12-week combined strength and endurance exercise attenuates CD8⁺ T-cell differentiation and affects the kynurenine pathway in the elderly

a randomized controlled trial

verfasst von

Tim Konstantin Boßlau, Paulina Wasserfurth, Thomas Reichel, Christopher Weyh, Jana Palmowski, Josefine Nebl, Niklas Joisten, Sergen Belen, Alexander Schenk, Andreas Hahn, Philipp Zimmer, Karsten Krüger

Abstract

Background: Age-related accumulation of highly differentiated CD8⁺ effector memory re-expressing CD45RA (EMRA) T-cells and disruption of the kynurenine (KYN) pathway are associated with chronic inflammation and the development of insulin resistance. In this study the aim was to investigate the effects of 12-week combined strength and endurance exercise on CD8⁺ T-cell differentiation and KYN pathway metabolites. Ninety-six elderly subjects (f/m, aged 50—70) were randomized to a control (CON) or exercise (EX) group. The EX group completed combined strength and endurance training twice weekly for one hour each time at an intensity of 60% of the one-repetition maximum for strength exercises and a perceived exertion of 15/20 for endurance exercises. The EX group was also randomly subdivided into two groups with or without a concomitant balanced diet intervention in order to examine additional effects besides exercise alone. Before and after the intervention phase, the proportions of CD8⁺ T-cell subsets and levels of KYN pathway metabolites in peripheral blood were determined. Results: The CD8⁺ EMRA T-cell subsets increased in the CON group but remained almost unchanged in the EX group (p =.02). Plasma levels of kynurenic acid (KA) increased in the EX group and decreased in the CON group (p =.03). Concomitant nutritional intervention resulted in lower levels of quinolinic acid (QA) compared with exercise alone (p =.03). Overall, there was a slight increase in the QA/KA ratio in the CON group, whereas it decreased in the EX group (p >.05). Conclusions: Combined strength and endurance training seems to be a suitable approach to attenuate CD8⁺ T-cell differentiation in the elderly and to redirect the KYN pathway towards KA. The clinical relevance of these effects needs further investigation.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät
Institut für Lebensmittelwissenschaft und Humanernährung
Abteilung Ernährungsphysiologie und Humanernährung

Externe Organisation(en)

Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Technische Universität Dortmund

Typ

Artikel

Journal

Immunity and Ageing

Band

20

ISSN

1742-4933

Publikationsdatum

09.05.2023

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Immunologie, Gerontologie

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12979-023-00347-7 (Zugang: Offen)