EPIGET, Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via san Barnaba 8, 20122 Milan, Italy.
Department of Cardiology, Fondazione IRCSS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, via san Barnaba 8, I-20122 Milan, Italy.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Jul 16;16(14):2530. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16142530.
Essential hypertension is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. Epidemiological studies have shown that physical training can reduce blood pressure (BP), both in hypertensive and healthy individuals. Increasing evidence is emerging that DNA methylation is involved in alteration of the phenotype and of vascular function in response to environmental stimuli. We evaluated repetitive element and gene-specific DNA methylation in peripheral blood leukocytes of 68 volunteers, taken before (T0) and after (T1) a three-month intervention protocol of continuative aerobic physical exercise. DNA methylation was assessed by bisulfite-PCR and pyrosequencing. Comparing T0 and T1 measurements, we found an increase in oxygen consumption at peak of exercise (VO) and a decrease in diastolic BP at rest. Exercise increased the levels of ALU and Long Interspersed Nuclear Element 1 (LINE-1) repetitive elements methylation, and of Endothelin-1 (), Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (), and Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha () gene-specific methylation. VO was positively associated with methylation of ALU, , , and ; systolic BP at rest was inversely associated with LINE-1, , and methylation; diastolic BP was inversely associated with and methylation. Our findings suggest a possible role of DNA methylation for lowering systemic BP induced by the continuative aerobic physical training program.
原发性高血压是全球首要的可预防致死病因。流行病学研究表明，体力活动训练可降低血压（BP），无论是在高血压患者还是健康个体中都是如此。越来越多的证据表明，DNA 甲基化参与了对环境刺激的表型和血管功能的改变。我们评估了 68 名志愿者外周血白细胞中的重复元件和基因特异性 DNA 甲基化，这些志愿者在进行持续有氧体力活动干预方案前后（T0 和 T1）接受了采样。通过亚硫酸氢盐-PCR 和焦磷酸测序评估了 DNA 甲基化。将 T0 和 T1 的测量值进行比较，我们发现运动峰值时的耗氧量（VO）增加，休息时的舒张压（BP）降低。运动增加了 ALU 和长散布核元件 1（LINE-1）重复元件的甲基化水平，以及内皮素-1（）、诱导型一氧化氮合酶（）和肿瘤坏死因子-α（）基因特异性甲基化水平。VO 与 ALU、、和的甲基化呈正相关；休息时的收缩压与 LINE-1、和的甲基化呈负相关；舒张压与和的甲基化呈负相关。我们的研究结果表明，DNA 甲基化可能在持续有氧体力训练方案引起的全身血压降低中发挥作用。
