Immune System Response to High Intensity Exercise: Study 1: (Bean) High Intensity Exercise Increases Cell Death of B-Lymphocytes (CD19) in Anaerobically Trained Individuals

This study was developed to determine the B-lymphocyte response in terms of migration or apoptosis (cell death) with intense bouts of exercise. Anaerobically trained individuals (n=5) performed 5-minute treadmill runs using 48%, 74%, 96% of their VO2 max, with 5-minute rest bouts in between each run. Finally a run utilizing intensity at 110% of VO2 max was conducted to exhaustion. Blood samples for immune parameters were collected pre-testing, immediate post, 1-hour post exercise, and 24-hour post exercise. Samples were incubated with antibody markers for the B-cell subfraction (CD19), apoptosis (annexin V), and migration (CX3CR1). Data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA. Supramaximal exercise increased cell death of Bcells compared to resting values (P=0.021). Annexin V positive cells were then significantly decreased at 1-hour post (P=0.004) and remained depressed at 24-hour post (P=0.003). No significant changes were noted for CD19 count (P=0.24) or percent migration (P=0.36). Recent studies have failed to observe increases in the cell death of overall lymphocytes, however the results of this investigation indicate that the B-cell subset is more susceptible compared to other lymphocyte subfractions. This finding may have transient implications for antibody production and humoral immunity following exercise