title: Exercise benefits in chronic graft versus host disease: a murine model study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) is a life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that generates considerable morbidity and compromises the physical capacity of patients. We determined the effects of an exercise training program performed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on clinical and biological variables in a minor histocompatibility antigen-driven murine model of cGVHD treated with cyclosporine A.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recipient BALB/C female mice (age 8 wk) received bone marrow cells and splenocytes from donor B10.D2 male mice and were randomly assigned to an exercise (n = 11) or control group (n = 12). For approximately 11 wk after transplant, the exercise group completed a moderate-intensity treadmill program. Variables assessed were clinical severity scores, survival, physical fitness, cytokine profile, immune cell reconstitution, molecular markers of muscle exercise adaptations, and histological scores in affected tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exercise training increased survival (P = 0.011), diminished total clinical severity scores (P = 0.002), improved physical fitness (P = 0.030), and reduced blood IL-4 and tumor necrosis factor α levels (P = 0.03), while increasing circulating B220 (P = 0.008) and CD4 lymphocytes (P = 0.043).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A moderate-intensity exercise program that mimics widely accepted public health recommendations for physical activity in human adults was well tolerated and positive effects on survival as well as on clinical and biological indicators of cGVHD.
authors: School of Doctorate Studies and Research, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Fiuza-Luces
authors: Luisa
authors: L
authors: Soares-Miranda
authors: Africa
authors: A
authors: González-Murillo
authors: Jesús Martínez
authors: JM
authors: Palacio
authors: Isabel
authors: I
authors: Colmenero
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Casco
authors: Gustavo J
authors: GJ
authors: Melén
authors: Aitor
authors: A
authors: Delmiro
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Morán
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Ramírez
authors: Alejandro
authors: A
authors: Lucia
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4; D016572:Cyclosporine; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens