Brief Bout Of Exercise Research Articles

The Sickle Cell Pro-Inflammatory Response to Interval Testing Study (SPRINTS) in children and young adults with sickle cell anemia – Study design and methodological strategies

The impact of sickle cell anemia (SCA) and its complications on physical functioning and cardiopulmonary/aerobic fitness in affected individuals is significant. Although limited data support the safety of maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) for children and adults with SCA, the safety of submaximal moderate and high intensity, and longer duration, exercise in this population is not clear. The Sickle Cell Pro-Inflammatory Response to Interval Testing Study (SPRINTS) is a multicenter, randomized, prospective trial. SPRINTS leverages unique collaborations between investigators in pediatric hematology and exercise science to evaluate the impact of exercise intensity on the acute phase inflammatory response to exercise and changes in airway dynamics in children and young adults with SCA. Here we describe the study design and methodological strategies employed in SPRINTS, including an exercise challenge that mimics real-life patterns of childhood physical activity, characterized by multiple moderate and high intensity brief bouts of exercise interspersed with rest periods. Primary outcomes comprise pre- and post-exercise biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction and spirometry. Secondary outcomes include assessment of physical activity and functioning, genomic studies and near-infrared spectroscopy measurements to assess tissue oxygenation status during exercise. SPRINTS aims to enroll 70 subjects with SCA and 70 matched, healthy controls. We anticipate that data from SPRINTS will address gaps in our understanding of exercise responses and safety in SCA and support the future development of evidence-based, exercise prescription guidelines in this population.

A brief bout of exercise in hypoxia reduces ventricular filling rate and stroke volume response during muscle metaboreflex activation

PurposeThe hemodynamic consequences of exercise in hypoxia have not been completely investigated. The present investigation aimed at studying the hemodynamic effects of contemporary normobaric hypoxia and metaboreflex activation.MethodsEleven physically active, healthy males (age 32.7 ± 7.2 years) completed a cardiopulmonary test on an electromagnetically braked cycle-ergometer to determine their maximum workload (Wmax). On separate days, participants performed two randomly assigned exercise sessions (3 minutes pedalling at 30% of Wmax): (1) one in normoxia (NORMO), and (2) one in normobaric hypoxia with FiO2 set to 13.5% (HYPO). After each session, the following protocol was randomly assigned: either (1) post-exercise muscle ischemia (PEMI) to study the metaboreflex, or (2) a control exercise recovery session, i.e., without metaboreflex activation. Hemodynamics were assessed with impedance cardiography.ResultsThe main result was that the HYPO session impaired the ventricular filling rate (measured as stroke volume/diastolic time) response during PEMI versus control condition in comparison to the NORMO test (31.33 ± 68.03 vs. 81.52 ± 49.23 ml·s−1,respectively, p = 0.003). This caused a reduction in the stroke volume response (1.45 ± 9.49 vs. 10.68 ± 8.21 ml, p = 0.020). As a consequence, cardiac output response was impaired during the HYPO test.ConclusionsThe present investigation suggests that a brief exercise bout in hypoxia is capable of impairing cardiac filling rate as well as stroke volume during the metaboreflex. These results are in good accordance with recent findings showing that among hemodynamic modulators, ventricular filling is the most sensible variable to hypoxic stimuli.

