Changes in salivary antimicrobial peptides, immunoglobulin A and cortisol after prolonged strenuous exercise

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine whether amount of oral antimicrobial components, human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2), cathelicidin (LL-37), and immunoglobulin A (IgA), might be affected by prolonged strenuous exercise. Ten young male volunteers either exercised on recumbent ergometer at 75% [Formula: see text] for 60 min (exercise session) or sat quietly (resting session). Saliva samples were obtained at 60-min intervals during sessions for measurements of saliva antimicrobial components (HBD-2, LL-37, and IgA), saliva cortisol and osmolality. Saliva flow rate was decreased and saliva osmolality was increased during the 60-min exercise. Saliva HBD-2 and LL-37 concentrations and secretion rates were increased during and after the exercise, whereas saliva IgA concentration and secretion rates were decreased after the exercise. Saliva cortisol was increased during and after the exercise. The areas under the curve of the time courses of saliva levels of HBD-2 and LL-37 were negatively correlated with those of cortisol levels in saliva. The present findings suggested that a single bout of prolonged strenuous exercise caused a transient increase in the oral HBD-2 and LL-37 levels.

Exercise, But Not Acute Sleep Loss, Increases Salivary Antimicrobial Protein Secretion

“…These findings agree with our previous work and that of others, which have shown a postexercise increase in salivary AMPs, including lactoferrin (1,21), lysozyme (1,21), LL-37 (10,38), and HNP1-3 (10). The postexercise increase in concentration and secretion rate of AMPs could arise from the exercise-induced neutrophilia that occurs in mucosal secretions (31) potentially due to airway inflammation or damage to the airway epithelial cells.…”

Fitness level impacts salivary antimicrobial protein responses to a single bout of cycling exercise

“…We found that acute dynamic exercise increased the secretion and/or concentration of a wide range of sAMPs, from the small cationic peptides LL--37 and HNP1--3, to larger polypeptides and proteins such as lactoferrin, lysozyme and salivary SIgA. These findings are consistent with previous findings that a single bout of exercise enhances the concentration and secretion of a number of sAMPs (Allgrove et al 2008;Davison et al 2009;de Oliveira et al 2010;Gillum et al 2014;Usui et al 2011;Walsh et al 1999;West et al 2010), but this study shows that fitness status significantly impacts this response. The secretion and/or concentration of all measured sAMPs tended to increase with exercise at a greater magnitude in the highly fit compared to the less fit cyclists, with significant fitness effects being observed for α--amylase, HNP1--3, LL--37, lactoferrin, and salivary SIgA.…”

“…Davison et al (2009) found that the concentration and secretion rates of LL--37 and HNP1--3 were significantly greater following a single bout of prolonged exercise at an intensity corresponding to 55-65% of V" O2 max. Additional studies examining the relationship between exercise and sAMPs have yielded similar results, demonstrating significant increases in the concentration and/or secretion of total salivary protein, α--amylase, salivary SIgA, lactoferrin, lysozyme, human ß--defensin--2, and LL--37 following acute bouts of exercise (Allgrove et al 2008;de Oliveira et al 2010;Gillum et al 2014;Usui et al 2011;Walsh et al 1999;West et al 2010); however, this exercise--induced response appears to be dependent on exercise intensity and/or duration. While Allgrove et al (2008) showed significant increases in α--amylase and lysozyme secretion following 22 minutes of exercise at 75% VO2max and after an incremental effort test to exhaustion, no change in these sAMPS was found after 22 minutes of exercise at 50% VO2max.…”

“…Indeed, periods of intense, frequent, endurance--based training have consistently been associated with self--reported symptoms of URTI in elite--level athletes (Gleeson 2000;Gleeson and Pyne 2000;Nieman 2000). Low levels of salivary secretory Immunoglubulin A (SIgA) have been linked with an increased risk of URTI (Fahlman and Engels 2005;Gleeson et al 2012;Hanson et al 1983;Neville et al 2008) and prolonged, high--intensity exercise bouts lower both the concentration and secretion of salivary SIgA (Fahlman et al 2001;Nieman et al 2006;Steerenberg et al 1997;Tomasi et al 1982;Usui et al 2011). On the other hand, shorter exercise bouts, or low to moderate--intensity exercise, may actually increase salivary SIgA concentration and secretion (Allgrove et al 2008;Li and Gleeson 2004), indicating that mucosal immune integrity, and indeed URTI risk, is dependent on the duration and intensity of the exercise performed.…”

Salivary extracellular heat shock protein 70 (eHSP70) levels increase after 59 min of intense exercise and correlate with resting salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) levels at rest

“…Continuous intensive training reduces SIgA levels and increases the risk of URTI in athletes (Nieman 1994), whereas continuous moderate exercise training increases SIgA levels and reduces the risk of infections (Akimoto et al 2003;Klentrou et al 2002;Shimizu et al 2007). Intense exercise reduces SIgA secretion (Tomasi et al 1982;Mackinnon and Jenkins 1993), and the reduction of SIgA levels is sustained for 2 h after exercise (Usui et al 2011).…”