Exercise prevents the effects of experimental arthritis on the metabolism and function of immune cells

• Published in: Cell biochemistry and function Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 266 - 273
• Main Authors: Navarro, Francisco, Bacurau, Aline V. N., Almeida, Sandro S., Barros, Carlos C., Moraes, Milton R., Pesquero, Jorge L., Ribeiro, Sandra M. L., Araújo, Ronaldo C., Costa Rosa, Luis F. B. P., Bacurau, Reury F. P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.06.2010
• Subjects: Aerobic capacity; Animals; Arthritis, Experimental - chemically induced; Arthritis, Experimental - metabolism; Arthritis, Experimental - prevention & control; Cattle; Collagen; Collagen (type II); Collagen Type II - toxicity; Concanavalin A; Corticosterone; Corticosterone - blood; Data processing; exercise; Female; Glucose - metabolism; Glutamine; Glutamine - metabolism; Hormones; Hydrogen peroxide; Immune system; Inflammation; Interleukin 2; Interleukin-2 - blood; Lipopolysaccharides; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes - immunology; Lymphocytes - metabolism; Lymphocytes - physiology; Macrophages; Macrophages - immunology; Macrophages - metabolism; Macrophages - physiology; Metabolism; Physical Conditioning, Animal; Physical training; Plasma levels; Progesterone; Progesterone - blood; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rheumatoid arthritis; Swimming
• ISSN: 0263-6484; 1099-0844; 1099-0844
• DOI: 10.1002/cbf.1647

Active lymphocytes (LY) and macrophages (MΦ) are involved in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Due to its anti‐inflammatory effect, physical exercise may be beneficial in RA by acting on the immune system (IS). Thus, female Wistar rats with type II collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) were submitted to swimming training (6 weeks, 5 days/week, 60 min/day) and some biochemical and immune parameters, such as the metabolism of glucose and glutamine and function of LY and MΦ, were evaluated. In addition, plasma levels of some hormones and of interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) were also determined. Results demonstrate that CIA increased lymphocyte proliferation (1.9‐ and 1.7‐fold, respectively, in response to concanavalin A (ConA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)), as well as macrophage H2O2 production (1.6‐fold), in comparison to control. Exercise training prevented the activation of immune cells, induced by CIA, and established a pattern of substrate utilization similar to that described as normal for these cells. Exercise also promoted an elevation of plasma levels of corticosterone (22.2%), progesterone (1.7‐fold) and IL‐2 (2.6‐fold). Our data suggest that chronic exercise is able to counterbalance the effects of CIA on cells of the IS, reinforcing the proposal that the benefits of exercise may not be restricted to aerobic capacity and/or strength improvement. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.