The effects of moderate and high-intensity exercise on circulating markers of endothelial integrity and activation in young, healthy men

Endothelial function typically exhibits a hormetic response to exercise. It is unknown whether endothelial damage occurs in response to acute exercise and could be a contributing mechanism. We sought to determine the effects of acute exercise on endothelial-derived circulating factors proposed to reflect endothelial integrity and activation. Young, healthy men (n = 10) underwent 30-min moderate continuous (MOD) and high-intensity interval (MI) cycling exercise bouts. Venous blood samples were taken immediately before and after exercise for quantification of circulating endothelial cells (CECs), circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), apoptotic and activated endothelial micmvesicles (EMVs), thrombomodulin (TM), von Willebrand factor (vWF), syndecan-1. and circulating microRNAs (ci-miRs) 126-3p and 126-5p. Endothelial function was assessed by flowmediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery before, 10 min after, and 60 min after exercise. Numbers of CECs and EMVs were unchanged by either exercise bout (P > 0.05). Numbers of all measured CAC subtypes decreased in response to MOD (21%-34%, P < 0.05). whereas only CD31(+)/34(+)/45(dim)(/-) CACs decreased following HII (21%, P < 0.05). TM and syndecan-1 increased with both exercise intensities (both -20%, P < 0.05). MI, but not MOD. increased vWF (88%. P < 0.001), ci-miR-126-3p (92%, P = 0.009) and ci-miR-126-5p (110%, P = 0.01). The changes in several circulating factors correlated with changes in FMD following either one or both intensities. Changes in circulating factors do not support the concept of exercise-induced endothelial cell denudation, apoptosis, or activation, though slight disruption of endothelial glycocalyx and membrane integrity may occur. A related loss of mechanotransduction along with mechanisms underlying endothelial activation and ci-miR-126 secretion may relate to changes in endothelial function. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using circulating endothelial-derived factors, we show that endothelial denudation, apoptosis. and activation do not appear to increase, whereas disrupted endothelial glycocalyx and membrane integrity may occur during both high-intensity interval and moderate intensity cycling. Increases in factors nonspecific to endothelial damage. including von Willebrand factor and microRNA-126, occurred only after high-intensity interval exercise. These results shed light on the hypothesis that disrupted endothelial integrity contributes to the endothelial function response to exercise.