Blood leukocyte and spleen lymphocyte immune responses in chronically physically active and sedentary hamsters

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of chronic physical activity on the immune response of spleen lymphocytes and whole blood leukocytes of hamsters. Animals were kept sedentary or allowed to exercise spontaneously on running wheels for eight weeks. Physically active animals averaged 12 kilometers per day. The immune response of spleen lymphocytes and whole blood leukocytes was evaluated by 3H-thymidine incorporation in response to Concanavalin A or lipopolysaccharide. There was no treatment effect between physically active and sedentary hamsters in the response of spleen lymphocytes. The immune response of whole blood leukocytes to these mitogens was significantly greater (p less than 0.05) in physically active vs. sedentary hamsters. These results demonstrate that chronic physical activity has the capacity to modulate immunoresponses.