RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Regular Tai Chi Chuan exercise improves T cell helper function of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with an increase in T-bet transcription factor and IL-12 production
JF British Journal of Sports Medicine
JO Br J Sports Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
SP 845
OP 850
DO 10.1136/bjsm.2007.043562
VO 43
IS 11
A1 S-H Yeh
A1 H Chuang
A1 L-W Lin
A1 C-Y Hsiao
A1 P-W Wang
A1 R-T Liu
A1 K D Yang
YR 2009
UL http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/11/845.abstract
AB Background: Exercise has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM); its benefit to immune function, however, remains to be determined.Objective: This study investigated the effect of a 12-week course of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) exercise on T cell helper (Th) reaction in patients with type 2 DM.Methods: A case-control study was performed in 30 pairs of patients with type 2 DM and normal age-matched adults. Fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, mediators (interleukin (IL)-12, IL-4 and transforming growth factor (TGF)β) and transcription factors (T-bet, GATA-3 and FoxP3) of Th1/Th2/T regulatory (Treg) reaction were measured before and after a 12-week TCC exercise programme.Results: Fasting glucose and HbA1c levels in the patients with type 2 DM were significantly higher than in age-matched controls before exercise. After TCC exercise, HbA1c levels in patients with type 2 DM significantly decreased (7.59 (0.32)% vs 7.16 (0.22)%; p = 0.047) and blood levels of IL-12 increased significantly (5.96 (1.10) vs 12.96 (3.07); p = 0.035). To study the molecular Th1/Th2/Treg reaction, patients with type 2 DM were found to have lower T-bet but not GATA-3 or FoxP3 expression than normal controls before TCC exercise. After the 12-week TCC exercise T-bet expression significantly increased in patients with type 2 DM.Conclusions: A 12-week TCC exercise programme decreases HbA1c levels along with an increase in the Th1 reaction. A combination of TCC with medication may provide an even better improvement in both metabolism and immunity of patients with type 2 DM.