Int J Sports Med 2021; 42(01): 33-40 DOI: 10.1055/a-1186-1009
Physiology & Biochemistry
Resistance Exercise Modulates Kynurenine Pathway in Pancreatic Cancer
Patients
Anasua Pal
1
Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, Deutsches
Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany
2
Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, National Center
of Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
,
Philipp Zimmer
3
Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine; Department of
Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne,
Germany
4
(G210) Department for Physical Activity, Preventive Research and
Cancer, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany
,
Dorothea Clauss
1
Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, Deutsches
Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany
2
Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, National Center
of Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
5
Division of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg Medical
Clinic, Heidelberg, Germany
,
Martina E. Schmidt
1
Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, Deutsches
Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany
,
Cornelia M. Ulrich
6
Huntsman Cancer Institute and Department of Population Health Sciences,
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, United States
,
Joachim Wiskemann
7
Medical Oncology, Heidelberg Cancer Center, Heidelberg, Germany
,
Karen Steindorf
1
Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, Deutsches
Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany
› Author AffiliationsFunding: The SUPPORT trial was supported by a grant of the German Caner
Aid (Grant No. 110513 and 110552) as well as by additional financial support of
the German Cancer Research Center and the University Hospital Heidelberg.
Biospecimen storage was further supported by the infrastructure of the NCT
Liquid Biobank.
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of Supervised and Home-based
resistance exercise on the Kynurenine pathway in patients with pancreatic cancer
who underwent surgery and chemotherapy. In the SUPPORT study, adult pancreatic
cancer patients were randomized to intervention programs of 6-month (1) a
Supervised moderate-to-high-intensity progressive resistance training or (2)
unsupervised Home-based resistance training, or (3) to a standard care patient
Control group. Serum levels of kynurenine, tryptophan and IL-6 were assessed for
32 participants before, after 3 months and after 6 months of exercise
intervention. Group differences were investigated using analysis-of-covariance.
Patients in the Supervised training group showed decreased levels of serum
kynurenine and kynurenine/tryptophan ratio (p = 0.07; p
= 0.01 respectively) as well as increased Tryptophan levels (p =
0.05) in comparison to Home-based and Control group over time. The Home-based
exercise group had significant increased kynurenine and
kynurenine/tryptophan ratio levels. IL-6 levels decreased over the first
three months for both intervention groups as well as the Control group
(Supervised: p < 0.01, Home-based: p < 0.010, Control group: p
< 0.01). Supervised resistance exercise might positively regulate the
Kynurenine pathway and downregulate the kynurenine/tryptophan
(indicative of IDO/TDO enzyme) levels, hence modulating the immune
system.
3
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