Abstract
NK-cells undergo a "licensing" process as they develop into fully-functional cells capable of efficiently killing targets. NK-cell differentiation is accompanied by an increased surface expression of inhibitory killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) molecules, which is positively associated with cytotoxicity against the HLA-deficient K562 cell line. NK-cells are rapidly redeployed between the blood and tissues in response to acute exercise, but it is not known if exercise evokes a preferential trafficking of differentiated NK-cells or impacts NK-cell cytotoxic activity (NKCA) against HLA-expressing target cells.Sixteen healthy cyclists performed three 30-min bouts of cycling exercise at -5%, +5%, and +15% of lactate threshold. Blood samples obtained before, immediately after, and 1. h after exercise were used to enumerate NK-cells and their subsets, and determine NKCA and degranulating subsets (CD107+) against cell lines of multiple myeloma (U266 and RPMI-8226), lymphoma (721.221 and 221 AEH), and leukemia (K562) origin by 4 and 10-color flow cytometry, respectively.Exercise evoked a stepwise redeployment of NK-cell subsets in accordance with differentiation status [highly-differentiated (KIR+/NKG2A-) >. medium-differentiated (KIR+/NKG2A+). >. low-differentiated (KIR-/NKG2A+)] that was consistent across all exercise intensities. NKCA per cell increased ~1.6-fold against U266 and 221 AEH targets 1. h post-exercise and was associated with a decreased proportion of NK-cells expressing the inhibitory receptor CD158b and increased proportion of NK-cells expressing the activating receptor NKG2C, respectively. We conclude that exercise evokes a preferential redeployment of NK-cell subsets with a high differentiation phenotype and augments cytotoxicity against HLA-expressing target cells. Exercise may serve as a simple strategy to enrich the blood compartment of highly cytotoxic NK-cell subsets that can be harvested for clinical use.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 160-171 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Brain, Behavior, and Immunity |
Volume | 39 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- 221 AEH
- 721.221
- Acute stress
- CD158
- CD57
- Exercise immunology
- K562
- KLRG1
- NKG2A
- NKG2C
- RPMI-8226
- U266
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
- Behavioral Neuroscience