The Cold Atmospheric pressure Plasma (CAP) technology is an emerging technology used for conditioning and microbiological decontamination of biomaterials including food. A novel tool for inactivation of juice background spoilage microorganisms, as well as high count of inoculated yeast while maintaining physicochemical properties in tomato juice - CAP technology was utilized in this study. Dry matter content and pH were not significantly influenced by CAP generated in GlidArc reactor. Small increase of lycopene, and slight loss of vitamin C content were observed.

We aimed to identify differences in mutational status between follicular thyroid adenoma (FTA) and follicular thyroid cancer (FTC). The study included 35 patients with FTA and 35 with FTC. DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples from thyroidectomy. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed with the 50-gene Ion AmpliSeq Cancer Hotspot Panel v2. Potentially pathogenic mutations were found in 14 (40%) FTA and 24 (69%) FTC patients (OR (95%CI) = 3.27 (1.22-8.75)). The number of mutations was higher in patients with FTC than FTA (p-value = 0.03). SMAD4 and STK11 mutations were present only in patients with FTA, while defects in FBXW7, JAK3, KIT, NRAS, PIK3CA, SMARCB1, and TP53 were detected exclusively in FTC patients. TP53 mutations increased the risk of FTC; OR (95%CI) = 29.24 (1.64-522.00); p-value = 0.001. FLT3-positivity was higher in FTC than in the FTA group (51.4% vs. 28.6%; p-value = 0.051). The presence of FLT3 and TP53 with no RET mutations increased FTC detectability by 17.1%, whereas the absence of FLT3 and TP53 with a presence of RET mutations increased FTA detectability by 5.7%. TP53 and FLT3 are candidate markers for detecting malignancy in follicular lesions. The best model to predict FTA and FTC may consist of FLT3, TP53, and RET mutations considered together.

Three polyisoprenoid alcohols were isolated from the leaves of Tournefortia hirsutissima by a bioassay-guided phytochemical investigation. The compounds were identified as 16-hydroxy-lycopersene (Compound 1), (Z8,E3,ω)-dodecaprenol (Compound 2) and (Z9,E3,ω)-tridecaprenol (Compound 3). Compound 1, an unusual polyisoprenoid, was characterized by 1D and 2D NMR. We also determined the absolute configuration at C-16 by the modified Mosher's method. The in vitro antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated. Among isolates, Compound 1 moderately inhibited the nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. On the other hand, Compound 1 displayed selective antiproliferative activity against HeLa, PC3, HepG2 and Hep3B cancer cells and was less potent against IHH non-cancerous cells. Compound 1 in Hep3B cells showed significant inhibition of cell cycle progression increasing the sub-G1 phase, suggesting cell death. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining demonstrated that cell death induced by Compound 1 in cells Hep3B was by apoptosis. Further study showed that apoptosis induced by Compound 1 in Hep3b cells is associated with the increase of the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, and caspase 3/7 activation. These results suggest that Compound 1 induce apoptotic cell death by the mitochondrial pathway. To our knowledge, this is the first report about the presence of polyprenol Compounds 1-3 in T. hirsutissima, and the apoptotic and anti-inflammatory action of Compound 1.

Disease resistance genes encoding proteins with nucleotide binding sites and Leucine-Rich Repeat (NB-LRR) domains include many members involved in the effector-triggered immunity pathway in plants. The transcript levels of these defense genes are negatively regulated by diverse microRNAs (miRNAs) in angiosperms and gymnosperms. In wheat, using small RNA expression datasets and degradome datasets, we identified five miRNA families targeting NB-LRR defense genes in monocots, some of which arose in the Triticeae species era. These miRNAs regulate different types of NB-LRR genes, most of them with coil-coiled domains, and trigger the generation of secondary small interfering RNAs (siRNA) as a phased pattern in the target site regions. In addition to acting in response to biotic stresses, they are also responsive to abiotic stresses such as heat, drought, salt, and light stress. Their copy number and expression variation in Triticeae suggest a rapid birth and death frequency. Altogether, non-conserved miRNAs as conserved transcriptional regulators in gymnosperms and angiosperms regulating the disease resistance genes displayed quick plasticity including the variations of sequences, gene copy number, functions, and expression level, which accompanied with NB-LRR genes may be tune-regulated to plants in natural environments with various biotic and abiotic stresses.

