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Effects of normoxic and hypoxic exercise regimens on lymphocyte apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in sedentary males

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Oxidative stress-induced lymphocyte apoptosis is linked to hypoxemic individuals suffering from cardiopulmonary disorders or exposed to hypoxic environments. What kind of the exercise strategy under hypoxic condition improves exercise performance and simultaneously minimizes lymphocyte dysfunction caused by oxidative stress has not yet been established. This study elucidates how various exercises regimens with/without hypoxia affect lymphocyte apoptosis induced by oxidative stress.

Methods

A total of 60 sedentary males were randomly divided into five groups. Each group (n = 12) received one of the five interventions: hypoxic-absolute exercise (HAT, 50%Wmax under 15%O2), hypoxic-relative exercise (HRT, 50% heart rate reserve under 15%O2), normoxic exercise (NT, 50%Wmax under 21%O2), hypoxic control (HC, resting under 15%O2), or normoxic control (NC, resting under 21%O2) for 30 min/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks.

Results

Before the intervention, the graded exercise test (GXT, progressive exercise up to VO2max) decreased the surface thiol level on lymphocytes and subsequently augmented the extents of H2O2-induced mitochondria transmembrane potential (MTP) diminishing, caspase 3/8/9 activations, and phosphotidyl serine (PS) exposure in lymphocytes. However, 4 weeks of NT, HRT, or HAT reduced the extents of surface thiol decreasing on lymphocytes and H2O2-induced MTP diminishing, caspase 3/8/9 activations, and PS exposure in lymphocytes following GXT. Moreover, the HAT group exhibited greater improvements in pulmonary ventilation and VO2max than either NT or HRT group did.

Conclusions

Exercise training with/without hypoxic exposure effectively alleviates lymphocyte apoptosis induced by oxidative stress following strenuous exercise. However, the HAT is superior to the NT or HRT for enhancing aerobic capacity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the volunteers for their enthusiastic participation in the present study. This work was supported by the National Science Council of Taiwan (Grant no. NSC 105-2314-B-182-013-MY3), Chang Gung Medical Research Program (Grant no. CMRPD3G0031) and the Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University (Grant no. EMRPD1A0841).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Healthy Aging Research Center, Graduate Institute of Rehabilitation Science, Medical College, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan, 333, Taiwan

    Jong-Shyan Wang, Wan-Ling Chen & Chin-Pu Lin

  2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Heart Failure Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan

    Jong-Shyan Wang

  3. Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan

    Jong-Shyan Wang

  4. Department of Rehabilitation Science, Jenteh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan

    Yi-Ching Chen

Authors
  1. Jong-Shyan Wang
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  2. Yi-Ching Chen
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  3. Wan-Ling Chen
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  4. Chin-Pu Lin
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Contributions

CYC, WLC, LCP, and JSW performed experiments, analyzed data, interpreted results of experiments, prepared figures; JSW drafted, edited and revised manuscript; CYC, WLC, LCP, and JSW approved final version of manuscript; JSW conception and design of research.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jong-Shyan Wang.

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Conflict of interest

No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the authors.

Additional information

Communicated by Fabio Fischetti.

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Wang, JS., Chen, YC., Chen, WL. et al. Effects of normoxic and hypoxic exercise regimens on lymphocyte apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in sedentary males. Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 2445–2455 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3731-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3731-9

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