Abstract
Purpose
We investigated the effect of the racemic β-hydroxybutyrate precursor, R,S-1,3-butanediol (BD), on T-cell-related cytokine gene expression within stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) following prolonged, strenuous exercise.
Methods
A repeated-measures, randomised, crossover study was conducted in nine healthy, trained male cyclists (age, 26.7 ± 5.2 years; VO2peak, 63.9 ± 2.5 mL kg−1 min−1). Participants ingested 0.35 g kg−1 of BD or placebo 30 min before and 60 min during 85 min of steady-state (SS) exercise, which preceded a ~ 30 min time-trial (TT) (7 kJ kg−1). Blood samples were collected at pre-supplement, pre-exercise, post-SS, post-TT and 1-h post-TT. Whole blood cultures were stimulated with Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) for 24 h to determine T-cell-related interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and interferon (IFN)-γ mRNA expression within isolated PBMCs in vitro.
Results
Serum cortisol, total circulating leukocyte and lymphocyte, and T-cell subset concentrations were similar between trials during exercise and recovery (all p > 0.05). BD ingestion increased T-cell-related IFN-γ mRNA expression compared with placebo throughout exercise and recovery (p = 0.011); however, IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA expression and the IFN-γ/IL-4 mRNA expression ratio were unaltered (all p > 0.05).
Conclusion
Acute hyperketonaemia appears to transiently amplify the initiation of the pro-inflammatory T-cell-related IFN-γ response to an immune challenge in vitro during and following prolonged, strenuous exercise; suggesting enhanced type-1 T-cell immunity at the gene level.
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Abbreviations
- AcAc:
-
Acetoacetate
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- β2-MG:
-
β2-Microglobulin
- BD:
-
R,S-1,3-Butanediol
- CD:
-
Cluster of differentiation
- cDNA:
-
Complementary deoxyribonucleic acid
- CO2 :
-
Carbon dioxide
- D-βHB:
-
D-beta-hydroxybutyrate
- ES:
-
Effect size
- FBS:
-
Foetal bovine serum
- HR:
-
Heart rate
- IFN:
-
Interferon
- IL:
-
Interleukin
- K2EDTA:
-
Dipotassium ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid
- KB:
-
Ketone body
- kJ:
-
Kilojoules
- mRNA:
-
Messenger ribonucleic acid
- PBMC:
-
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell
- PBS:
-
Phosphate-buffered saline
- PLA:
-
Placebo
- RT-PCR:
-
Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
- SEB:
-
Staphylococcal enterotoxin B
- SS:
-
Steady-state
- T-cell:
-
T-lymphocyte
- TT:
-
Time-trial
- URTS:
-
Upper respiratory tract symptom
- VO2max :
-
Maximal oxygen uptake
- VO2peak :
-
Peak oxygen uptake
- VT2 :
-
Second ventilatory threshold
- W max :
-
Maximal wattage
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The authors would like to thank the participants for their effort, cooperation and humour.
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The study was designed by DS, FM, AB and DD; data were collected by DS; data interpretation and manuscript preparation were undertaken by DS, FM, AB, LK and DD. All authors approved the final version of the paper.
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Communicated by Klaas R. Westerterp.
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Shaw, D.M., Merien, F., Braakhuis, A. et al. Acute hyperketonaemia alters T-cell-related cytokine gene expression within stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells following prolonged exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 120, 191–202 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04263-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04263-x