Abstract
This study examined the influence of a triathlon on the immune system and on serum amino acid concentrations. Eight male triathletes swam 2500 m, bicycled 81 km, and ran 19 km. The concentration of total serum amino acids decreased during the race, with the lowest values occurring 2 h postexercise. Similarly, serum glutamine concentration declined from 468 (SEM 24) (prerace) to 318 (SEM 20) μmoll−1 (2 h postrace) and the natural killer (NK) and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cell activities were suppressed 2 h postexercise (P < 0.05). Blood mononuclear cell proliferation decreased during exercise with the lowest value observed after running. The leucocyte concentration increased during and after exercise due to an increase in the concentration of neutrophils and monocytes. There was no significant change in lymphocyte concentration during or after the exercise. The plasma concentration of interleukin-6 did not change and the plasma concentration of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α were below detection limits. The LAK cell cytotoxicity, but not NK cell activity or proliferative response, was significantly correlated with serum glutamine concentrations (r = 0.39,P < 0.01). This study confirms that prolonged endurance exercise results in changes in the cytotoxic function of the NK and LAK cells as well as the proliferative response. The time-course of changes in serum glutamine concentrations were best parallelled by changes in LAK cell activities.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ardawi MS, Newsholme EA (1982) Maximum activities of some enzymes of glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and ketonebody and glutamine utilization pathways in lymphocytes of the rat. Biochem J 208:743–748
Ardawi MS, Newsholme EA (1984) Intracellular localization and properties of phosphate-dependent glutaminase in rat mesenteric lymph nodes. Biochem J 217:289–296
Cannon JG, Fielding RA, Fiatarone MA, Orencole SF, Dinarello CA, Evans WJ (1989) Increased interleukin 1 beta in human skeletal muscle after exercise. Am J Physiol 257:R451-R455
Evans WJ, Meredith CN, Cannon JG (1986) Metabolic changes following eccentric exercise in trained and untrained men. J Appl Physiol 61:1864–1868
Heath GW, Ford ES, Craven TE, Macera CA, Jackson KL, Pate RR (1991) Exercise and the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections. Med Sci Sports Exerc 23:152–157
Heinrikson RL, Meredith SC (1984) Amino acid analysis by reversephase high-performance liquid chromatography: precolumn derivatization with phenylisothiocyanate. Anal Biochem 136:65–74
Hoffman-Goetz L, Pedersen BK (1994) Exercise and the immune system: a model of the stress response? Immunol Today 15:382–387
Kappel M, Tvede N, Galbo H, Haahr PM, Kjaer M, Linstow M, Klarlund K, Pedersen BK (1991a) Evidence that the effect of physical exercise on NK cell activity is mediated by epinephrine. J Appl Physiol 70:2530–2534
Kappel M, Stadeager C, Tvede N, Galbo H, Pedersen BK (1991b) Effects of in vivo hyperthermia on natural killer cell activity, in vitro proliferative responses and blood mononuclear cell subpopulations. Clin Exp Immunol 84:175–180
Keast D, Arstein D, Harper W, Fry RW, Morton AR (1995) Depression of plasma glutamine concentration after exercise stress and its possible influence on the immune system. Med J Aust 162:15–18
Lehmann M, Huonker M, Dimeo F, Heinz N, Gastmann U, Treis N, Steinacker JM, Keul J, Kajewski R, Haussinger D (1995) Serum amino acid concentrations in nine athletes before and after the 1993 Colmar Ultra Triathlon. Int J Sports Med 16:155–159
McCarthy DA, Dale MM (1988) The leucocytosis of exercise. A review and model. Sports Med 6:333–363
Nielsen HB, Secher NH, Kappel M, Hanel B, Pedersen BK Lymphocyte, NK and LAK cell responses to maximal exercise. Int J Sports Med in press
Nieman DC, Johanssen LM, Lee JW, Arabatzis K (1990) Infectious episodes in runners before and after the Los Angeles Marathon. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 30:316–328
Nieman DC, Miller AR, Henson DA, Warren BJ, Gusewitch G, Johnson RL, Davis JM, Butterworth DE, Nehlsen Cannarella SL (1993) Effects of high- vs moderate-intensity exercise on natural killer cell activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 25:1126–1134
Northoff H, Flegel WA, Maennel DN, Baumstark M, Berg A (1990) Increased levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and/or IL-7 in sera of longdistance runners. In: Powanda MC, Oppenheim JJ, Kluger MJ, Dinarello CA (eds) The physiological and pathological effects of cytokines. Wiley-Liss, New York, pp 75–79
Parry Billings M, Evans J, Calder PC, Newsholme EA (1990) Does glutamine contribute to immunosuppression after major burns? Lancet 336:523–525
Parry Billings M, Budgett R, Koutedakis Y, Blomstrand E, Brooks S, Williams C, Calder PC, Pilling S, Baigrie R, Newsholme EA (1992a) Plasma amino acid concentrations in the overtraining syndrome: possible effects on the immune system. Med Sci Sports Exerc 24:1353–1358
Parry Billings M, Baigrie RJ, Lamont PM, Morris PJ, Newsholme EA (1992b) Effects of major and minor surgery on plasma glutamine and cytokine levels. Arch Surg 127:1237–1240
Pedersen BK, Bruunsgaard H (1995) How physical exercise influences the establishment of infections. Sports Med 19:1–8
Pedersen BK, Kharazmi A (1987) Inhibition of human natural killer cell activity by pseudomonas aeruginosa alkaline protease and elastase. Infect Immun 55:986–989
Pedersen BK, Ullum H (1994) NK cell response to physical activity: possible mechanisms of action. Med Sci Sports Exerc 26:140–146
Pedersen BK, Tvede N, Klarlund K, Christensen LD, Hansen FR, Galbo H, Kharazmi A, Halkjaer Kristensen J (1990) Indomethacin in vitro and in vivo abolishes post-exercise suppression of natural killer cell activity in peripheral blood. Int J Sports Med 11:127–131
Peters EM, Bateman ED (1983) Ultramarathon running and upper respiratory tract infections. An epidemiological survey. S Afr Med J 64:582–584
Rohde T, Ullum H, Palmo J, Halkjaer Kristensen J, Newsholme EA, Pedersen BK (1995) Effects of glutamine on the immune system — influence of muscular exercise and HIV infection. J Appl Physiol 79:146–150
Treiber FA, Musante L, Hartdagan S, Davis H, Levy M, Strong WB (1989) Validation of a heart rate monitor with children in laboratory and field settings. Med Sci Sports Exerc 21:338–342
Tsanakas IN, Bannister OM, Boon AW, Milner RD (1986) The ‘Sport-teste’: a device for monitoring the free running test. Arch Dis Child 61:912–914
Tvede N, Pedersen BK, Hansen FR, Bendix T, Christensen LD, Galbo H, Halkjaer Kristensen J (1989) Effect of physical exercise on blood mononuclear cell subpopulations and in vitro proliferative responses. Scand J Immunol 29:383–389
Tvede N, Kappel M, Halkjaer Kristensen J, Galbo H, Pedersen BK (1993) The effect of light, moderate and severe bicycle exercise on lymphocyte subsets, natural and lymphokine activated killer cells, lymphocyte proliferative response and interleukin 2 production. Int J Sports Med 14:275–282
Vinnars E, Bergstom J, Furst P (1975) Influence of the postoperative state on the intracellular free amino acids in human muscle tissue. Ann Surg 182:665–671
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rohde, T., MacLean, D.A., Hartkopp, A. et al. The immune system and serum glutamine during a triathlon. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 74, 428–434 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02337723
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02337723