Effects of Exercise on Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-Third Edition Performance in Women.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a brief exercise protocol on Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-Third Edition (SCAT3) performance in amateur women athletes. Cross-over repeated-measures design. Off-season, uninjured community amateur athletes. We examined 87 amateur women athlete volunteers (age = 29.9, SD = 6.9 years). Participants were assessed using the SCAT3 under 2 conditions: at rest and after a 5-minute physical exertion protocol, completed in a counterbalanced order. Participants' performance on the various components of the SCAT3 under the 2 conditions: at rest and after a 5-minute physical exertion protocol. No significant differences were detected between at-rest and postexercise conditions for the balance, orientation, or cognitive components of the SCAT3. There were no significant differences in the proportion of participants who endorsed specific symptoms at rest compared with the postexercise condition (P > 0.05). However, women athletes who rated their exertion after exercise as "hard" or greater (Borg scale rating 13-20) reported significantly greater blurred vision (M = 0.25, SD = 0.62 vs M = 0.00, SD = 0.00; P = 0.006) and fatigue/low energy (M = 1.38, SD = 1.17 vs M = 0.66, SD = 0.91; P = 0.002) symptoms after exercise than those who rated their exertion as "light" or lower (Borg scale rating 6-12). In this study of women athletes, a brief bout of exercise did not seem to adversely affect SCAT3 performance and had only small effects on self-reported symptoms. There were differences in symptom reporting, however, in the subgroup of women who rated their exertion levels as "hard" or greater; they reported more blurred vision and fatigue/low energy.

Testing the efficacy of a brief exercise intervention for enhancing exposure therapy outcomes

Recently, it has been hypothesized that a brief bout of exercise could cognitively enhance extinction learning processes theorized to underlie exposure therapy for pathological anxiety. The present study tested the exercise enhancement hypothesis in a sample of speech-anxious undergraduates (n = 84). During the first laboratory session, participants engaged in either 30 min of moderate-intensity exercise on a cycling ergometer (n = 37) or seated rest (n = 47) immediately following a brief speech exposure trial. They returned approximately one week later to give a follow-up speech. Contrary to expectation, there were no significant between-group differences in memory of a brief word list across four recall trials, which served as a manipulation check. Further, all main effects and interactions involving condition were nonsignificant. Post hoc tests revealed that participants who reported higher average perceived exertion during exercise demonstrated increases in an average anxiety composite across speeches relative to those who reported lower average perceived exertion, indicating that trying hard during the intervention predicted worse exposure trial outcomes. The implications of these findings, as well as future directions for this line of research, are explored.

Influence of Exercise Mode on Post-exercise Arterial Stiffness and Pressure Wave Measures in Healthy Adult Males.

Background: Exercise mode has been reported to be an important determinant of arterial stiffness and wave reflection changes following a brief bout of exercise with inconsistent results to date. This study examined the impact of exercise mode on arterial stiffness and pressure wave measures following acute aerobic exercise (AER), resistance exercise (RES), and a control (CON) condition with no exercise.Methods: In a randomized, cross-over, repeated measures design, 21 healthy adult males (26.7 ± 7.2 years) undertook three experimental intervention sessions: AER (30-min cycle ergometry at 70–75% maximum heart rate), RES (3 × 10 repetitions of six upper and lower body exercises at 80–90% of 10-repetition maximum) and CON (30-min seated rest). Measures of arterial stiffness and pressure waves, such as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), augmentation index (AIx), AIx corrected for heart rate of 75 (AIx75), and forward wave (Pf), backward wave (Pb) and reflection magnitude, were assessed at Rest and at 10-min intervals for 60 min after the intervention sessions. Comparisons between interventions and over time were assessed via repeated measures ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's tests.Results: No significant differences in cf-PWV were noted between the three interventions at rest or post-intervention. However, RES led to significantly greater post-intervention AIx, AIx75, Pf, and Pb compared to AER and CON with AIx75 also remaining significantly elevated throughout the post-intervention period. In contrast, AER resulted in a brief, significant elevation of AIx75 and no change in cf-PWV, Pf, Pb, and reflection magnitude.Conclusions: Exercise mode, specifically RES and AER, significantly influenced the time course of pressure wave reflection responses following a brief bout of exercise in healthy adult males. Distinct adjustments during exercise including changes in blood pressure and vasomotor tone may be key modulators of post-exercise arterial function. Identification of modal differences may assist in understanding the impact of exercise on cardiovascular function and the mechanisms by which exercise benefits vascular health.

The protective effects of acute cardiovascular exercise on the interference of procedural memory.

