Monocyte Recruitment after High-Intensity and High-Volume Resistance Exercise

The innate immune response is generally considered to have an important role in tissue remodeling after resistance exercise.

The purpose of this study was to compare changes in markers of monocyte recruitment after an acute bout of high-intensity (HVY) versus high-volume (VOL) lower-body resistance exercise.

Ten resistance-trained men (24.7 ± 3.4 yr, 90.1 ± 11.3 kg, 176.0 ± 4.9 cm) performed each protocol in a randomized, counterbalanced order. Blood samples were collected at baseline, immediately (IP), 30 min (30P), 1 h (1H), 2 h (2H), and 5 h (5H) postexercise. Plasma concentrations of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), myoglobin, and cortisol were measured via assay. Tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFr1), macrophage-1 antigen (cluster of differentiation 11b [CD11b]), and C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) expression levels were measured using flow cytometry. TNFr1 and CD11b were assessed on CD14CD16 monocytes, whereas CCR2 was assessed on CD14 monocytes.

Plasma myoglobin concentrations were significantly greater after HVY compared with VOL (P < 0.001). Changes in plasma TNF-α, MCP-1, and expression levels of CCR2 and CD11b were similar between HVY and VOL. When collapsed across groups, TNF-α was significantly increased at IP, 30P, 1H, and 2H (P values < 0.05), whereas MCP-1 was significantly elevated at all postexercise time points (P values < 0.05). CCR2 expression on CD14 monocytes was significantly lower at IP, 1H, 2H, and 5H (P values < 0.05). CD11b expression on CD14 CD16 was significantly greater at IP (P < 0.014) and 1H (P = 0.009). TNFr1 expression did not differ from baseline at any time point. Plasma cortisol concentrations did not seem to be related to receptor expression.

Results indicate that both HVY and VOL protocols stimulate a robust proinflammatory response. However, no differences were noted between resistance exercise training paradigms.