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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Measuring Granulocyte and Monocyte Phagocytosis and Oxidative Burst Activity in Human Blood
Published on: September 12, 2016
Increased inflammatory response of blood cells to repeated bout of endurance exercise
Jorid Degerstrøm1, Bjarne Østerud
1Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.
Purpose:
The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of two 30-min consecutive exercise bouts on a treadmill at 80% VO2max separated by a 4-h rest interval, on blood cell counts and the production of tissue factor, cytokines, and eicosanoids in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated blood.
Methods:
Blood samples were taken from eight endurance athletes (mean+/-SD: age, 23.4+/-1.6 yr; VO2max, 66.0+/-6.4 L.min.kg), both immediately before and after each exercise bout. Cell counts were performed, and the heparinized blood was subjected to LPS-stimulation for 2 h.
Results:
There was a significant rise in white blood cell counts after the first exercise bout (81%, P<0.001), increasing to 123% (P<0.001) after the second bout. After the first and second runs, the tissue factor activity in LPS-stimulated monocytes was enhanced by 70% (not significant) and almost 200% (P=0.012), respectively, compared with baseline values. The high monocyte responsiveness after the second bout remained undiminished 2 h later. Similarly, the interleukin (IL)-8 production had risen 70% (P=0.022) after the first run and 100% (P=0.005) after the second run, relative to baseline values. IL-6 or leukotriene B4 levels did not change significantly. The rise in LPS-induced thromboxane B2 was 80% (P=0.024) after the first run and 63% after the second run (P=0.071, not significant). VO2max correlated negatively with the concentration of granulocytes immediately after the second exercise bout (R=0.864, P=0.006).
Conclusions:
The results of this study are evidence that two physical exercise bouts separated by a 4-h rest are associated with an enhanced propensity of the blood cells to generate tissue factor activity and some proinflammatory products compared with one exercise bout.
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