GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTORS IN HUMAN PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS IN RELATION TO AGE AND TO SPORT ACTIVITY
Section snippets
Materials and Methods
Subjects: For this study three groups have been considered. Athletes (n = 15): soccer players (age range 19–29 yr; mean ± SD: 23 ± 3) belonging to a semi-professional team. The training program of the team consisted of one daily training session (90–120 minutes) 4 times a week with one competition on Sundays. The training program consisted of aerobic (endurance running) and anaerobic (intense short-distance running) exercise. The athletes were not on a particular dietary regimen. Younger
Results
Saturation curves and Scatchard plots obtained in the athletes and sedentary group are shown in Fig. 1. Maximum binding was obtained in both conditions. The slopes of Scatchard plots are very similar although the binding capacity is lower in the athletes. The binding affinity (Kd = 5.05 ± 0.79) did not vary between groups. Values of binding capacity of GR in PBMCs from soccer players, younger sedentary and older sedentary subjects are indicated in Fig. 2. In the sedentary subjects, there were
Discussion
In line with previous research 2, 22, 23, the present study demonstrates a significant age-related decrease of GR binding capacity in PBMCs from normal human subjects. Plasma cortisol concentrations did not change with age, in agreement with other reports 22, 23, 24, even if older subjects tended to have lower values. The presence of normal plasma cortisol in older subjects suggests a loss of receptors with aging. Another work shows a GR reduction with increased plasma cortisol concentrations
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. G.F. Bolelli (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Italy) for the anticortisol and antitestosterone antisera and Mr. P. Migliaccio for his excellent technical assistance. This work was financed by 40% and 60% funds from MURST, Rome.
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