Effects of strenuous exercise on Th1/Th2 gene expression from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells of marathon participants.
Physical stressors, such as strenuous exercise, can have numerous effects on the human body including the immune system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the gene expression profile of Th1/Th2 cytokines and related transcription factor genes in order to investigate possible immune imbalances before and after a marathon. Blood samples were collected from 16 normal volunteers 24-48 h before and one week after completing a marathon race. Gene expression of Th1 and Th2 related cytokines from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was analyzed using Human Th1-Th2-Th3 RT(2) Profiler PCR Array and qRT-PCR that measured the transcript levels of 84 genes related to T cell activation. We found that PBMC express a characteristic Th2-like gene profile one week post-marathon compared to pre-marathon. The majority of genes up-regulated one week post-marathon such as IL-4, GATA3, and CCR4 were Th2 associated. For Th1-related genes, CXCR3 and IRF1 were up-regulated one week post-marathon. There was a trend of down-regulation of two Th1 related genes, T-bet and STAT1. Th3-related gene expression patterns did not change in the study. The ratios of both IFN-γ/IL-4 and T-bet/GATA3 gene expressions were significantly lower one week after marathon. These findings suggest that a Th1/Th2 immune imbalance persisted at least 1 week after completion of a marathon which offers a mechanistic rationale for the increased risk of upper respiratory tract infections often reported after strenuous exercise.
Laboratory of Behavioral Immunology Research, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA. Electronic address: lxiang@umc.edu.
Lianbin
L
Xiang
Laboratory of Behavioral Immunology Research, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
Kristina E
KE
Rehm
Laboratory of Behavioral Immunology Research, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
Gailen D
GD
Marshall
D000328:Adult; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054398:Receptors, CCR4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
C515354:CCR4 protein, human; C515187:CXCR3 protein, human; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494749:GATA3 protein, human; C494257:IRF1 protein, human; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D054398:Receptors, CCR4; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; C494079:STAT1 protein, human; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma
Cytokine; Gene expression; PCR Array; Strenuous exercise; Th1/Th2 balance; Transcription factors