DataSheet_2_Shifting gears: Study of immune system parameters of male habitual marathon runners.zip

AimMarathon is a running event in which athletes must cover a distance of 42.195 km. In addition to participating in marathons, marathoners have incorporated extensive running into their lifestyle. In the present study, we investigated the effect of long-term strenuous exercise in the form of marathon running on the immune system.
Methods & ResultsWe collected peripheral blood samples from 37 male marathoners before/after a race and 37 age/sex/body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy sedentary controls. Hematological and biochemical tests revealed race-induced leukocytosis attributable to neutrophilia and significant increases in plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), and cortisol concentrations. Phenotypic analysis of lymphocytes revealed race-induced significant decrease in the number of lymphocytes, memory helper T (Th) cells, naive, memory and activated cytotoxic T (Tc) cells, natural killer (NK), NKT, and B1 cells, and a significant increase in the number of activated Th and regulatory Th cells (Tregs). Compared with controls, marathoners maintained significantly lower levels of memory and activated Th cells and higher levels of activated Tc and B1 cells. Measurement of plasma cytokine levels revealed a pro-inflammatory cytokine polarization that increased after the race. Examination of gene expression of cytokines and Th-cell signature transcription factors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed a significant decrease in tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-17, and a significant increase in IL-6, IL-10 and forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) after the race. Compared with controls, marathoners maintained significantly higher levels of TNF-α. Assessment of the suppressive capacity of Tregs in co-cultures of isolated effector Th cells and Tregs showed significantly increased suppressive capacity of marathoners’ Tregs after the race.
ConclusionsCompared with controls, marathoners live with permanent changes in certain immune parameters. Marathoners exhibit a stable pro-inflammatory cytokine polarization that increases after the race and is counterbalanced by increased numbers of Tregs overexpressing FoxP3 and having increased suppressive capacity.

AimMarathon是一项跑步赛事，参赛运动员需完成42.195公里的赛程。除参与马拉松赛事外，跑者还将长距离跑步深度融入日常生活方式。本研究旨在探究以马拉松跑为形式的长期剧烈运动对免疫系统的影响。

方法与结果 我们采集了37名男性马拉松跑者赛前及赛后的外周血样本，同时纳入37名年龄、性别、体重指数（BMI）匹配的健康久坐对照人群并采集其外周血样本。血液学与生化检测结果显示，赛事引发的白细胞增多症由中性粒细胞增多所致，且血浆乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）、肌酸激酶（CPK）及皮质醇浓度显著升高。淋巴细胞表型分析显示，赛事可导致淋巴细胞、记忆辅助性T（Th）细胞、初始、记忆及活化细胞毒性T（Tc）细胞、自然杀伤（NK）、自然杀伤T（NKT）及B1细胞的数量显著减少，同时使活化辅助性T细胞与调节性T（Tregs）细胞的数量显著增加。与对照人群相比，马拉松跑者的记忆及活化辅助性T细胞水平显著更低，而活化细胞毒性T细胞及B1细胞水平显著更高。血浆细胞因子水平检测显示，机体出现促炎细胞因子极化状态，且该状态在赛后进一步增强。对外周血单个核细胞中细胞因子及辅助性T细胞特征性转录因子的基因表达分析显示，赛后肿瘤坏死因子α（TNF-α）与白细胞介素（IL）-17的表达量显著降低，而IL-6、IL-10及叉头框P3（FoxP3）的表达量显著升高。与对照人群相比，马拉松跑者的TNF-α水平显著更高。在分离的效应性辅助性T细胞与Tregs的共培养体系中，对Tregs抑制功能的评估显示，赛后马拉松跑者的Tregs抑制功能显著增强。

结论 与对照人群相比，马拉松跑者的部分免疫参数存在永久性改变。马拉松跑者呈现出稳定的促炎细胞因子极化状态，该状态在赛后进一步增强，并由过表达FoxP3且抑制功能增强的Tregs数量增多所抗衡。