PLASMA AND BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELL GLUTAMINE CONCENTRATIONS AFTER ACUTE INTENSE EXERCISE

Abstract

119 The goal of this study was to compare glutamine concentrations in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) after intense exercise. Three male triathletes (VO2max 68.2-73.6 ml.kg−1.min−1) performed interval cycle ergometry to exhaustion (mean 123 min). Blood was sampled pre-, immediately post-, 1.5 and 3 h post-exercise. Plasma and PBMC glutamine concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Plasma glutamine concentration did not change significantly at any time after exercise. PBMC glutamine concentration increased post-exercise (p < 0.05), but returned to pre-exercise values at 1.5 and 3 h post-exercise. As expected, PBMC counts increased post-, and declined below baseline levels 1.5 h post-exercise (p < 0.05 for each). When PBMC glutamine concentration was adjusted for changes in cell count, glutamine concentration per cell was unchanged immediately post-, but was elevated (nearly doubled) 1.5 h post-exercise (p < 0.05). PBMC glutamine concentration and cell counts were significantly correlated at pre- and 1.5 h post-exercise time points only (r = 0.96, p < 0.05 for each). These data show that PBMC glutamine concentration and cell counts increase to a similar extent immediately after intense interval exercise, and glutamine concentration per PBMC increases above rest levels 1.5 h post-exercise. These data suggest that glutamine uptake by PBMC may be stimulated 1.5 h after intense exercise, and that glutamine availability to lymphocytes may not be compromised by intense exercise when plasma glutamine concentration remains unchanged.