Two new dimeric 1,4-benzoquinone derivatives, peniquinone A (1) and peniquinone B (2), a new dibenzofuran penizofuran A (3), and a new pyrazinoquinazoline derivative quinadoline D (4), together with 13 known compounds (5-17), were isolated from a marine-derived fungus Penicillium sp. L129. Their structures, including absolute configurations, were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data and electronic circular dichroism calculations. Compound 1 exhibited cytotoxicity against the MCF-7, U87 and PC3 cell lines with IC50 values of 12.39 µM, 9.01 µM and 14.59 µM, respectively, while compound 2 displayed relatively weak cytotoxicity activities against MCF-7, U87 and PC3 cell lines with IC50 values of 25.32 µM, 13.45 µM and 19.93 µM, respectively. Furthermore, compound 2 showed weak quorum sensing inhibitory activity against Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 with an MIC value of 20 μg/well.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potent inducer of apoptosis that may be a promising agent in cancer therapy due to its selectivity toward tumor cells. However, many cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL due to defects in apoptosis signaling or activation of survival pathways. We hypothesized that a disruption of pro-survival signaling cascades with the multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib and would be an effective strategy to enhance TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Here we demonstrate that sunitinib significantly augments the anticancer activity of TRAIL in models of colon cancer. The therapeutic benefit of the TRAIL/sunitinib combination was associated with increased apoptosis marked by enhanced caspase-3 cleavage and DNA fragmentation. Overexpression of the anti-apoptotic factor B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) in HCT116 cells reduced TRAIL/sunitinib-mediated apoptosis, further supporting that sunitinib enhances the anticancer activity of TRAIL via augmented apoptosis. Analysis of pro-survival factors identified that the combination of TRAIL and sunitinib significantly downregulated the anti-apoptotic protein X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) through a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-mediated mechanism. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of JNK confirmed its key role in the regulation of sensitivity to this combination as cells with suppressed JNK expression exhibited significantly reduced TRAIL/sunitinib-mediated apoptosis. Importantly, the therapeutic benefit of the TRAIL/sunitinib combination was validated in the HCT116-Luc and HCT15 colon cancer xenograft models, which both demonstrated significant anti-tumor activity in response to combination treatment. Collectively, our data demonstrate that sunitinib enhances TRAIL-mediated apoptosis by heightened JNK activation, diminished XIAP levels, and augmented apoptosis.

Pancreatic cancer is a concealed and highly malignant tumor, and its early diagnosis plays an increasingly weighty role during the course of cancer treatment. In this study, we developed a polymeric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) nanoplatform for MRI contrast agents. To improve tumor-targeting delivery of MRI contrast agents, we employed a pancreatic cancer targeting CKAAKN peptide to prepare a peptide-functionalized amphiphilic hyaluronic acid-vitamin E succinate polymer (CKAAKN-HA-VES) for delivering ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO), namely, CKAAKN-HA-VES@USPIO. With the modification of the CKAAKN peptide, CKAAKN-HA-VES@USPIO could specifically internalize into CKAAKN-positive BxPC-3 cells. The CKAAKN-HA-VES@USPIO nanoparticles presented a more specific accumulation into pancreatic cancer cells than normal pancreatic cells, and an obvious decrease in signal intensity was observed in CKAAKN-positive BxPC-3 cells, compared with CKAAKN-negative HPDE6-C7 cells and non-targeting HA-VES@USPIO nanoparticles. The results demonstrated that our polymeric MRI nanoplatform could selectively internalize into CKAAKN-positive pancreatic cancer cells by the specific binding of CKAAKN peptide with pancreatic cancer cell membrane receptors, which provided a novel polymeric MRI contrast agent with high specificity for pancreatic cancer diagnosis, and makes it a very promising candidate for magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhancement.

