Few studies have investigated the effect of exercise on homocysteine and 15-F21-isoprostane in animal models. The present study was designed to examine the effect of long-term exercise and/ or high cholesterol diet on MDA, 15-F21-isoprostane and total homocysteine in the aorta and plasma of rabbits. Methods: 56 male rabbits were divided into four groups: normal diet (control), normal diet with exercise, high-cholesterol diet without exercise and high cholesterol diet with exercise. Animals of exercise groups ran on a treadmill at 0.88 km/h for 7.5 –90 min/day (5 days/week) for 12 weeks. At the end of exercise protocol, blood samples were collected and tHcy, 15-F21-isoprostane were measured using enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits. MDA levels were determined by the thiobarbituric acid assay. Thoracic aorta was isolated to evaluate atherosclerosis as well as tHcy, 15-F21-isoprostane and MDA levels. Results: Exercise reduced atherogenic diet-induced atherosclerotic lesions in aorta along with positive changes in plasma cholesterol profile. Atherogenic diet significantly increased plasma and aorta concentrations of MDA and tHcy. Exercise significantly reduced diet-increased plasma and aorta concentrations of 15-F21-isoprostane and tHcy in normal animals. MDA levels did not show significant change due to exercise and/or high cholesterol diet feeding. There was a positive correlation among plasma cholesterol, homocysteine and 15-F21-isoprostane in exercised groups compared with control. Conclusion: Our results suggest that elevated homocysteine level can be considered as one of the multiple risk factors in the development of atherosclerosis. In addition, exercise may effectively reduce plasma and aorta homocysteine and 15-F21-isoprostane and may be effective in prevention and attenuation of atherosclerosis.

Keywords: Exercise, Homocysteine, 15-F21-isoprostane, Malondialdehyde, Atherosclerosis

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