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Cited by 166Exercise and Physiological ResponsesCardiovascular and exercise physiologySports Performance and Training

The Acute Immune Response to Exercise: What Does It Mean?

Gabriel, H., Kindermann, W.·1997·International Journal of Sports Medicine
DOI 10.1055/s-2007-972698
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Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide information about the exercise-induced alterations of cellular immune parameters depending on the intensity related to the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) and duration of exercise. Immunological parameters were differential blood counts (CD14, CD45), monocyte subpopulations (CD14, CD16), lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RO, CD19, CD16, CD56, HLA-DR) and natural killer cells (CD3, CD16, CD56), oxidative burst activity of neutrophils, and phagocytosis of neutrophils (flow cytometry). The main results were: (a) "Moderate" exercise (duration < 2h at about 85% of the IAT corresponding to a lactate steady state at about 2 mmol.l-1, < 30 min at the IAT corresponding to a lactate steady state of 4 mmol.l-1) elicits lower changes in cell concentrations and hormonal responses than strenuous exercise [exhaustive exercise at 100% IAT or above; (exhaustive) long-term (> 2-3h) endurance exercise]. Similar investigations about cell functions to decide about the positive or negative nature of these observations will have to follow in the future. (b) The neutrocytosis following exercise is more dependent on the duration than on the intensity of exercise. Especially exercise sessions that lead to a strong incline of the adrenocorticotropic hormone, beta-endorphin and cortisol are associated with this neutrocytosis. (c) Neutrophils' function during the exercise-induced neutrocytosis indicated by phagocytosis and oxidative burst activity is unchanged or reduced following strenuous endurance exercise, whereas bacterial URTI leads to similar neutrophil counts but significantly increased cell activities indicating the diverse meaning of the leukocytosis in infections (primed cells, enhanced cell activity, stimulated defense mechanism) and following exercise (impaired cell function, suppressed defense mechanism). (d) Regular monocytes (early differentiation stage) are strongly recruited into the circulation during long-term aerobic exercise, whereas mature monocyte cell counts (premacrophages) increase most with highly intensive (an)aerobic exercise above the IAT. Infections induced a maturation from regular to mature monocytes as a response to the infectious antigenic stimulus, whereas exercise does not, indicating the diversity between change of cell counts and function. (e) Long-term endurance diverse meaning leads to increases of activated CD45RO+ T cells (memory cell phenotype) but compared to the incline of cell concentrations and activation levels (% HLA-DR+ T cells) during infections like infectious mononucleosis this effect is small indicating only minor effects on T cell function by exercise. The effect of single bouts of exercise on immune cell counts is large but the effects on the cell function is - i.e. compared to bacterial URTI - relatively small.

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Crossref · 10.1055/s-2007-972698

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  • Acute exercise-induced changes in some immunological variables can only be characterised accurately if sample timing is optimal due to transient lymphocyte trafficking patterns.

    “For example, acute exercise-induced changes in some immunological variables (e.g., blood lymphocyte number, phenotype and cell subset composition) can only be characterised accurately if sample timing is optimal due to transient lymphocyte trafficking patterns (for a time course of changes, see Gabriel and Kindermann 1997; Gleeson and Bishop 2005).”

    From Is immunosenescence influenced by our lifetime “dose” of exercise? (2016) · cites this paper as Gabriel and Kindermann 1997

  • After exercise, total lymphocyte count returns to pre-exercise levels within approximately 6-10 h.

    “after exercise the total lymphocyte count returns to pre-exercise levels within approximately 6–10 h (Gabriel and Kindermann 1997; Gleeson and Bishop 2005)”

    From Is immunosenescence influenced by our lifetime “dose” of exercise? (2016) · cites this paper as Gabriel and Kindermann 1997

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Authors
Gabriel, H., & Kindermann, W.
Affiliations
Saarland University (DE)
ORCID
Gabriel, H.
Venue
International Journal of Sports Medicine
Publisher
Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Published
1997-03
Volume
18
Issue
S 1
Pages
S28-S45
ISSN
  • 0172-4622 (ISSN-L)
  • 1439-3964
DOI
10.1055/s-2007-972698
OpenAlex
W2089224407
Cited by
166
References
54
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 2
FWCI
8.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • International Journal of Sports Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
Keywords
acute immune response, physical activity, individual anaerobic threshold, exercise intensity, exercise duration, neutrophil phagocytosis, neutrophil respiratory burst, monocyte subpopulations, lymphocyte subsets, natural killer cells, HLA-DR, ACTH, beta-endorphin, cortisol, upper respiratory tract infection
MeSH terms
Acute-Phase Reaction, Humans, Immunity, Cellular, Killer Cells, Natural, Leukocytosis, Phagocytes, Phagocytosis, Exercise, Lymphocyte Subsets

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