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Acute leukocyte, cytokine and adipocytokine responses to maximal and hypertrophic resistance exercise bouts

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute immune response (circulating levels of leukocytes, cytokines and adipocytokines) to maximal resistance (MAX, 15 × 1RM) and hypertrophic resistance (HYP, 5 × 10RM) exercise bouts. Twelve healthy men (age = 28.2 ± 3.5 years, weight = 78.6 ± 10.4 kg, height 178.8 ± 5.0 cm, fat percentage = 16.5 ± 3.5 %) participated in the study. Blood was sampled before, immediately after and 15 and 30 min after exercise. Leukocytes (WBC) significantly increased immediately after HYP (p < 0.01), whereas in MAX, increases in WBC became significant after 30 min (p < 0.05). Lymphocytes increased only after HYP (p < 0.001), while MAX induced lymphopenia during recovery (p < 0.01). Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) decreased (p < 0.05) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) increased after HYP, which were not observed after MAX. Adipsin and resistin decreased after both exercise bouts (p < 0.05), which suggest that heavy resistance exercise is at least transiently beneficial for adipocytokine profile. Immediate mechanical stress seemed similar as no differences in myoglobin response were observed. The higher magnitude of metabolic demand reflected in higher lactate response in HYP could be the reason for the significantly high responses in WBC, IL-1ra and decrease in MCP-1.

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Abbreviations

HYP:

Hypertrophic resistance exercise bout

IL-1ra:

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist

IL-6:

Interleukin-6

MAX:

Maximal resistance exercise bout

MCP-1:

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1

WBC:

White blood cell count

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Acknowledgments

This project was partly funded by Juho Vainion Foundation, Ellen and Artturi Nyyssönen Foundation and the Department of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, and the competitive research funding of Pirkanmaa Hospital District. The authors would like to thank the subjects and research assistants.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, P.O Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Johanna Ihalainen, Simon Walker, Keijo Häkkinen & Antti A Mero

  2. Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway

    Gøran Paulsen

  3. Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, USA

    William J. Kraemer

  4. The Immunopharmacology Research Group, University of Tampere School of Medicine and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

    Mari Hämäläinen, Katriina Vuolteenaho & Eeva Moilanen

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  1. Johanna Ihalainen
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  2. Simon Walker
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Correspondence to Johanna Ihalainen.

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Communicated by Fabio Fischetti.

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Ihalainen, J., Walker, S., Paulsen, G. et al. Acute leukocyte, cytokine and adipocytokine responses to maximal and hypertrophic resistance exercise bouts. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 2607–2616 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2979-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2979-6

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