Numerous studies have reported a positive impact of acute exercise for procedural skill memory. Previous work has revealed this effect, but these findings are confounded by a potential contribution of a night of sleep to the reported exercise-mediated reduction in interference. Thus, it remains unclear if exposure to a brief bout of exercise can provide protection to a newly acquired motor memory. The primary objective of the present study was to examine if a single bout of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise after practice of a novel motor sequence reduces the susceptibility to retroactive interference. To address this shortcoming, 17 individuals in a control condition practiced a novel motor sequence that was followed by test after a 6-h wake-filled interval. A separate group of 17 individuals experienced practice with an interfering motor sequence 45min after practice with the original sequence and were then administered test trials 6h later. One additional group of 12 participants was exposed to an acute bout of exercise immediately after practice with the original motor sequence but prior to practice with the interfering motor sequence and the subsequent test. In comparison with the control condition, increased response times were revealed during the 6-h test for the individuals that were exposed to interference. The introduction of an acute bout of exercise between the practice of the two motor sequences produced a reduction in interference from practice with the second task at the time of test, however, this effect was not statistically significant. These data reinforce the hypothesis that while there may be a contribution from exercise to post-practice consolidation of procedural skills which is independent of sleep, sleep may interact with exercise to strengthen the effects of the latter on procedural memory.

The Effects of Exercise on Sexual Function in Women.

Acute exercise is associated with transient changes in metabolic rate, muscle activation, and blood flow, whereas chronic exercise facilitates long-lasting adaptations that ultimately improve physical performance. Exercise in general is known to improve both physical and psychological health, but the differential effects of brief bouts of exercise vs long-term exercise regimens on sexual function are less clear. The purpose of this review was to assess the direct and indirect effects of both acute and chronic exercise on multiple domains of sexual function in women. A literature review of published studies on exercise and sexual function was conducted. Terms including "acute exercise," "chronic exercise," "sexual function," "sexual arousal," "sexual desire," "lubrication," "sexual pain," and "sexual satisfaction" were used. This review identifies key relationships between form of exercise (ie, chronic or acute) and domain of sexual function. Improvements in physiological sexual arousal following acute exercise appear to be driven by increases in sympathetic nervous system activity and endocrine factors. Chronic exercise likely enhances sexual satisfaction indirectly by preserving autonomic flexibility, which benefits cardiovascular health and mood. Positive body image due to chronic exercise also increases sexual well-being. Though few studies have examined the efficacy of month-long exercise programs for the treatment of sexual dysfunction, exercise interventions have alleviated sexual concerns in 2 specific clinical populations: women with anti-depressant-induced sexual dysfunction and women who have undergone hysterectomies. This review highlights the positive effects of acute and chronic exercise on sexual function in women. Directions for future research are discussed, and clinicians are encouraged to tailor specific exercise prescriptions to meet their patients' individual needs. Stanton AM, Handy AB, Meston CM. The Effects of Exercise on Sexual Function in Women. Sex Med Rev 2018;6:548-557.

Near-infrared spectroscopy detects age-related differences in skeletal muscle oxidative function: promising implications for geroscience.

Age is the greatest risk factor for chronic disease and is associated with a marked decline in functional capacity and quality of life. A key factor contributing to loss of function in older adults is the decline in skeletal muscle function. While the exact mechanism(s) remains incompletely understood, age‐related mitochondrial dysfunction is thought to play a major role. To explore this question further, we studied 15 independently living seniors (age: 72 ± 5 years; m/f: 4/11; BMI: 27.6 ± 5.9) and 17 young volunteers (age: 25 ± 4 years; m/f: 8/9; BMI: 24.0 ± 3.3). Skeletal muscle oxidative function was measured in forearm muscle from the recovery kinetics of muscle oxygen consumption using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Muscle oxygen consumption was calculated as the slope of change in hemoglobin saturation during a series of rapid, supra‐systolic arterial cuff occlusions following a brief bout of exercise. Aging was associated with a significant prolongation of the time constant of oxidative recovery following exercise (51.8 ± 5.4 sec vs. 37.1 ± 2.1 sec, P = 0.04, old vs. young, respectively). This finding suggests an overall reduction in mitochondrial function with age in nonlocomotor skeletal muscle. That these data were obtained using NIRS holds great promise in gerontology for quantitative assessment of skeletal muscle oxidative function at the bed side or clinic.

