Showing papers in "Exercise Immunology Review in 2011"

Position statement. Part one: Immune function and exercise.

Abstract: An ever-growing volume of peer-reviewed publications speaks to the recent and rapid growth in both scope and understanding of exercise immunology. Indeed, more than 95% of all peer-reviewed publications in exercise immunology (currently >2, 200 publications using search terms "exercise" and "immune") have been published since the formation of the International Society of Exercise and Immunology (ISEI) in 1989 (ISI Web of Knowledge). We recognise the epidemiological distinction between the generic term "physical activity" and the specific category of "exercise", which implies activity for a specific purpose such as improvement of physical condition or competition. Extreme physical activity of any type may have implications for the immune system. However, because of its emotive component, exercise is likely to have a larger effect, and to date the great majority of our knowledge on this subject comes from exercise studies.

Position statement. Part two: Maintaining immune health.

Abstract: The physical training undertaken by athletes is one of a set of lifestyle or behavioural factors that can influence immune function, health and ultimately exercise performance. Others factors including potential exposure to pathogens, health status, lifestyle behaviours, sleep and recovery, nutrition and psychosocial issues, need to be considered alongside the physical demands of an athlete's training programme. The general consensus on managing training to maintain immune health is to start with a programme of low to moderate volume and intensity; employ a gradual and periodised increase in training volumes and loads; add variety to limit training monotony and stress; avoid excessively heavy training loads that could lead to exhaustion, illness or injury; include non-specific cross-training to offset staleness; ensure sufficient rest and recovery; and instigate a testing programme for identifying signs of performance deterioration and manifestations of physical stress. Inter-individual variability in immunocompetence, recovery, exercise capacity, non-training stress factors, and stress tolerance likely explains the different vulnerability of athletes to illness. Most athletes should be able to train with high loads provided their programme includes strategies devised to control the overall strain and stress. Athletes, coaches and medical personnel should be alert to periods of increased risk of illness (e.g. intensive training weeks, the taper period prior to competition, and during competition) and pay particular attention to recovery and nutritional strategies.

Sex differences in immune variables and respiratory infection incidence in an athletic population.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in immune variables and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) incidence in 18-35 year-old athletes engaged in endurance-based physical activity during the winter months. Eighty physically active individuals (46 males, 34 females) provided resting venous blood samples for determination of differential leukocyte counts, lymphocyte subsets and whole blood culture multi-antigen stimulated cytokine production. Timed collections of unstimulated saliva were also made for determination of saliva flow rate, immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentration and IgA secretion rate. Weekly training and illness logs were kept for the following 4 months. Training loads averaged 10 h/week of moderate-vigorous physical activity and were not different for males and females. Saliva flow rates, IgA concentration and IgA secretion rates were significantly higher in males than females (all P 0.05). The average number of weeks with URTI symptoms was 1.7 +/- 2.1 (mean +/- SD) in males and 2.3 +/- 2.5 in females (P = 0.311). It is concluded that most aspects of immunity are similar in men and women in an athletic population and that the observed differences in a few immune variables are not sufficient to substantially affect URTI incidence. Sex differences in immune function among athletes probably do not need to be considered in future mixed gender studies on exercise, infection and immune function unless the focus is on mucosal immunity or NK cells.

A review of sex differences in immune function after aerobic exercise.

Abstract: When menstrual phase and oral contraceptives are controlled for, males and females display marked differences in immune response to an exercise stress. In highly controlled research studies, sex differences in immune cell changes, cytokine alterations, along with morbidity and mortality after inoculation are apparent. Exercise has been hypothesized to serve as a model of various clinical stresses by inducing similar hormonal and immunological alterations. Thus, a greater understanding of sex differences in post exercise non-specific immune function may provide insight into more effective clinical approaches and treatments. This paper reviews the recent evidence supporting sex differences in post exercise immune response and highlights the need for greater control when comparing the post exercise immune response between sexes.

Plasma adenosine triphosphate and heat shock protein 72 concentrations after aerobic and eccentric exercise.

Abstract: The endolysosome pathway has been proposed for secretion of heat shock protein (Hsp)72 with a regulatory role for extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Here, we tested the hypothesis that extracellular ATP mediates the increase in plasma Hsp72 after exercise. We measured plasma ATP Hsp72, cathepsin D, norepinephrine, free fatty acid, glucose, and myoglobin in 8 healthy young males (mean +/- SE: age, 22.3 +/- 0.3 years; height, 171.4 +/- 0.8 cm; weight, 68.8 +/- 3.1 kg; body mass index, 23.5 +/- 1.1 kg/cm2; VO2 max, 44.1 +/- 3.8 mL/kg/min) before and at 0, 10, 30, and 60 min after aerobic exercise (cycling) and elbow flexor eccentric exercise. Subjects cycled for 60 min at 70-75% VO2 max (mean +/- SE; 157.4 +/- 6.9 W). Eccentric strength exercise consisted of flexing the elbow joint to 90 degrees with motion speed set at 30 degrees/sec at extension and 10 degrees/sec at flexion. Subjects performed 7 sets of 10 eccentric actions with a set interval of 60 sec. The motion range of the elbow joint was 90 degrees-180 degrees. Compared with the levels of Hsp72 and ATP in plasma after bicycle exercise, those after eccentric exercise did not change. A significant group x time interaction was not observed for Hsp72 or ATP in plasma. A significant correlation was found between Hsp72 and ATP in plasma (r=0.79, P<0.05), but not between Hsp72 and norepinephrine (r=0.64, P=0.09) after bicycle exercise. A significant correlation between ATP and norepinephrine in plasma was found (r=0.89 P<0.01). We used stepwise multiple-regression analysis to determine independent predictors of exercise-induced elevation of eHsp72. Candidate predictor variables for the stepwise multiple-regression analysis were time (Pre, Post, Post10, Post30, Post60), exercise type (aerobic, eccentric), ATP, cathepsin D, norepinephrine, epinephrine, glucose, and FFA. In the regression model for Hsp72 in plasma, increased ATP and glucose were the strongest predictors of increased Hsp72 (ATP: R2=0.213, beta=0.473, P=0.000; ATP and glucose: R2=0.263, beta=0.534, P=0.000). Collectively, these results imply that ATP in plasma is a trigger of Hsp72 release after exercise.

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors and exercise

Abstract: Exercise can alter human health in both beneficial (e. g. reduced risk of infection and of atherosclerosis) and adverse (e. g. anaphylaxis, exercise-induced asthma, and exacerbation of chronic illness) ways. Hitherto, the mechanisms linking exer cise and health are not fully understood, but may rest on the capability of exercise to both increase circulating immune cells and modulate their activity. Natural kil ler (NK) cells, a major component of innate immunity, are one of the most sensiti ve populations of immune cells to exercise stress. NK cells play an important role in the detection and elimination of tumours and virus-infected cells. To mediate NK cell functions, there is an array of activating and inhibitory receptors with distinct specificities on their surface. Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) which bind to MHC class I are a key example of receptors expressed by NK cells. The combination of MHC class I and KIR variants influences resistance to infections, susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, as well as complications of pregnancy. It is suggested that KIRs may also determine a considerable part of the effects of physical activity on human health. In this review we discuss KIRs in more detail, their role in the onset of human diseases, and the influence of acute exercise on KIR gene expression.