Sl. Raidal et al., The effect of high intensity exercise on the functional capacity of equinepulmonary alveolar macrophages and BAL-derived lymphocytes, RES VET SCI, 68(3), 2000, pp. 249-253
The effect of strenuous exercise on the functional capacity of pulmonary al
veolar macrophages (PAM) and bronchoalveolar lavage-derived lymphocytes was
determined in eight horses prior to and after 7 weeks of training. Strenuo
us exercise had no effect on the total cell count or the percentage of live
cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples prior to or following traini
ng. However, training was associated with a significant increase in the tot
al cell count of pre-exercise BAL samples and a significant reduction in th
e percentage of live cells in post-exercise samples. Strenuous exercise was
associated with impaired phagocytosis by PAM after 7 weeks of training but
had no effect on similar samples obtained from untrained horses. The oxida
tive burst activity of PAM was significantly increased following strenuous
exercise for both untrained and trained horses. BAL-derived lymphocyte oxid
ative burst was similarly affected following training. These results sugges
t that strenuous exercise and training may influence pulmonary immune cell
function.