The Effects Of Cardiorespiratory Fitness On Changes In Salivary Immunoglobulin A (siga) Following Maximal Exercise

Abstract

Salivary immunoglobulin A (SIgA) levels are recognized as a physiological marker of the health of the human mucosal immune system. Previous research has shown SIgA concentrations decrease immediately following high intensity and long duration exercise while moderate intensity exercise may result in an increase in SIgA levels. More recently, researchers have suggested that a person’s cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) may impact SIgA response following acute exercise. PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of CRF on SIgA changes following maximal exercise. METHODS: Unstimulated saliva was collected from twenty-three (5 males, 18 females) healthy college students (mAge = 20.1 ± 1.2) before and 5 minutes after a VO2max test. Samples were measured for volume to determine salivary flow rate (SFR). Biochemical analysis was performed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine absolute SIgA concentrations. Additionally, SIgA secretion rate was computed from SFR and absolute SIgA concentrations. A median split was performed to establish a higher fitness group (HF) and a lower fitness (LF) group. RESULTS: The HF group (m = 50.8 mL·kg-1·min-1) was significantly different than the LF group (m = 38.2 mL·kg-1·min-1), t(21) = 4.67, p < .001. No differences were determined between changes in SIgA concentrations of the HF group (m = 398.9 μg·mL-1) and the LF group (m = 278.3 μg·mL-1). Moreover, there was no difference in changes in secretion rate between the HF (m = 148.1 μg·min-1) and LF (m = 175.5 μg/min) groups or SFR for the HF (m = -72.29 μg·min-1) and LF (m = 58.58 μg·min-1) groups. CONCLUSION: Cardiorespiratory fitness does not appear to affect the concentration, secretion rate or salivary flow rate of SIgA following maximal exercise.