Acute exercise enhances the consolidation of fear extinction memory and reduces conditioned fear relapse in a sex-dependent manner.

Fear extinction-based exposure therapy is the most common behavioral therapy for anxiety and trauma-related disorders, but fear extinction memories are labile and fear tends to return even after successful extinction. The relapse of fear contributes to the poor long-term efficacy of exposure therapy. A single session of voluntary exercise can enhance the acquisition and consolidation of fear extinction in male rats, but the effects of exercise on relapse of fear after extinction are not well understood. Here, we characterized the effects of 2 h of voluntary exercise during the consolidation phase of contextual or auditory fear extinction learning on long-term fear extinction memory and renewal in adult, male and female, Long-Evans rats. Results indicate that exercise enhances consolidation of fear extinction memory and reduces fear relapse after extinction in a sex-dependent manner. These data suggest that brief bouts of exercise could be used as an augmentation strategy for exposure therapy, even in previously sedentary subjects. Fear memories of discrete cues, rather than of contextual ones, may be most susceptible to exercise-augmented extinction, especially in males. Additionally, exercise seems to have the biggest impact on fear relapse phenomena, even if fear extinction memories themselves are only minimally enhanced.

An acute bout of aerobic exercise can protect immediate offline motor sequence gains.

The present study examined the efficacy of a short bout of moderately intensive exercise to protect knowledge of a newly acquired motor sequence. Previous work revealed that sleep-dependent offline gains in motor sequence performance are reduced by practicing an alternative motor sequence in close temporal proximity to the original practice with the target motor sequence. In the present work, a brief bout of exercise was inserted at two different temporal locations between practice of a to-be-learned motor sequence and the interfering practice that occurred 2h later. At issue was whether exposure to exercise could reduce the impact of practice with the interfering task which was expected to be manifest as reemergence of offline gain observed in the case in which the learner is not exposed to the interfering practice. Acute exercise did influence the interfering quality of practice with an alternative motor sequence resulting in the return of broad offline gain. However, this benefit was immediate, emerging on the initial test trial, only when exercise was experienced some time after the original period of motor sequence practice and just prior to practice with the interfering motor sequence. Thus, while exercise can contribute to post-practice consolidation, there appears to be a fragile interplay between spontaneous memory consolidation occurring after task practice and the consolidation processes induced via exercise.

A meta-analysis of brief high-impact exercises for enhancing bone health in premenopausal women

A snapshot of current evidence from 6 randomised controlled trials for the effects of short bouts of high-impact exercises in 256 women via meta-analysis reveals that ample osteogenic response could be realised at the femoral neck and trochanter of premenopausal women with rest-inserted bouts of few mechanical bone loading cycles. Exercise is an important means of improving bone health and preventing osteoporosis. Brief bouts of simple exercises may be useful for aiding lifestyle compliance to physical activity. This study aimed to review the evidence on the effect of brief, high-impact exercise on bone health among premenopausal women. A structured and comprehensive search of databases was undertaken along with hand searching of key journals and reference lists to locate relevant studies published and unpublished up to January 2011. Six randomised controlled trials met predetermined inclusion criteria. Brief high-impact exercises (<30 min) were examined for their effect on bone mineral density (BMD) among premenopausal women. Trial quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool. Study outcomes for analysis, absolute change (grams per square centimetre) or relative change (in percent) in BMD at femoral neck, trochanter and lumbar spine were compared by calculating standardised mean difference (SMD) using fixed- and random effects models. Quality of included trials varied from medium to high on a scale of 1 to 3. Brief bouts of exercise led to significant increases in femoral neck BMD (SMD = 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.38, 0.90, overall effect Z value = 4.84, p = 0.001); a modest increase in trochanteric BMD (SMD = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.10, 0.61, Z value = 2.08, p = 0.04) and no increase in spinal BMD (SMD = 0.04, 95% CI= -0.23, 0.31, Z value = 0.26, p = 0.79). Based on the meta-analysis, brief high-impact exercise improves BMD at the hip but not at the lumbar spine. Effectiveness of this form of exercise as a lifestyle physical activity for prevention of osteoporosis should be explored in larger populations.

