Reduction of blood pressure and restoration of T-cell immune function in spontaneously hypertensive rats by food restriction and/or by treadmill exercise.
The studies were carried out to compare the effects of food restriction and/or treadmill exercise on the development of high blood pressure and to compare immune function in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The results demonstrate that moderate food restriction from weaning or a regular treadmill exercise not only maintains significantly lower blood pressure, but also increases T-cell proliferative response against mitogens which is found to be significantly depressed in SHR fed ad libitum. A significant loss of T-cell subpopulation such as W3/25+ T helper cells and OX8+ non-helper T-cells occurring in mice fed ad libitum were restored to normal levels, including IL-2 response, in food-restricted SHR. Our results suggest that both food restriction and/or physical exercise is effective in modulating the blood pressure and increasing T-cell immune functions in SHR.
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001835:Body Weight; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D005082:Physical Exertion; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR / Q000502:physiology*; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*