Changes in the phagocytic function of peritoneal macrophages from old mice after strenuous physical exercise

The effect of acute physical exercise (swimming until exhaustion) on the phagocytic function of peritoneal macrophages from old adult BALB/c mice (55 +/- 5 weeks old) was studied. Adherence capacity of macrophages to substrate, spontaneous mobility and chemotaxis as well as digestion capacity measured by nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction in presence of ingested material (latex beads) were not modified with exercise. Adherence to nylon fiber, opsonization and ingestion of Candida albicans (either spontaneous or in presence of serum), ingestion of latex particles as well as nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction in absence of ingested material (oxidative metabolism measure) were increased in respect to controls with statistically significant differences (P less than 0.001) in peritoneal macrophages after the exercise.