title: The impact of 6-month training preparation for an Ironman triathlon on the proportions of naïve, memory and senescent T cells in resting blood.
abstract: Athletes appear to be at a greater risk of illness while undertaking arduous training regimens in preparation for endurance events. As infection susceptibility has been linked with increased proportions of differentiated and senescent T cells in the periphery, changes in the proportions of these cell types due to long-term high-volume exercise training could have important implications for athlete infection risk. This study examined the effects of 6-month training preparation for an Ironman triathlon on the proportions of naïve, memory and senescent T cells in resting blood. Ten club-level triathletes (9 males; 1 female: 43 ± 3 years) were sampled at 27 (December), 21 (January), 15 (March), 9 (May) and 3 (June) weeks before an Ironman Triathlon. An additional sample was collected 2-week post-competition (August). Four-colour flow cytometry was used for the phenotypic analysis of CD4+ and CD8+ blood T cells. Proportions of differentiated (KLRG1+/CD57-) CD8+ T cells and "transitional" (CD45RA+/CD45RO+) CD4+ and CD8+ T cells increased with training, as the values in June were elevated 37, 142 and 116%, respectively, from those observed in December. Proportions of senescent (KLRG1+/CD57+) CD4+ or CD8+ T cells did not change during the training phase. Two weeks post-race, proportions of differentiated CD8+ T cells had returned to baseline values, while the proportions of senescent CD4+ T cells increased 192% alongside a 31% reduction in naïve (CD45RA+/CD45RO-) cells. In conclusion, increases in differentiated and "transitional" T cells due to arduous exercise training could compromise host protection to novel pathogens and increase athlete infection risk, although whether or not the composition of naïve and differentiated T cells in blood can serve as prognostic biomarkers in athletes remains to be established.
authors.affiliation: Biomedicine and Sports Science Research Group, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, EH10 5DT, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Cormac
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cosgrove
authors.forename: Stuart D R
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Galloway
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.forename: Angus M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Brian K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: McFarlin
authors.forename: Guilllaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spielmann
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000276:immunology*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers