Arterial Thickness and Immunometabolism: The Mediating role of Chronic Exercise.

Metabolic alterations and cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, are associated with lifestyle modifications, particularly the increase of physical inactivity and poor eating habits, which contribute to one of the main causes of death in modern times. Cardiovascular diseases are positively correlated with several illnesses, such as obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia, and these disorders are known to contribute to changes in immune cells, cytokines and metabolism. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of lipid plaques and fibrous tissue (atheroma) in the artery walls and this process is related to the oxidation of LDL-c (low density lipoprotein) and the formation of a particle, termed LDLox, which can generate toxic injury to the vessel wall. In this atherogenic process there is an inflammatory response generated by the injury in the vascular endothelium, which in itself is able to express and secrete a variety of molecules, such as myeloid colony-stimulating factors (M-CSF), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), that act as activators of the immune system. Therefore, the main purpose of this review is to highlight the immuno-metabolic alterations involving the thickening and stiffness of arteries observed in atherosclerosis, and how chronic exercise can act as an anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic approach.

The relationship between inflammation, dyslipidemia and physical exercise: from the epidemiological to molecular approach.

Dyslipidemia and inflammation are frequently found in some diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cancer cachexia. Recent literature has identified that lipids have a pivotal role in the activation of inflammatory pathways, increasing the production of inflammatory cytokines, mainly tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6 and 1ß. On the other hand, cytokines can promote disruption of lipid metabolism, in special cholesterol reverse transport, which is linked to development of atherosclerosis. With this in mind, acute and chronic exercise trainings have been pointed as important tools to counteract both dyslipidemia symptoms and systemic inflammation. Moreover, physical activity has been recommended in the prevention/treatment of the above mentioned outcomes by important health organizations around the world, mainly because it costs less and generates fewer side effects than isolated medicine. Despite the well-documented capacity of acute and chronic exercise training to counteract sustained disease-related immunometabolism, we have chosen to take a look from a current perspective in molecular pathways and in the field of epidemiology. The aim of the present review was therefore to discuss the results of dyslipidemia and inflammatory conditions with acute and chronic exercise training, which underlies the field of molecular pathways and epidemiology. The mechanisms underlying the response to the treatment are considered.