Aerobic exercise attenuates inducible TNF production in humans

published July 12, 2007; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00147.2007.—Aer-obic exercise reduces coronary heart disease risk, but the mechanisms of this protection are not fully understood. Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease mediated by monocyte-derived macrophages, which accumulate in arterial plaques and become activated to release factors, including cytokines, that cause damage. Here we studied the effects of aerobic training on monocyte production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in whole blood ex vivo. Healthy young sedentary adults (n 61, age 20–45 yr) were randomized to a moderate- (M) or a high- (H) intensity 12-wk training program. Whole blood was ex-tracted before and after training, and then it was stimulated by addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS); inducible TNF was measured in the plasma. Data were analyzed according to intention to treat prin-ciples using a random-effect model to determine the impact of training group on maximal aerobic capacity and LPS-stimulated TNF afte