Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026
04:37
Finger-stick Blood Sampling Methodology for the Determination of Exercise-induced Lymphocyte Apoptosis
Published on: February 24, 2011
Effect of exercise intensity on exercise-induced lymphocyte apoptosis
J W Navalta1, D A Sedlock, K-S Park
1Department of Physical Education and Recreation, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Boulevard #11089, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA. james.navalta@wku.edu
International Journal of Sports Medicine
|March 16, 2007
Summary
High-intensity exercise triggers lymphocyte apoptosis. The threshold for this cell death response begins between 40-60% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and returns to normal within an hour post-exercise.
Area of Science:
- Exercise physiology
- Immunology
- Cell biology
Background:
- Lymphocyte apoptosis (programmed cell death) increases after strenuous exercise.
- The specific exercise intensity triggering this response is not well-defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the exercise intensity threshold that initiates lymphocyte apoptosis.
- To investigate the time course of apoptosis following exhaustive exercise.
Main Methods:
- Fourteen untrained subjects underwent incremental treadmill tests to exhaustion.
- Blood samples were collected pre-exercise, during exercise stages, and up to 1-hour post-exercise.
- Lymphocyte apoptosis was quantified using May-Grünwald Giemsa staining and evaluation of apoptotic features.
Main Results:
- Lymphocyte apoptosis remained similar to baseline at 38% VO2max but significantly increased at 61% VO2max.
- Apoptosis progressively increased with higher exercise intensities (76%, 89%, 100% VO2max).
- Apoptotic index returned to pre-exercise levels within 1 hour of recovery.
Conclusions:
- The exercise intensity threshold for inducing lymphocyte apoptosis is between 40-60% VO2max.
- The rapid return to baseline suggests transient apoptotic triggers during exercise.
Related Concept Videos
01:31The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Exercise significantly impacts cardiovascular response, which is crucial for understanding patient health and designing effective treatment plans.
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:22Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy
Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...
01:17The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...