Secretory immunoglobulin A and cardiovascular reactions to mental arithmetic, cold pressor, and exercise: Effects of beta-adrenergic blockade

Abstract

We investigated the influence of sympathetic nervous system processes on mucosal immunity by comparing the effects of beta-adrenoceptor blockade with 40 mg propranolol and placebo on secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) at rest and during paced serial arithmetic, cold pressor, and submaximal cycling. These tasks produced patterns of cardiovascular activity indicative of combined alpha- and beta-adrenergic, alpha-adrenergic, and beta-adrenergic activation, respectively. The effectiveness of the beta blockade was confirmed by the attenuation under propranolol of the shortening of the cardiac preejection period and the tachycardia elicited by mental arithmetic and exercise. The cold pressor test did not affect sIgA under either the placebo or the propranolol. Mental arithmetic increased sIgA concentration, and this increase was not blocked by propranolol. Exercise elicited increases in both sIgA concentration and sIgA secretion rate, which were not diminished by beta blockade. These data suggest that sIgA is not regulated by beta-adrenergic mechanisms.

Effect of moderate exercise on salivary immunoglobulin A and infection risk in humans

“…They also found a significant increase in, but no changes in lymphocyte proliferative response, total circulating lymphocytes, or immunoglobulin concentrations. However, in a recent study, Winzer et al (1999) have shown that a period of acute exercise elicits an increase in both [IgA s ] and IgA secretion rate. On the other hand, early studies by Schouten et al (1988) and Karper and Goldfarb (1995) found no conclusive evidence that moderate exercise positively affects humoral immunity, and Nehlsen-Cannarella et al (1990) reported that subjects in their exercise group did not express any significant differences in concentrations of IgA or other serum immunoglobulins.…”

Salivary IgA response to prolonged exercise in a hot environment in trained cyclists

“…However, a 1 -adrenergic blockade by doxazosin and b-blockade by propanolol had no effect on the saliva flow rate response to sub-maximal cycling at 50 W for 8 min (Winzer et al 1999). Recently, infusion of the a 2 -adrenoceptor agonist dexmedetomidine has been shown to cause vasoconstriction in men (Talke et al 2003).…”

Living high–training low altitude training: effects on mucosal immunity

“…A team of researchers has investigated the role of the a-and b-adrenergic pathways of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) on mucosal immunity by comparing the effects of different stressors such as mental arithmetic task, cold pressor and submaximal exercise on secretory IgA (Winzer et al 1999;Ring et al 2000). Thus, these authors demonstrated that sIgA active decrease, but not increase, is mediated by a-adrenergic mechanisms (Ring et al 2000).…”