EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON CIRCULATING VASCULAR ADHESION MOLECULES IN HEALTHY-MEN

Based on previous studies showing an increase in circulating soluble i ntercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) after exercise, we hypothes ized that exercise may also increase serum levels of the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and sE-selectin. In a prospective contr olled clinical trial, serum levels of sE-selectin, sICAM-1 and sVAM-1 were measured before and after two different exercise protocols in hea lthy untrained men. Lactate levels increased up to 12.7 mmol/L (95% co nfidence interval: 10.1-15.9) and 3.6 mmol/L (CI: 2.4-4.7) after ergom etry and after an one hour endurance exercise at 60% of the maximal wo rk intensity, respectively (p = 0.028 vs baseline and controls:). Tile maximal increase in lymphocyte counts of 106% (CI: 63-146), which was only of short duration, was higher immediately after ergometry as com pared to that observed after endurance exercise (p = 0.028). However, the maximal increase in neutrophil counts of 178% (CI: 120-298) which was seen at 2 hours after endurance exercise was higher than that seen after ergometry (p = 0.028). In contrast, only small changes of circu lating adhesion molecules were seen immediately after ergometry: sICAM -1 increased by 11% (CI: 4-25; p = 0.028), and similar tendencies were also observed for sVCAM-1 and sti-selectin. No other consistent and t ime-dependent changes of circulating adhesion molecules were observed and all differences and changes were less than or equal to 11%. In sum our study provides evidence that recreational sporting activities in untrained healthy subjects at normal altitude have little influence on serum levels of the circulating vascular adhesion molecules sE-select in, sVCAM-1 or sICAM-1.