Quaternary ammonium amphiphiles are a class of compounds with a wide range of commercial and industrial uses. In the pharmaceutical field, the most common quaternary ammonium surfactant is benzalkonium chloride (BAC), which is employed as a preservative in several topical formulations for ocular, skin, or nasal application. Despite the broad antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as fungi and small enveloped viruses, safety concerns regarding its irritant and cytotoxic effect on epithelial cells still remain. In this work, quaternary ammonium derivatives of leucine esters (C10, C12 and C14) were synthesised as BAC analogues. These cationic surfactants were characterised in terms of critical micelle concentration (CMC, by tensiometry), cytotoxicity (MTS and LDH assays on the Caco-2 and Calu-3 cell lines) and antimicrobial activity on the bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis among the Gram-positives, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa among the Gram-negatives and the yeast Candida albicans. They showed satisfactory surface-active properties, and a cytotoxic effect that was dependent on the length of the hydrophobic chain. Lower minimum inhibiting concentration (MIC) values were calculated for C14-derivatives, which were comparable to those calculated for BAC toward Gram-positive bacteria and slightly higher for Gram-negative bacteria and C. albicans. Thus, the synthesised leucine-based quaternary ammonium cationic surfactants can potentially find application as promising surface-active compounds with antimicrobial activity.

Small intestinal Paneth cells, enteric glial cells (EGC), and goblet cells maintain gut mucosal integrity, homeostasis, and influence host physiology locally and through the gut-brain axis. Little is known about their roles during pregnancy, or how maternal malnutrition impacts these cells and their development. Pregnant mice were fed a control diet (CON), undernourished by 30% vs. control (UN), or fed a high fat diet (HF). At day 18.5 (term = 19), gut integrity and function were assessed by immunohistochemistry and qPCR. UN mothers displayed reduced mRNA expression of Paneth cell antimicrobial peptides (AMP; Lyz2, Reg3g) and an accumulation of villi goblet cells, while HF had reduced Reg3g and mucin (Muc2) mRNA and increased lysozyme protein. UN fetuses had increased mRNA expression of gut transcription factor Sox9, associated with reduced expression of maturation markers (Cdx2, Muc2), and increased expression of tight junctions (TJ; Cldn-7). HF fetuses had increased mRNA expression of EGC markers (S100b, Bfabp, Plp1), AMP (Lyz1, Defa1, Reg3g), and TJ (Cldn-3, Cldn-7), and reduced expression of an AMP-activator (Tlr4). Maternal malnutrition altered expression of genes that maintain maternal gut homeostasis, and altered fetal gut permeability, function, and development. This may have long-term implications for host-microbe interactions, immunity, and offspring gut-brain axis function.

Personalized quality of service (QoS) prediction plays an important role in helping users build high-quality service-oriented systems. To obtain accurate prediction results, many approaches have been investigated in recent years. However, these approaches do not fully address untrustworthy QoS values submitted by unreliable users, leading to inaccurate predictions. To address this issue, inspired by blockchain with distributed ledger technology, distributed consensus mechanisms, encryption algorithms, etc., we propose a personalized QoS prediction method for web services that we call blockchain-based matrix factorization (BMF). We develop a user verification approach based on homomorphic hash, and use the Byzantine agreement to remove unreliable users. Then, matrix factorization is employed to improve the accuracy of predictions and we evaluate the proposed BMF on a real-world web services dataset. Experimental results show that the proposed method significantly outperforms existing approaches, making it much more effective than traditional techniques.

The oncologic merits of the laparoscopic technique for colorectal cancer surgery remain debatable. Eligible patients with non-metastatic colorectal cancer who were scheduled for an elective resection by one surgeon in a medical institution were randomized to either laparoscopic or open surgery. During this period, a total of 188 patients received laparoscopic surgery and the other 163 patients received the open approach. The primary endpoint was cancer-free five-year survival after operative treatment, and the secondary endpoint was the tumor recurrence incidence. Besides, surgical complications were also compared. There was no statistically significant difference between open and laparoscopic groups regarding the average number of lymph nodes dissected, ileus, anastomosis leakage, overall mortality rate, cancer recurrence rate, or cancer-free five-year survival. Even though performing a laparoscopic approach used a significantly longer operation time, this technique was more effective for colorectal cancer treatment in terms of shorter hospital stay and less blood loss. Meanwhile, fewer patients receiving the laparoscopic approach developed postoperative urinary tract infection, wound infection, or pneumonia, which reached statistical significance. For non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients, laparoscopic surgery resulted in better short-term outcomes, whether in several surgical complications and intra-operative blood loss. Though there was no significant statistical difference in terms of cancer-free five-year survival and tumor recurrence, it is strongly recommended that patients undergo laparoscopic surgery if not contraindicated.

