H. Bruunsgaard et al., Exercise induces recruitment of lymphocytes with an activated phenotype and short telomeres in young and elderly humans, LIFE SCI, 65(24), 1999, pp. 2623-2633
This study was performed in order to investigate the type of T cells recrui
ted to the blood in response to an acute bout of exercise with regard to me
an lengths of telomeric terminal restriction fragments (TRF) and surface ac
tivation markers and with special emphasis on age-associated differences. T
en elderly and ten young humans performed maximal bicycle exercise. There w
as no difference in the number of recruited CD4+ and CD8(+) cells between t
he young and elderly group. In both age groups the immediate increases coul
d be ascribed to recruitment of CD28(-) cells (CD8(+) and CD4(+) cells) and
memory cells (only CD8+ cells). Furthermore, after exercise mean TRF lengt
hs were significantly reduced in blood mononuclear cells and in CD8(+) cell
s from young subjects and in CD4(+) cells from elderly subjects compared wi
th lengths pre-exercise. These findings suggest that the mobilization of T
lymphocytes during acute exercise is mainly a redistribution of previously
activated cells with an increased replicative story than cells isolated fro
m the blood at rest. Furthermore, elderly humans fulfilling the Senieur pro
tocol have a preserved ability to recruit T lymphocytes in response to acut
e physical stress.