Disruption of BCAA metabolism in mice impairs exercise metabolism and endurance

Exercise enhances branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism, and BCAA supplementation influences exercise metabolism. However, it remains controversial whether BCAA supplementation improves exercise endurance, and unknown whether the exercise endurance effect of BCAA supplementation requires catabolism of these amino acids. Therefore, we examined exercise capacity and intermediary metabolism in skeletal muscle of knockout (KO) mice of mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferase (BCATm), which catalyzes the first step of BCAA catabolism. We found that BCATm KO mice were exercise intolerant with markedly decreased endurance to exhaustion. Their plasma lactate and lactate-to-pyruvate ratio in skeletal muscle during exercise and lactate release from hindlimb perfused with high concentrations of insulin and glucose were significantly higher in KO than wild-type (WT) mice. Plasma and muscle ammonia concentrations were also markedly higher in KO than WT mice during a brief bout of exercise. BCATm KO mice exhibited 43-79% declines in the muscle concentration of alanine, glutamine, aspartate, and glutamate at rest and during exercise. In response to exercise, the increments in muscle malate and alpha-ketoglutarate were greater in KO than WT mice. While muscle ATP concentration tended to be lower, muscle IMP concentration was sevenfold higher in KO compared with WT mice after a brief bout of exercise, suggesting elevated ammonia in KO is derived from the purine nucleotide cycle. These data suggest that disruption of BCAA transamination causes impaired malate/aspartate shuttle, thereby resulting in decreased alanine and glutamine formation, as well as increases in lactate-to-pyruvate ratio and ammonia in skeletal muscle. Thus BCAA metabolism may regulate exercise capacity in mice.

Perceptual and physiological heat strain: Examination in firefighters in laboratory- and field-based studies

Firefighting demands performing heavy muscular work under adverse and potentially dangerous conditions. Although the physiological and psychological responses to simulated firefighting activities have been described, the heat strain has not been characterised using standardised indices of exercise–heat strain. The purpose of the study is to describe the physiological and perceptual strain associated with working in personal protective equipment and performing simulated firefighting activities in a hot environment using recently developed strain indices (Physiological Strain Index (PhSI); Perceptual Strain Index (PeSI)). Data from two previously published studies (Smith et al. 1995, 2001) – one a laboratory-based study and one a field-based study – were re-analysed incorporating the strain indices. The laboratory study involved walking on a treadmill for 15 min while wearing three different clothing and equipment configurations. The field study involved three trials of standardised firefighting tasks in a live-fire training structure (mean trial length = 5.76 min). Heart rate, rectal temperature, thermal sensations and ratings of perceived exertion were collected in each study. PhSI and PeSI values were calculated using the formulae developed by Moran et al. (1998b) and Tikuisis et al. (2002), respectively. PhSI and PeSI increased significantly over time in both studies. Even relatively brief bouts of exercise while wearing heavy impermeable clothing or simulated firefighting activity in the heat results in moderate to high levels of heat strain as assessed by PhSI and PeSI.