Little evidence has been presented on the usefulness of sticky traps for monitoring bed bugs, Cimex lectularius. We examined how the surface roughness around the adhesive of a sticky trap affects both bed bug behavior and adhesive entrapment. In the first assay, bed bugs were placed onto acetate paper discs with different roughness averages (Ra). Each disc was surrounded by sticky trap adhesive and number of captured bed bugs were recorded. The second assay was set up similarly to the first assay except that the outer portion of the acetate disc had a different Ra than the center. In the third assay, bed bugs were placed into circular acetate arenas where they were surrounded by different Ra treatments. The number of times the bed bugs contacted the Ra treatment but did not cross onto the treatment was recorded. Results of these assays showed that as the acetate surfaces got smoother (lower Ra), bed bugs were more likely to get trapped in sticky trap adhesives but also less likely to travel across the smoother surfaces they encountered. A sticky trap design with a smooth plastic film around the adhesive was tested in the field to see if it could capture bed bugs in apartments with known bed bug activity. This trap was not only able to capture bed bugs but was also able to detect unknown German cockroach, Blattela germanica, infestations. Sticky trap designs with smooth surfaces around an adhesive could be used to monitor not only bed bugs but also German cockroaches.

Pathogen-induced cell death is closely related to plant disease susceptibility and resistance. The cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) mildew resistance locus O (CsMLO1) and calmodulin (CsCaM3) genes, as molecular components, are linked to nonhost resistance and hypersensitive cell death. In this study, we demonstrate that CsMLO1 interacts with CsCaM3 via yeast two-hybrid, firefly luciferase (LUC) complementation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) experiments. A subcellular localization analysis of green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion reveals that CsCaM3 is transferred from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane in Nicotiana benthamiana, and CsCaM3 green fluorescence is significantly attenuated via the coexpression of CsMLO1 and CsCaM3. CsMLO1 negatively regulates CsCaM3 expression in transiently transformed cucumbers, and hypersensitive cell death is disrupted by CsCaM3 and/or CsMLO1 expression under Corynespora cassiicola infection. Additionally, CsMLO1 silencing significantly enhances the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related genes (CsPO1, CsRbohD, and CsRbohF), defense marker genes (CsPR1 and CsPR3) and callose deposition-related gene (CsGSL) in infected cucumbers. These results suggest that the interaction of CsMLO1 with CsCaM3 may act as a cell death regulator associated with plant immunity and disease.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent the most common nosocomial infections, and surgical sutures are optimal surfaces for bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., and Escherichia coli are the most commonly isolated microorganisms. The aim of this research was to evaluate the antibiofilm activity of a medical device (MD) containing TIAB, which is a silver-nanotech patented product. The antibacterial effect was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, and E. coli ATCC 25922 by assessing the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by the Alamar Blue® (AB) assay. The antibiofilm effect was determined by evaluation of the minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) and colony-forming unit (CFU) count. Subsequently, the MD was applied on sutures exposed to the bacterial species. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects were evaluated by the agar diffusion test method, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The MIC was determined for S. aureus and E. faecalis at 2 mg/mL, while the MBIC was 1.5 mg/mL for S. aureus and 1 mg/mL for E. faecalis. The formation of an inhibition zone around three different treated sutures confirmed the antimicrobial activity, while the SEM and CLSM analysis performed on the MD-treated sutures underlined the presence of a few adhesive cells, which were for the most part dead. The MD showed antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities versus S. aureus and E. faecalis, but a lower efficacy against E. coli. Surgical sutures coated with the MD have the potential to reduce SSIs as well as the risk of biofilm formation post-surgery.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of extracellular senile plaques primarily composed of Aβ peptides and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins. Olfactory dysfunction is an early clinical phenotype in AD and was reported to be attributable to the presence of NFTs, senile Aβ plaques in the olfactory bulb (OB). Our previous research found that selenomethionine (Se-Met), a major form of selenium (Se) in organisms, effectively increased oxidation resistance as well as reduced the generation and deposition of Aβ and tau hyperphosphorylation in the olfactory bulb of a triple transgenic mouse model of AD (3×Tg-AD), thereby suggesting a potential therapeutic option for AD. In this study, we further investigated changes in the transcriptome data of olfactory bulb tissues of 7-month-old triple transgenic AD (3×Tg-AD) mice treated with Se-Met (6 µg/mL) for three months. Comparison of the gene expression profile between Se-Met-treated and control mice revealed 143 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among these genes, 21 DEGs were upregulated and 122 downregulated. The DEGs were then annotated against the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases. The results show that upregulated genes can be roughly classified into three types. Some of them mainly regulate the regeneration of nerves, such as Fabp7, Evt5 and Gal; some are involved in improving cognition and memory, such as Areg; and some are involved in anti-oxidative stress and anti-apoptosis, such as Adcyap1 and Scg2. The downregulated genes are mainly associated with inflammation and apoptosis, such as Lrg1, Scgb3a1 and Pglyrp1. The reliability of the transcriptomic data was validated by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for the selected genes. These results were in line with our previous study, which indicated therapeutic effects of Se-Met on AD mice, providing a theoretical basis for further study of the treatment of AD by Se-Met.

Several studies indicate that acute exercise induces DNA damage, whereas regular exercise increases DNA repair kinetics. Although the molecular mechanisms are not completely understood, the induction of endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) during acute exhaustive exercise due to metabolic processes might be responsible for the observed DNA damage, while an adaptive increase in antioxidant capacity due to regular physical activity seems to play an important protective role. However, the protective effect of physical activity on exogenously induced DNA damage in human immune cells has been poorly investigated. We asked the question whether individuals with a high aerobic capacity would have an enhanced response to radiation-induced DNA damage. Immune cells are highly sensitive to radiation and exercise affects lymphocyte dynamics and immune function. Therefore, we measured endogenous and radiation-induced DNA strand breaks and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1) activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from endurance-trained (maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during incremental exercise V'O2max > 55 mL/min/kg) and untrained (V'O2max < 45 mL/min/kg) young healthy male volunteers before and after exhaustive exercise. Our results indicate that: (i) acute exercise induces DNA strand breaks in lymphocytes only in untrained individuals, (ii) following acute exercise, trained individuals repaired radiation-induced DNA strand breaks faster than untrained individuals, and (iii) trained subjects retained a higher level of radiation-induced PARP1 activity after acute exercise. The results of the present study indicate that increased aerobic fitness can protect immune cells against radiation-induced DNA strand breaks.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that is the main cause of dementia in the elderly. The aggregation of β-amyloid peptides is one of the characterizing pathological changes of AD. Topiramate is an antiepileptic drug, which in addition, is used in the treatment of many neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, the therapeutic effects of topiramate were investigated in a transgenic mouse model of cerebral amyloidosis (APP/PS1 mice). Before, during, and after topiramate treatment, behavioral tests were performed. Following a treatment period of 21 days, topiramate significantly ameliorated deficits in nest-constructing capability as well as in social interaction. Thereafter, brain sections of mice were analyzed, and a significant attenuation of microglial activation as well as β-amyloid deposition was observed in sections from topiramate-treated APP/PS1 mice. Therefore, topiramate could be considered as a promising drug in the treatment of human AD.

To inform public health policy and research, we analyzed the patterns of life lost to cancers and evaluated the cancer burden in China. Based on the published Chinese Cancer Registry Annual Report and related literature in 2013, we calculated the cancer-related mortality and potential years of life lost (PYLL) by age, sex, districts (urban or rural), to describe the patterns of life lost to cancers. The high death-risk cancers in China were lung, liver, stomach, esophageal, colorectal, breast, pancreatic, brain and nervous system, and ovarian cancers, and leukemia. Liver and esophageal cancers were more prominent among males, while breast and colorectal cancers were more prevalent among females. The most obvious differences of mortality between urban and rural areas were found in liver, esophageal, and colorectal cancers. Cancer-related mortality increased significantly after the age of 30 years, and peaking at 70-79 years. The PYLL rate of cancer in urban areas was higher than that in rural areas (21.49 vs. 19.20/1000), and significant regional and gender differences of PYLL ranks can be observed. For people aged over 60 years, cancer PYLL mainly came from lung, stomach, and esophageal cancers; for middle-aged people, it was mainly induced by liver, colorectal, and female reproductive systems' cancers; and for those under 30 years, life lost to cancer was mainly caused by leukemia and brain, nervous system cancers. Moreover, disparities in age distribution of PYLL from different regions and sexes can be found. In short, three categories of people, including those in urban areas, males and people over 60 years, were suffering from more serious cancer deaths and life lost. These variations pose considerable challenges for the Chinese health care system, and comprehensive measures are required for cancer prevention and treatment.

With obesity, the consumption of phenolic-enriched food additives as a part of traditional nutrition avoids the negative implications of eating high-calorie products. This study investigated the new herbal food additive, Phlojodicarpus sibiricus roots and herb, ubiquitously used in Siberia as a spice. Chromatographic techniques such as HPLC-DAD-ESI-QQQ-MS/MS and microcolumn HPLC-UV were the basic instruments for component profiling and quantification, and antiobesity potential was investigated using a differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes assay. We found that the roots and herb of P. sibiricus were high-coumarin-containing additives inhibiting triacylglycerol accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Forty-one phenolics were detected in P. sibiricus extracts, and 35 were coumarins, including 27 khellactone derivatives present as esters and glucosides. Total coumarin content varied from 36.16 mg/g of herb to 98.24 mg/g of roots, and from 0.32 mg/mL to 52.91 mg/mL in P. sibiricus preparations. Moreover, Siberian populations of P. sibiricus were characterised by a different HPLC-based coumarin profile. The most pronounced inhibiting effect on triacylglycerol accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was shown for dihydrosamidin (khellactone 3'-O-isovaleroyl-4'-O-acetyl ester), which was more active than other khellactone esters and glucosides. The results demonstrated that if used as a food additive Phlojodicarpus sibiricus could be a source of bioactive coumarins of the khellactone group with high antiobesity potential.

Background and objectives: Adipose tissue and skeletal muscle secrete adiponectin, a hormone abundantly secreted by adipocytes, that through the adiponectin receptor, regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Adiponectin appears to protect skeletal muscles from inflammatory damage induced by oxidative stress. It has been suggested that decreased adiponectin levels could be associated with pathologic conditions, including obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, some studies suggest that exercise could have a beneficial effect by increasing adiponectin levels, but this observation remains controversial. It is also unknown if physical exercise modifies adiponectin expression in skeletal muscles. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic exercise on serum adiponectin and adiponectin expression in slow-twitch (soleus) and fast-twitch (plantaris) muscles in healthy rats. Materials and methods: Two-month-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups with n = 6 in each group: control (C), moderate-intensity training (MIT), and high-intensity training (HIT). The rats were conditioned to run on a treadmill for the 8-week period. Forty-eight hours after the last session, blood samples were collected for adiponectin measurements and total RNA was isolated from plantaris and soleus muscles to measure by RT-qPCR adiponectin receptor 1 and adiponectin mRNA expression level. Results: MIT and HIT groups had reduced adiponectin protein levels in serum and the plantaris muscle, but not changes in adiponectin protein were observed in the soleus muscle. No significant differences in Adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) gene expression were observed following intense or moderate exercise in either muscle group studied. Conclusions: Our study shows that decreasing levels of circulating adiponectin is a result of physical exercise and should not be generalized as a predictive marker of disease.