Abstract
This study investigated plasma lipopolysaccharides (LPS) concentration and intestinal permeability after 60-min run at 70 % maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) in hot [33 °C, 50 % relative humidity (rH)] and cool (22 °C, 62 % rH) conditions. Fifteen volunteers gave their informed consent to participate in this study. Their venous blood samples were taken before, after, 2 and 5 h after exercise in each of the conditions. The order of the two environmental conditions in which they exercised in was randomised and counterbalanced. Plasma LPS concentration increased by an average of 54.0 % (95 % confidence interval: 30.7, 75.1 %) after exercising in the hot trial but no significant changes were observed in cool trial, where mean plasma LPS concentration was 12.0 ± 6.4 pg mL−1 (before), 10.9 ± 5.4 pg mL−1 (after), 10.7 ± 6.0 pg mL−1 (2 h after) and 10.6 ± 5.7 pg mL−1 (5 h after). Median (range) plasma claudin-3 (CLDN3) concentration was significantly higher after exercise (hot: 8.2 [1.0–13.0] ng mL−1 and cool: 7.6 [0.6–13.4] ng mL−1) as compared to before exercise (hot: 6.6 [0.7–11.8] ng mL−1 and cool: 6.7 [0.8–12.6] ng mL−1) (p < 0.05), but there is no significant difference observed between trials (p > 0.05). Changes in intestinal permeability are only affected by exercise while exercise-induced endotoxemia is affected by environmental conditions. This study, thus, highlights that an increase in intestinal permeability is not sufficient to trigger exercise-induced endotoxemia, suggesting that post-LPS translocation events may have a greater impact in its occurrence.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the volunteers for their participation and support in this research. We would also like to thank Ms. Eunice Teo for coordinating the trials. The authors also appreciate Dr. Jason Lee, Ms. Jacinta Yeo, Mr. David Fun, Ms. Priscilla Fan, Ms. Teo Ya Shi, Ms. Huang Liyan, Ms. Dean Neo, Ms. Jessica Woo, Mr. Alexander Mok and Mr. Samuel Low for their assistance in data collection and technical support during the experiment. This study is supported by grant from Ministry of Defence, Singapore. The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors. They do not represent the views of the Singapore Armed Forces or the Ministry of Defence, Singapore.
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Communicated by George Havenith.
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Yeh, Y.J., Law, L.Y.L. & Lim, C.L. Gastrointestinal response and endotoxemia during intense exercise in hot and cool environments. Eur J Appl Physiol 113, 1575–1583 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2587-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2587-x