A brief bout of exercise alters gene expression and distinct gene pathways in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of early- and late-pubertal females

Recent studies show that brief exercise alters circulating neutrophil and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) gene expression, ranging from cell growth to both pro-and anti-inflammatory processes. These initial observations were made solely in males, but whether PBMC gene expression is altered by exercise in females is not known. Ten early-pubertal girls (8-11 yr old) and 10 late-pubertal girls (15-17 yr old) performed ten 2-min bouts of cycle ergometry ( approximately 90% peak heart rate) interspersed with 1-min rest intervals. Blood was obtained at rest and after exercise, and microarrays were performed in each individual subject. RNA was hybridized to Affymetrix U133+2.0 Arrays. Exercise induced significant changes in PBMC gene expression in early (1,320 genes)- and late (877 genes)-pubertal girls. The expression of 622 genes changed similarly in both groups. Exercise influenced a variety of established gene pathways (EASE < 0.04) in both older (6 pathways) and younger girls (11 pathways). Five pathways were the same in both groups and were functionally related to inflammation, stress, and apoptosis, such as natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, antigen processing and presentation, B cell receptor signaling, and apoptosis. In summary, brief exercise alters PBMC gene expression in early- and late-pubertal girls. The pattern of change involves diverse genetic pathways, consistent with a global danger-type response, perhaps readying PBMCs for a range of physiological functions from inflammation to tissue repair that would be useful following a bout of physical activity.

Effects of exercise on miRNA expression levels in human neutrophils

microRNAs (miRNA) are short non‐coding RNAs that play a role in post‐transcriptional regulation of mRNA and have recently been implicated in development of immune cells. Since we recently showed that brief bouts of exercise alter immune related gene expression in human neutrophils, we hypothesized that exercise would influence neutrophil miRNA expression as well. Eleven healthy men (19‐30 yr old), performed 10 consecutive 2‐min bouts of cycle ergometry (~80% peak VO2) interspersed with 1‐min rest intervals. Neutrophils were isolated before and after the exercise. RNA was hybridized to Agilent Human miRNA Microarray v2.0. Significant changes in expression levels were observed in 14 of 799 miRNA (p&lt;0.01, FDR=0.1). 9 had lower expression level after exercise (e.g., miR‐20a, miR‐20b, miR‐22, miR‐17, miR‐106a, miR‐18a, miR‐18b, miR‐185, and miR‐130b) whereas, 5 had higher expression (e.g., miR‐505, miR‐1225‐5p, miR‐145, miR‐125a‐5p and miR‐940). Several of these miRNAs are implicated in leukocyte differentiation and maturation. This is the first study to demonstrate in vivo, and only 30 min after stimulation, an effect of exercise on neutrophil miRNA, and may prove useful in understanding the role of neutrophils in pathological conditions like exercise induced asthma.

Brief Bout of Exercise Alters Gene Expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Early- and Late-Pubertal Males

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are stimulated by exercise and contribute not only to host defense, but also to growth, repair, and disease pathogenesis. Whether PBMC gene expression is altered by exercise in children is not known. Ten early pubertal boys (8-12 y) and 10 late pubertal boys (15-18 y) performed ten 2-min bouts of strenuous, constant work rate exercise with 1-min rest intervals. PBMCs were isolated before and after exercise and microarray (Affymetrix U133 + 2 chips) analyzed. Statistical criterion to identify gene expression changes was less than 5% false discovery rate (FDR) with 95% confidence interval. One thousand two hundred forty-six genes were altered in older boys (517 up, 729 down), but only 109 were altered in the younger group (79 up, 30 down). In older boys, 13 gene pathways (using Expression Analysis Systematic Explorer, p < 0.05) were found (e.g. natural killer cell cytotoxicity, apoptosis). Epiregulin gene expression (EREG, a growth factor involved in wound healing) increased in older boys. In older boys exercise altered genes such as TBX21, GZMA, PGTDR, and CCL5 also play roles in pediatric inflammatory diseases like asthma. Sixty-six genes were changed significantly in both groups. The pattern of PBMC gene expression suggests the initiation of an immunologic "danger" signal associated with a sudden change in energy expenditure.

