Habitual physical activity and endothelial activation in sickle cell trait carriers.
OBJECTIVE
It remains unclear whether habitual physical activity in sickle cell trait (SCT) carriers modulates the levels of resting and postexercise vascular adhesion and inflammatory molecules.


METHODS
Plasma levels of pro-inflammatory (interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-8, sCD40L, and tumor necrosis factor α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines and adhesion molecules (soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), sP-selectin, or sE-selectin) were assessed at rest and in response to an incremental exercise to exhaustion in untrained (UT: no regular physical activity) and trained (T: soccer players, 8 h·wk minimum) SCT and control (CON) subjects (n = 8 per group; age = 23.5 ± 0.35 yr).


RESULTS
sVCAM-1 levels were significantly higher in the UT-SCT group than that in T-SCT group (+43.5%) at rest, at the end, and at 1, 2, and 24 h after the end of the exercise. For the other molecules, no differences emerged among the groups at rest, but in response to exercise plasma, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, sE-selectin, and sCD40L increased in all groups, and sP-selectin only increased in the UT group. All values that increased with the acute exercise returned to their respective baseline levels 1 h after the end of the exercise.


CONCLUSIONS
A physically active lifestyle in SCT carriers may decrease endothelial activation and may limit the risk for vascular adhesion events in the microcirculation of SCT subjects.
Aufradet
Emeline
E
Center of Research and Innovation on Sports, University Claude Bernard of Lyon 1, University of Lyon, Lyon, France.
Monchanin
Géraldine
G
Oyonno-Engelle
Samuel
S
Feasson
Léonard
L
Messonnier
Laurent
L
Francina
Alain
A
Bezin
Laurent
L
Serpero
Laura D
LD
Gozal
David
D
Dodogba
Macias
M
Wouassi
Dieudonné
D
Banimbeck
Viviane
V
Djoda
Bernard
B
Thiriet
Patrice
P
Martin
Cyril
C
D000886:Anthropometry; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012805:Sickle Cell Trait / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators