete blood count, white blood cells’ distribution and 30 clinical chemistry variables describing laboratory diagnostic profiles and general health were determined. The extreme effort induced changes in all studied metabolites (glucose, creatinine, urea, uric acid, total and direct bilirubin), albumin, total protein levels in both participants. Furthermore, a post-exercise increase in aspartate transaminase activity, yet a 2-fold decrease during the recovery time in both rowers were found. White blood cell count increased 2-fold after the test. The percentages of natural killer cells were higher and total T lymphocytes were lower after the exercise protocol. There were higher percentages of suppressor/cytotoxic and lower percentages of helper/inducer T lymphocyte subsets in both studied rowers. No changes in B lymphocytes distribution were observed. Lack of inflammatory symptoms during the experiment suggests a high level of rowers’ biological adaptation to the physical effort. The different changes in physiological, biochemical and immunological variables are related to the adaptive mechanism to physical exercise allowing for improvement of performance.

Strength and aerobic training in overweight females in Gdansk, Poland

Abstract W e compared the effects of 16-week-training on rest metabolic rate, aerobic power, and body fat, and the post-exercise effects upon rest oxygen uptake and respiratory exchange ratio in overweight middle-aged females. Twenty nine overweight women (BMI 29.9 ± 1.2 kg*m-²) participated in training (3 days a week). The subjects were divided onto groups of aerobic (AT) and strength (ST) training. The results showed that the total body mass decrease and VO2 max increase did not differ in both groups. Decrease in waist circumference after 16 weeks was higher in the ST group. In the ST group fat-free mass increased during the first 8 weeks. Rest metabolic rate was increased significantly at 16th week compared to initial value in ST group only. Significant increase in post-exercise resting VO2 and respiratory exchange ratio at 12 and 36 h was observed after the strength training session only. Increase in rest metabolic rate and post-exercise rest energy expenditure occurred after strength training but not after aerobic training despite the similar increase in aerobic power. The effect of 8-16 weeks of strength training on body mass decrease was higher in comparison to aerobic training.

Comparison of Selected CD45+ Cell Subsets’ Response and Cytokine Levels on Exhaustive Effort among Soccer Players

Summary Background Immunological alterations may led to the reduction in capacity and endurance levels in elite athletes by e.g. increased susceptibility to infections. There is a need to explain the impact of intensive physical effort on the CD4+ memory T cell subsets. Methods Fourteen participants median aged 19 years old (range 17–21 years) were recruited form Pogoń Szczecin S.A., soccer club. They performed progressive efficiency test on mechanical treadmill until exhaustion twice: during preparatory phases to spring and autumn competition rounds. We examined the influence of exhaustive effort on the selected CD45+, especially CD4+ memory T cell subsets and inflammation markers determined before, just after the test and during recovery time. Results Significant changes in total CD45+ cells and decrease in T lymphocytes percentage after the run was observed. Significant fluctuations in T cells’ distribution were related not only to the changes in Th or Tc subsets but also to increase in naïve T cell percentage during recovery. Increase in TNF-α and IL-8 post-exercise, IL-6 and IL-10 plasma levels in recovery was also found. Conclusions The novel finding of our study is that the run performed on mechanical treadmill caused a significant release of CD4+ T naïve cells into circulation. Post-exercise increase in circulating NK cells is related with fast biological response to maximal effort. However, at the same time an alternative mechanism enhancing inflammation is involved.

DNA damage induced by NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase-activated idarubicin in sensitive and multidrug resistant MCF7 breast cancer cells

BACKGROUND Idarubicin (IDA) is one of clinically important anticancer drugs belonging to the anthracycline antibiotic family. The aim of this study was to examine DNA damage induced by NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR)-activated IDA in human sensitive MCF7 and multidrug resistant MCF7/DOX500 (overexpressing P-gp) breast adenocarcinoma cells. METHODS The evaluation of DNA fragmentation caused by single strand breaks (SSB) and double strand breaks (DSB) was performed using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) test. Additionally, DSB formation was examined using H2AX histone phosphorylation assays. RESULTS It was found that IDA alone and CPR-activated used at IC90 caused a higher level of DNA strand breaks in sensitive MCF7 cells detected by TUNEL assessments (p=0.0011 for IDA alone and p=0.0109 for IDA reductively activated, Kruskal-Wallis test) and γ-H2AX-positive staining (p=0.0003 for IDA alone and p=0.0193 for IDA reductively activated, Kruskal-Wallis test) than in multidrug resistant MCF7/DOX500 cells. However, no changes were observed in the percentage of TUNEL-positive and DSB-positive cells for MCF7 as well as MCF7/DOX500 cells in the case of IDA alone and the drug pretreated in the presence of the activating system. CONCLUSIONS The obtained results suggest that CPR-activation of IDA does not significantly change the cellular DNA damage response of studied sensitive MCF7 and multidrug resistant MCF7/DOX500 breast cancer cells, even if the results concerning the interaction of IDA undergoing CPR activation with naked DNA showed the important differences in comparison with the drug alone (non-activated).