Cardiovascular Stress Biomarkers in Response to Marathon Running in Male Athletes with Various Plasma Trimethylamine N-oxide Levels

Abstract

Abstract Habitual physical activity is known to support cardiovascular health. However, when intensive exercise is performed for long durations, it can negatively affect the cardiovascular system. We evaluated the exercise-induced physiological responses of cardiac markers in male marathon runners with basal levels of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) plasma below (LT) and equal or above (HT) value of 4.0 µM. Blood samples from 28 marathon runners were collected two weeks before the marathon run (control before), after finishing the race (post-marathon), and two weeks after the race (control after). Serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI), endothelin-1 (ET-1), galectin-3, pentraxin-3, human growth differentiation factor 15, and neopterin were determined by the enzyme immunoassay method. Plasma trimethylamine and TMAO were measured by the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Running a marathon increased level of circulating stress biomarkers. A greater post-marathon elevation of cTnI and ET-1 was associated with higher plasma TMAO levels in the control samples prior to the marathon. A significant increase in ET-1 in post-marathon HT samples may indicate increased blood pressure and myocardial load due to increased vascular tone. Such an increase leads to greater myocardial cell membrane permeability and cTnI release. These modifications were not associated with other determined cardiovascular and inflammatory markers.