The effect of acute physical and mental stress on soluble cellular adhesion molecule concentration.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the impact of acute physical and mental stress on serum concentrations of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and CX3CL1/fractalkine.


METHODS
Male volunteers (n=20; 21.3±0.55years of age) completed a graded treadmill test to exhaustion and a 20-minute mental stress task (Stroop Color-Word Test, mental arithmetic) on separate, non-consecutive days. Heart rate (HR) was measured at baseline and throughout exercise and mental stress. Blood was collected at baseline (PRE), immediately following (POST) and 30min after (POST30) exercise and mental stress. Soluble VCAM-1 and fractalkine were quantified in participant serum via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.


RESULTS
Both treadmill exercise and the mental stress task significantly increased participant HR; although, exercise resulted in a substantially greater increase in participant HR compared to mental stress (197.82±11.99 vs. 38.67±3.10% [p<0.001]). VCAM-1 (815.74±139.55 vs. 738.67±131.59ng/mL [p=0.002]) and fractalkine (1.032±0.33 vs. 0.59±0.20ng/mL [p<0.001]) were significantly elevated in participant serum POST maximal exercise before returning to values similar to baseline at POST30. The acute mental stress task did not significantly alter serum VCAM-1 or fractalkine at any time point.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, maximal aerobic exercise results in a significant elevation of the soluble adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and fractalkine in the serum of adult males that does not occur following laboratory-induced mental stress. The findings of the current investigation may suggest a novel protective role for acute aerobic exercise in vascular health via exercise-induced CAM proteolysis.
Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
E Blake
EB
Crabb
Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States. Electronic address: francorl@vcu.edu.
R Lee
RL
Franco
Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
Heather L
HL
Caslin
Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
Anson M
AM
Blanks
Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
Mary K
MK
Bowen
Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
Edmund O
EO
Acevedo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D055815:Young Adult
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules
CX(3)CL1; Fractalkine; Maximal aerobic exercise; Mental stress; Soluble cellular adhesion molecules; Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1