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1Exercise and taurine in inflammation, cognition, and peripheral markers of blood-brain barrier integrity in older women Authors:Matheus Abstract:Immunosenescence contribute to increase the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, leading cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration. Thus, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of exercise and taurine supplementation on peripheral markers of blood-brain barrier, inflammation, and cognition of elderly women. Forty-eight elderly women (83.58±6.9 years) participated in the study, and were allocated into combined exercise training (CET: n=13), taurine supplementation (TAU: n=12), exercise training associated with taurine (CET+TAU: n=11), or control group (CG: n=12). Exercise was applied twice a week (multi-modal exercise). Taurine ingestion was 1.5g., once a day. Participants were evaluated before and after 14-weeks of intervention. Plasma levels of IL-1β, IL-1ra, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, and serum concentration of S100β and neuron specific enolase (NSE) were determined. The mini mental state examination (MMSE) was also applied.Concentrations of S100β were maintained in all intervention groups, while a subtle increase in the CG was found. NSE levels increased only in TAU group (p<0.05). CET reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β/IL-1ra, IL-6/IL10, TNF-α/IL-10 ratios (p<0.05). TAU decreased the IL-1β/IL-1ra ratio (p<0.05). MMSE score increased only in CET+TAU group (p<0.05). Multiple regression analysisshowed that there was a trend for changes in IL-1β and CCI to be independently associated with changes in S100β. Exercise and taurine decreased inflammation, and maintained the BBB integrity in elderly women. Exercise emerged as an important tool to improve brain health even when started at advanced ages.

We investigated the effect of -174 G/C single-nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of the IL6 gene on plasma IL-6 levels and muscle strength, and the relationship between IL-6 levels and muscle strength in elderly women. The sample consisted of 199 elderly residents (73.0 ± 7.8 years old) from rest homes and the community in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. -174 G/C polymorphism was determined by direct sequencing of the product by PCR, and plasma IL-6 concentrations were measured by ELISA. Muscle strength in the knee joint was evaluated using a Biodex System 3 Pro ® isokinetic dynamometer. ANCOVA was used to determine the effect of polymorphism on IL-6 levels and muscle strength, and the Pearson correlation coefficient to assess the relationship between IL-6 levels and muscle strength. -174 G/C polymorphism was associated with the plasma IL-6 levels of elderly women (P < 0.01) since homozygotes for the G allele showed high IL-6 levels (GG 3.85 pg/mL, GC + CC 2.13 pg/mL). There was no association of polymorphism on muscle strength (P > 0.05). No association was found between IL-6 levels and knee extensor muscle (r = 0.087, P = 0.306) or flexor (r = -0.011, P = 0.894) strength. An interaction between -174 G/C polymorphism and housing conditions of the sample of elderly women was identified, with the effect of genotype on IL-6 levels being higher in the institutionalized elderly. These results support the evidence that -174 G/C polymorphism of the IL6 gene associates with individual variability of plasma IL-6 levels in elderly women.

The association of plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, muscle strength and functional capacity was investigated in a crosssectional study of community-dwelling elderly women from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Elderly people who present controlled chronic diseases with no negative impact on physical, psychosocial and mental functionality are considered to be community-dwelling. Psychological and social stress due to unsuccessfully aging can represent a risk for immune system disfunctions. IL-6 levels, isokinetic muscle strength of knee flexion/extension, and functional tests to determine time required to rise from a chair and gait velocity were measured in 57 participants (71.21 ± 7.38 years). Serum levels of IL-6 were measured in duplicate and were performed within one single assay (mouse monoclonal antibody against IL-6; High-Sensitivity, Quantikine ® , R & D Systems, USA; intra-assay coefficient of variance = 6.9-7.4%; interassay coefficient of variance = 9.6-6.5%; sensitivity = 0.016-0.110 pg/ mL; mean = 0.039 pg/mL). Muscle strength was assessed with the isokinetic dynamometer Biodex System 3 Pro ® . After the Shapiro-Wilk normality test was applied, correlations were investigated using Spearman and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Post hoc analysis was performed using the Dunn test. A significant negative correlation was observed between plasma IL-6 levels (1.95 ± 1.77 pg/mL) and muscle strength for knee flexion (70.70 ± 21.14%; r = -0.265; P = 0.047) and extension (271.84 ± 67.85%; r = -0.315; P = 0.017). No significant correlation was observed between IL-6 levels and the functional tests (time to rise from a chair = 14.65 ± 2.82 s and gait velocity = 0.95 ± 0.14 m/s). These results suggest that IL-6 is associated with reduced muscle strength.

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