Hernandez Siomara, Cruz Myrella L, Torres-Reveron Annelyn, Appleyard Caroline B
Physiology Division, Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce, Puerto Rico - USA.
Physiology Division, Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce, Puerto Rico - USA; Neuroscience Division, Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce Research Institute, Ponce, Puerto Rico - USA.
J Endometr Pelvic Pain Disord. 2015 Jul-Sep;7(3):89-114. doi: 10.5301/je.5000231. Epub 2015 Dec 24.
Symptoms of endometriosis, such as pain and infertility, are considered significant sources of stress. In many chronic conditions, exercise can act as a stress buffer and influence pain perception. We tested the impact of swimming exercise on pain perception and pain receptors in an animal model of endometriosis.
Endometriosis (Endo) was induced in female rats by suturing uterine horn tissue next to the intestinal mesentery. Sham rats received sutures only. Rats were exposed to swimming exercise for 7 consecutive days, while no-exercise rats were left in the home cage. Fecal pellets were counted after swimming as an index of anxiety, and serum corticosterone levels measured. Pain perception was assessed using the hot plate test for hyperalgesia and Von Frey test for allodynia. Mu-opioid receptor (MOR) and neurokinin-1 receptor expression in the spinal cord was measured by immunofluorescence.
Fecal pellet counts were higher in those animals that swam (p<0.05), but no significant difference in corticosterone was found. Although Endo-exercise rats had higher colonic damage (p<0.05) with more cellular infiltration, the lesions were smaller than in Endo-no exercise rats (p<0.05). Exercise did not ameliorate the hyperalgesia, whereas it improved allodynia in both groups. MOR expression was significantly higher in Endo-exercise vs. Endo-no exercise rats (p<0.01), similar to Sham-no exercise levels.
Our results point toward beneficial effects of swimming exercise during endometriosis progression. Physical interventions might be investigated further for their ability to reduce perceived stress and improve outcomes in endometriosis.
子宫内膜异位症的症状，如疼痛和不孕，被认为是压力的重要来源。在许多慢性疾病中，运动可以起到压力缓冲作用并影响疼痛感知。我们在子宫内膜异位症动物模型中测试了游泳运动对疼痛感知和疼痛感受器的影响。
通过将子宫角组织缝合在肠系膜旁来诱导雌性大鼠患子宫内膜异位症。假手术大鼠仅接受缝合。大鼠连续7天进行游泳运动，而不运动的大鼠则留在笼中。游泳后计算粪便颗粒数作为焦虑指标，并测量血清皮质酮水平。使用热板试验评估痛觉过敏，使用von Frey试验评估异常性疼痛，以评估疼痛感知。通过免疫荧光测量脊髓中μ-阿片受体（MOR）和神经激肽-1受体的表达。
游泳的动物粪便颗粒数更高（p<0.05），但皮质酮水平无显著差异。尽管运动的子宫内膜异位症大鼠结肠损伤更严重（p<0.05），细胞浸润更多，但病变比不运动的子宫内膜异位症大鼠小（p<0.05）。运动并未改善痛觉过敏，但改善了两组的异常性疼痛。运动的子宫内膜异位症大鼠的MOR表达明显高于不运动的子宫内膜异位症大鼠（p<0.01），与假手术不运动组水平相似。
我们的结果表明游泳运动在子宫内膜异位症进展过程中具有有益作用。对于物理干预减轻感知压力和改善子宫内膜异位症结局的能力，可能需要进一步研究。
