Analysis of selected T cell subsets in peripheral blood after exhaustive effort among elite soccer players

Abstract

IntroductionPhysical exercise induces developing of naïve T lymphocyte subsets into polarised effector ones by immune system. The aim of the study was to examine the influence of exhaustive effort on the selected Th cell subsets and inflammation markers among soccer players.Materials and methodsFourteen soccer players aged 18 (16-21) years old performed the progressive efficiency test on mechanical treadmill. Th and Tc memory lymphocytes’ subsets and selected cytokine concentrations pre-exercise, post-exercise and in recovery were analysed by flow cytometry.ResultsPhysical effort induced changes in Th cell percentages. Increase in recovery Treg and Th17 cell subsets’ percentages in comparison to pre-exercise values were observed (10.98 (9.83-14.07) vs. 3.95 (3.15-5.53), P < 0.001 in autumn; 10.58 (7.54-12.67) vs. 4.83 (3.73-6.81), P < 0.010 in spring for Treg and 29.21 (26.34-32.16) vs. 21.64 (18.48-25.76) in autumn; 27.15 (24.60-29.16) vs. 17.43 (15.83-19.77) in spring, both P < 0.010; for Th17, respectively). Increases in Th1 cell percentages post-exercise (31.86 (28.72-33.72) in autumn, 25.60 (21.50-29.19) in spring, both P < 0.010) and in recovery (34.64 (31.21-38.20) in autumn; 26.68 (25.17-28.07) in spring, both P < 0.001) compared to pre-exercise (22.70 (21.21-26.74) for autumn and 15.64 (14.38-19.63) for spring, respectively) were found. Interestingly, no changes in Th2 cell subsets were found. Post-exercise and recovery changes in IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and IL-10 were also observed.ConclusionsIt seems that the given effort in the progressive test induced an anabolic effect being related not only with cytokine profile but also with CD4+ T cells’ differentiation and peripheral distribution.

T helper cell-related changes in peripheral blood induced by progressive effort among soccer players

“…Moreover, exercise of high and very high intensity increases the risk of upper respiratory tract infections in contrast to regular moderate intensity physical activity [36,42,44,45]. Our previous study showed that Th cells play an important role in regulation and modulation of the immune response to progressive effort until exhaustion performed on a mechanical treadmill [20,35]. The present study confirms that the immune response induced by the progressive effort is associated with the Th1 but not Th2 cell subset.…”

“…The antibodies cocktail contained: FITC-labelled interferon-gamma (clone B27), PE-labelled IL-17A (clone N49-653), PerCP-Cy5.5-labelled CD4 (clone SK3), and APC-labelled IL-4 (clone MP4-25D2). To measure Treg cell subsets, the Human Th17/Treg Phenotyping Kit (BD Pharmingen™, San Jose, CA, USA) were used, as described previously [20]. The antibodies cocktail contained: PElabelled IL-17A, PerCP-Cy5.5-labelled CD4, and Alexa Fluor1 647-labelled FoxP3.…”

“…The measurement of selected cytokines, namely interleukin-2 (IL-2), -4 (IL-4), -6 (IL-6), -8 (IL-8), -10 (IL-10), 12p70 (IL-12p70), -17A (IL-17A), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), was performed using BD Cytometric Bead Array (CBA) Human Inflammatory Cytokines Kit (BD Biosciences) and analysed using the BD Accuri™ C6 flow cytometer according to manufacturer's protocol, as previously described [20,35]. For each sample, the fluorescence signal of 2100 events gated for capture beads population was measured.…”

“…Changes in the distribution of Th1 and Th2 cell subsets as a consequence of the post-exercise cytokine secretion of participants (including runners and triathletes) and professional athletes (including marathoners and rowers) in different age groups favours the emergence of type 2 cell subsets (T2, including Th2 and Tc2) [20][21][22][23][24]. In addition, regulatory T cells (Treg) have recently been identified as the cells promoting the repair of muscle fibres through the secretion of autocrine growth factor amphiregulin in the muscle tissue [25].…”

The Influence of a Health-Related Fitness Training Program on Motor Performance as Well as Hematological and Biochemical Parameters

“…Taking the fact that WBC parameters (count and percentages of total WBC and their subpopulations) are the markers of general health status into account, the observed results of the present study may be considered as positive and confirming properly prescribed training loads and organism's adaptation to them. Our previous works revealed post-effort increase in WBC parameter values caused not so much by the dehydration but related to immunological response to performed exercise [58][59][60].…”