Moderate Intensity Endurance and Resistance Exercise Attenuates Cachexia in Tumor-bearing Mice

Nicole R Wood; Jacob Garritson; Alissa Mathias; James M Haughian; Reid Hayward

doi:10.21873/anticanres.15498

Moderate Intensity Endurance and Resistance Exercise Attenuates Cachexia in Tumor-bearing Mice

Anticancer Res. 2022 Jan;42(1):397-405. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.15498.

Authors

Nicole R Wood^{1

2}, Jacob Garritson^{1

2}, Alissa Mathias¹, James M Haughian³, Reid Hayward^{4

2}

Affiliations

¹ School of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, U.S.A.
² University of Northern Colorado Cancer Rehabilitation Institute, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, U.S.A.
³ School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, U.S.A.
⁴ School of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, U.S.A. reid.hayward@unco.edu.

PMID: 34969750
DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.15498

Abstract

Background/aim: Cancer cachexia encompasses several deleterious physiological alterations associated with functional impairments, poor quality of life, and increased mortality. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of chronic moderate intensity exercise training on markers of cachexia.

Materials and methods: Balb/c mice were randomly assigned to sedentary (SED) or exercise (EX) groups and EX mice were further randomly assigned to one of three exercise modalities (aerobic, resistance, combined).

Results: Cachexia was induced in SED animals inoculated with C26 cells, as evidenced by significant changes in numerous markers. All cachexia-related perturbations were significantly attenuated in EX versus SED animals. Systemic inflammation was significantly decreased in all EX groups, as evident by a normalization of spleen mass and plasma IL-6.

Conclusion: Multiple moderate intensity exercise modalities can provide significant benefits in cachectic mice, and this may be due, at least in part, to decreased systemic inflammation.

Keywords: Cachexia; aerobic exercise; colon cancer; colon-26; inflammation; muscle fiber type; resistance exercise.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cachexia / etiology
Cachexia / physiopathology
Cachexia / therapy*
Disease Models, Animal
Exercise / physiology*
Humans
Mice
Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
Neoplasms / complications
Neoplasms / physiopathology
Neoplasms / therapy*
Physical Conditioning, Animal*
Physical Therapy Modalities
Quality of Life
Resistance Training
Sedentary Behavior