Mucosal IgA and URTI in American college football players: a year longitudinal study

Immune system adaptation in elite athletes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To evaluate the effects of exercise on immune function in relation to infection susceptibility.

RECENT FINDINGS

Postexercise immune function depression is most pronounced when exercise is continuous, prolonged, of moderate to high intensity and performed without food intake. Periods of intensified training that result in overreaching have been shown to chronically depress immune function, with leukocyte functions measured at rest still depressed 24 h after the last exercise bout. Several studies indicate that the incidence of symptoms of upper respiratory tract illness is increased in the days following prolonged strenuous endurance events and it has been generally assumed that this is due to the temporary exercise-induced depression of immune function. More recently it has been proposed that at least some of these symptoms are attributable to inflammation of the upper respiratory tract rather than to infectious episodes.

SUMMARY

Although elite athletes are not clinically immune deficient, it is possible that the combined effects of small changes in several immune parameters may compromise resistance to common minor illnesses. Although it is possible that immune depression linked with prolonged intensive training may determine susceptibility to infection, convincing evidence of a cause and effect relationship remains elusive.

Salivary IgA Responses to Prolonged Intensive Exercise following Caffeine Ingestion

PURPOSE

Prolonged, intensive exercise is associated with a reduction in concentration and secretion of salivary IgA (s-IgA). Saliva composition and secretion are under autonomic nervous system control, and caffeine ingestion, a widespread practice among athletes for its ergogenic properties, is associated with increased sympathetic nervous system activation. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of caffeine ingestion on s-IgA responses to prolonged, intensive exercise.

METHODS

In a randomized crossover design, 11 endurance-trained males cycled for 90 min at 70% VO2peak on two occasions, having ingested 6 mg x kg(-1) body mass of caffeine (CAF) or placebo (PLA) 1 h before exercise. Whole, unstimulated saliva samples were collected before treatment (baseline), preexercise, after 45 min of exercise (midexercise), immediately postexercise, and 1 h postexercise. Venous blood samples were collected from a subset of six of these subjects at baseline, preexercise, postexercise, and 1 h postexercise.

RESULTS

An initial pilot study found that caffeine ingestion had no effect on s-IgA concentration, secretion rate, or saliva flow rate at rest. Serum caffeine concentration was higher on CAF than PLA at preexercise, postexercise, and 1 h postexercise (P < 0.001). Plasma epinephrine concentration was higher on CAF than PLA at pre- and postexercise (P < 0.05). s-IgA concentration was higher on CAF than PLA at mid- and postexercise (P < 0.01), and s-IgA secretion rate was higher on CAF than PLA at midexercise only (P < 0.02). Caffeine ingestion did not affect saliva flow rate. Saliva alpha-amylase activity and secretion rate were higher on CAF than PLA (main effect for trial, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that caffeine ingestion before intensive exercise is associated with elevated s-IgA responses during exercise, which may be related to increases in sympathetic activation.

Voluntary Training in Mice and Submandibular Lymphocyte Response to Acute Exercise

INTRODUCTION

Submandibular lymph nodes (SLN) are important for immune responses to antigens in the eye and oral mucosa. Athletes and exercise participants may be at increased risk of ocular, oral, and upper respiratory tract infections.

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to examine the effects of voluntary training on the distribution, number, and apoptotic status of SLN lymphocytes in response to an acute bout of strenuous exercise.

METHODS

Female C57BL/6 mice were assigned to voluntary wheel-running (WR) exercise (N=20) or were sedentary (N=10) for 16 wk. SLN lymphocytes were examined immediately (EX+Imm) or 24 h (EX+24 h) following strenuous treadmill exercise, or exposure to treadmill conditions without running (NonEX). Intracellular glutathione (GSH), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), cell viability (propidium iodide uptake, PI), surface phosphatidylserine (Annexin V), T-lymphocyte (CD3, CD4, CD8), and B-lymphocyte (CD19) phenotype distribution and number were assessed.

RESULTS

The WR mice had a higher number and percent CD8 SLN lymphocytes, higher MMP, and lower Annexin V/PI SLN lymphocytes than controls. Regardless of training status, an acute bout of strenuous exercise decreased the total and phenotype specific (CD3, CD4, CD8) number of cells, MMP, and GSH levels immediately after exercise.

CONCLUSION

WR in mice improved some aspects of cell viability in SLN lymphocytes compared with controls, but did not prevent the transient cell loss after acute treadmill exercise. Given the depletion in intracellular GSH levels, oxidative stress may account for the decline in SLN lymphocyte numbers following acute exercise. Loss of SLN lymphocytes may have consequences for ocular, oral, and upper respiratory tract health in some exercise participants and athletes during periods of overtraining.