ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Panminerva Medica 2023 September;65(3):292-302

DOI: 10.23736/S0031-0808.21.04382-2

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Long-term physical activity modulates adipsin and ANGPTL4 serum levels, a potential link to exercise-induced metabolic changes

Max LENZ ^{1, 2} ✉, Robert SCHÖNBAUER ¹, Stefan STOJKOVIC ¹, Michael LICHTENAUER ³, Vera PAAR ³, Constantin GATTERER ¹, Christoph SCHUKRO ¹, Michael EMICH ⁴, Monika FRITZER-SZEKERES ⁵, Jeanette STRAMETZ-JURANEK ⁶, Michael SPONDER ¹

¹ Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; ² Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster for Cardiovascular Research, Vienna, Austria; ³ Department of Cardiology, Clinic of Internal Medicine II, Paracelsus Medical University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; ⁴ Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence, Austrian Armed Forces, Vienna, Austria; ⁵ Department of Medical-Chemical Laboratory Analysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; ⁶ Bad Tatzmannsdorf Rehabilitation Center, Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria

BACKGROUND: Within the presented prospective study, we aimed to illuminate the effect of long-term physical exercise on serum levels of adipsin (complement factor D) and angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4). Although past studies already outlined the effects of acute exercise, our trial design aimed to depict the development under long-term physical activity conditions.
METHODS: Ninety-eight participants were included in the study and were asked to perform eight months of moderate physical activity for at least 150 minutes/week and/or vigorous-intensity exercise for at least 75 minutes/week. According to initial performance and performance gain throughout the study period, four groups were formed and subsequently compared. Blood sampling for the determination of routine laboratory parameters was done at baseline, after 2, 6, and 8 months. Additionally, adipsin and ANGPTL4 serum levels were concurrently quantified using commercially available ELISA kits.
RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 61.2% male participants with an average age of 49.3±6.7 years. Adipsin and ANGPTL4 were found to be strongly increased by long-term physical exercise. Participants displaying a performance gain of >2.9% throughout the study showed significantly increased serum levels of both biomarkers.
CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of adipsin and ANGPTL4 were closely tied to the individual performance gain of the participating probands. An association of adipsin levels, initial performance, and serum triglycerides was found at baseline. Interestingly, this interrelationship was not detectable after eight months of physical training. This finding might indicate adipsin’s involvement in linking triglyceride-balance to individual performance and energy demands in a homeostatic state.

KEY WORDS: Sports; Complement factor D; Angiopoietin-like protein 4; Triglycerides