Effects of acute exercise on executive processing, short-term and long-term memory

In the present study, we evaluated the effects of a brief bout of exercise on executive function, short-term memory, and long-term memory tests. Eighteen young adults (mean age 22.2 years, s = 1.6) performed a set-switching test, a Brown-Peterson test, and a free-recall memory test before and after 40 min of moderate aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer, and two control conditions. Exercise did not facilitate set switching or short-term memory, which suggests that exercise-induced arousal does not influence executive function processes involved in the reconfiguration of information in working memory. Exercise did alter specific aspects of delayed long-term memory. Free recall of items in the primacy and recency portions of the word list declined following the rest and non-exercise conditions, but was maintained after exercise, which suggests that exercise-induced arousal may facilitate the consolidation of information into long-term memory.

Effects of 30 min of aerobic exercise on gene expression in human neutrophils

Relatively brief bouts of exercise alter gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), but whether exercise changes gene expression in circulating neutrophils (whose numbers, like PBMCs, increase) is not known. We hypothesized that exercise would activate neutrophil genes involved in apoptosis, inflammation, and cell growth and repair, since these functions in leukocytes are known to be influenced by exercise. Blood was sampled before and immediately after 30 min of constant, heavy ( approximately 80% peak O(2) uptake) cycle ergometer exercise in 12 healthy men (19-29 yr old) of average fitness. Neutrophils were isolated using density gradients; RNA was hybridized to Affymetrix U133+2 Genechip arrays. With false discovery rate (FDR) <0.05 with 95% confidence, a total of 526 genes were differentially expressed between before and after exercise. Three hundred and sixteen genes had higher expression after exercise. The Jak/STAT pathway, known to inhibit apoptosis, was significantly activated (EASE score, P < 0.005), but 14 genes were altered in a way likely to accelerate apoptosis as well. Similarly, both proinflammatory (e.g., IL-32, TNFSF8, and CCR5) and anti-inflammatory (e.g., ANXA1) were affected. Growth and repair genes like AREG and FGF2 receptor genes (involved in angiogenesis) were also activated. Finally, a number of neutrophil genes known to be involved in pathological conditions like asthma and arthritis were altered by exercise, suggesting novel links between physical activity and disease or its prevention. In summary, brief heavy exercise leads to a previously unknown substantial and significant alteration in neutrophil gene expression.

Effects of Exercise on Gene Expression in Human Neutrophils Cells

Even with brief bouts of exercise, circulating neutrophils rapidly increase, but whether or not this is accompanied by altered gene expression is not known. We hypothesized that exercise would particularly influence families of genes involved in stress and inflammation. 12 healthy men (19–29 yr old) performed 30-min constant work rate cycle ergometry (~80% peak VO2), and neutrophils were isolated before and after. RNA was hybridized to Affymetrix U133+ 2.0 Genechip arrays. Differential gene expression was determined using stringent criteria (FDR<0.05, t-test p<0.0016). Neutrophils increased after exercise (43.5±9.2%, p<0.0001). Significant changes in expression were observed in 647 genes (up in 364). Genes related to cytokine binding and receptors (e.g., IL2RB, IL2RG, TNFL8, IL18RAP and I10R1), the Hsp family, and the immune response (e.g., CCR5, IL32 and IL18RAP) had higher expression. In contrast, genes that induce apoptosis (e.g., GADD45B, TNFSF10, and BCLAF1) had lower expression, consistent with the increased expression of MCL1, a gene involved in inhibiting apoptosis. The gene profile of circulating neutrophils dynamically changes with common activities like exercise. Neutrophils play key roles in pathogenesis of diseases like atherosclerosis and asthma. Exercise might influence these conditions by first altering neutrophil function at the level of gene expression. This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants P01-HD048721 and RO1-HL080947.

Multifarious microarray-based gene expression patterns in response to exercise

multiple gene expression responses of leukocytes to physical exercise are well known. They are dependent on type, intensity, and duration of exercise; training status of athletes; and environmental conditions. Nevertheless, we are far away from having a complete list of changed genes and from the