Effects of exercise on gene expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Peter H. Connolly, Vincent J. Caiozzo, Frank Zaldivar, Dan Nemet, Jennifer Larson, She-pin Hung, J. Denis Heck, G. Wesley Hatfield, Dan M. Cooper
2004 Journal of applied physiology  
to increases in circulating levels of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and to a simultaneous, seemingly paradoxical increase in both pro-and anti-inflammatory mediators. Whether this is paralleled by changes in gene expression within the circulating population of PBMCs is not fully understood. Fifteen healthy men (18 -30 yr old) performed 30 min of constant work rate cycle ergometry (ϳ80% peak O2 uptake). Blood samples were obtained preexercise (Pre), end-exercise (End-Ex), and 60 min
more » ... into recovery (Recovery), and gene expression was measured using microarray analysis (Affymetrix GeneChips). Significant differential gene expression was defined with a posterior probability of differential expression of 0.99 and a Bayesian P value of 0.005. Significant changes were observed from Pre to End-Ex in 311 genes, from End-Ex to Recovery in 552 genes, and from Pre to Recovery in 293 genes. Pre to End-Ex upregulation of PBMC genes related to stress and inflammation [e.g., heat shock protein 70 (3.70-fold) and dualspecificity phosphatase-1 (4.45-fold)] was followed by a return of these genes to baseline by Recovery. The gene for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (an anti-inflammatory mediator) increased between End-Ex and Recovery (1.52-fold). Chemokine genes associated with inflammatory diseases [macrophage inflammatory protein-1␣ (1.84-fold) and -1␤ (2.88-fold), and regulation-on-activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (1.34-fold)] were upregulated but returned to baseline by Recovery. Exercise also upregulated growth and repair genes such as epiregulin (3.50-fold), platelet-derived growth factor (1.55-fold), and hypoxia-inducible factor-I (2.40-fold). A single bout of heavy exercise substantially alters PBMC gene expression characterized in many cases by a brisk activation and deactivation of genes associated with stress, inflammation, and tissue repair. microarray; inflammation; growth; immunity IT IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED that relatively brief bouts of heavy exercise in humans lead to a robust increase in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs; lymphocytes, monocytes, and natural killer cells) and neutrophils (45, 57). PBMCs are among the essential cell mediators of stress and inflammation and produce cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors that can have powerful effects, beneficial or pathological, on tissues. In 1999, Ostrowski and coworkers (48) noted
doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00316.2004 pmid:15194674 fatcat:evxljfhuezgk5elum7qpq2kfzy