Inflammatory Biomarkers' Response to Two Different Intensities of a Single Bout Exercise Among Soccer Players

Mehri Ghafourian; Damoon Ashtary-Larky; Rahim Chinipardaz; Nahid Eskandary; Mousa Mehavaran

doi:10.5812/ircmj.21498

Inflammatory Biomarkers' Response to Two Different Intensities of a Single Bout Exercise Among Soccer Players

Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2016 Jan 1;18(2):e21498. doi: 10.5812/ircmj.21498. eCollection 2016 Feb.

Authors

Mehri Ghafourian¹, Damoon Ashtary-Larky², Rahim Chinipardaz³, Nahid Eskandary⁴, Mousa Mehavaran⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Immunology, Physiology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
² Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Physiology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
³ Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Sciences, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
⁴ Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Esfahan University of Medical Sciences, Esfahan, IR Iran.
⁵ Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, IR Iran.

Abstract

Background: There is a strong relationship between physical inactivity and low-grade inflammation and its adverse health outcomes, particularly cardiovascular disease. The level of anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines may be changed by exercise.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the response of certain inflammatory biomarkers to exercise with differences in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). These biomarkers were IL-1β, TNF-α, hs-CRP, IL-6, sICAM-1, IL-10, and ratios of TNF-α/IL-10 and IL-6/IL-in circulating peripheral blood (PB).

Materials and methods: In a semi-experimental study, twenty male students who performed regular football exercise at least three days a week, for two years, were selected by easy sampling at Shahid Chamran university of Iran. Subjects were then randomly assigned to two groups: the protocol of the first group was 30 minutes of running at a speed of 65% of VO2max, and the second group performed six periodic repetitions with three minutes at a speed of 85% of VO2max with a 90-second rest between the repetitions. Blood samples were taken at baseline, immediately after the exercise and at rest. Cytokine levels were quantified by the Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.

Results: The first protocol resulted in a decrease of serum IL-1β to 3.77 ± 0.28 pg/mL at rest, from 4.33 ± 0.28 at baseline and 4.32 ± 0.34 immediately after exercise (P = 0.008 and P = 0.013, respectively). There was also a decrease in the level of sICAM-1 to 260.11±15.64 ng/mL at rest, from 329.58 ± 20.82 at baseline and 302.7 ± 20.49 post exercise (P = 0.013 and P = 0.038, respectively). On the other hand, IL-6 and ratio of IL-6/IL-10 increased to 6.55±0.84 pg/mL and 2.12 ± 0.37 immediately after exercise from baseline (2.73 ± 0.58 and 1.16 ± 0.33) and rest (2.49 ± 0.45 and 0.95 ± 0.19) in the second protocol (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively for IL-6, and P = 0.047 and P = 0.024, respectively for IL-6/IL-10).

Conclusions: The data of the present study demonstrated that a single bout of exercise with higher-intensity induces a transient increase in some proinflammatory markers, and lower-intensity can reduce these biomarkers.

Keywords: Aerobic; Cytokines; Exercise; Inflammation.