Physical exercise is associated with a reduction in plasma levels of fractalkine, TGF-β1, eotaxin-1 and IL-6 in younger adults with mobility disability

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 3;17(2):e0263173. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263173. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Mobility disability (MD) refers to substantial limitations in life activities that arise because of movement impairments. Although MD is most prevalent in older individuals, it can also affect younger adults. Increasing evidence suggests that inflammation can drive the development of MD and may need to be targeted for MD prevention. Physical exercise has anti-inflammatory properties and has been associated with MD prevention. However, no studies to date have examined whether exercise interventions affect the peripheral inflammatory status in younger adults with MD. To this end, we used blood samples from young and middle-aged adults with MD (N = 38; median age = 34 years) who participated in a 12-week intervention that included aerobic and resistance exercise training. A pre-post assessment of inflammatory biomarkers was conducted in plasma from two timepoints, i.e., before the exercise trial and at follow-up (3-7 days after the last exercise session). We successfully measured 15 inflammatory biomarkers and found that exercise was associated with a significant reduction in levels of soluble fractalkine, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), eotaxin-1 and interleukin (IL) 6 (corrected α = 0.004). We also found significant male-specific effects of exercise on (i) increasing IL-16 and (ii) decreasing vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). In line with our results, previous studies have also found that exercise can reduce levels of TGF-β1, eotaxin-1 and IL-6. However, our finding that exercise reduces plasma levels of fractalkine in younger adults with MD, as well as the sex-dependent findings, have not been previously reported and warrant replication in larger cohorts. Given the suggested role of inflammation in promoting MD development, our study provides additional support for the use of physical exercise as a treatment modality for MD.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / blood*
  • Chemokine CCL11 / blood*
  • Chemokine CX3CL1 / blood*
  • Disabled Persons / rehabilitation*
  • Exercise*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / blood*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mobility Limitation*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / blood*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • CCL11 protein, human
  • CX3CL1 protein, human
  • Chemokine CCL11
  • Chemokine CX3CL1
  • IL6 protein, human
  • Interleukin-6
  • TGFB1 protein, human
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE) (awarded to YF), the Swedish Research Council (2014-10171, awarded to CL), and the regional agreement on medical training and clinical research (ALF) between Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet Stockholm County Council (SLL20170292, SLL20200589, awarded to CL).