title: Exercise induced alterations in NK-cell cytotoxicity - methodological issues and future perspectives.
abstract: With their ability to recognize and eliminate virus-infected and neoplastic cells, natural killer cells (NK-cells) represent an important part of the innate immune system. NK-cells have attracted the attention of exercise scientists for more than thirty years ago. To date, it is widely accepted that NK-cell counts in the peripheral blood are strongly influenced by acute exercise. Additionally, many studies reported effects of both, acute and chronic exercise on NK-cell cytotoxicity. However, these findings are contradictory. The inconsistence in findings may be argued with different exercise paradigms (type, duration, intensity). Moreover, strongly varying methods were used to detect NK-cell cytotoxicity. This review gives an overview of studies, investigating the impact of acute and chronic exercise on NK-cell cytotoxicity in young and old healthy adults, as well as on specific populations, such as cancer patients. Furthermore, different methodological approaches to assess NK-cell cytotoxicity are critically discussed to state on inconsistent study results and to give perspectives for further research in this field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany.|Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schenk
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kieven
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holthaus
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lövenich
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bloch
mesh_terms: D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D065228:Non-Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
keywords: NK-cell; NK-cell cytotoxicity; NKCA; exercise; physical activity