Physical exercise increases natural cellular-mediated tumor cytotoxicity in elderly women.
The influence of acute treadmill exercise on natural killer (NK) cell tumor cytotoxicity in vitro was studied in elderly women after participation in a program of physical exercise training (PET) (n = 7) or after participation in a paralleling nonexercise control (NEC) condition (n = 7). The two study groups were equated (p greater than 0.05) according to age, percent total body fat, functional status as measured by multi-inventory ranking, and exercise capacity. After the experimental period, the PET subjects had a greater basal level of NK activity than the NEC subjects (PET 38.2 percent specific lysis, %SL, vs. NEC 28.8 %SL; p less than 0.05). Both groups experienced an increase in NK activity after acute treadmill exercise (PET 38.2-57.4 %SL, p less than 0.01; NEC 28.8-37.8 %SL, p less than 0.05), but the increase in the PET subjects was significantly (p less than 0.05) greater than that observed in the NEC subjects. We conclude that natural cellular-mediated tumor cytotoxicity is increased in response to acute exercise and long-term PET in elderly women.
Crist
D M
DM
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
Mackinnon
L T
LT
Thompson
R F
RF
Atterbom
H A
HA
Egan
P A
PA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D001823:Body Composition; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D011897:Random Allocation