Effects of Submaximal Aerobic Exercise on Regulatory T Cell Markers of Male Patients Suffering from Ischemic Heart Disease

There are confirmed beneficiary effects of exercise on atherosclerotic inflammation of ischemia-associated heart diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise on T-regulatory cell markers of IL-35 as well as FoxP3 and T-helper2 marker of IL-33 in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). This research was performed on 44 asymptomatic male patients with ischemic heart disease. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups of submaximal aerobic exercise and control group. Blood samples were collected before and after the termination of the exercise protocol. Serum levels of IL-35 and IL-33 as well as the amount of FoxP3 gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured by Elisa and Real time PCR, respectively. Serum levels of IL-35 (p=0.001) as well as the amount of FoxP3 gene expression increased significantly (p=0.012) in exercise group even after controlling the likely confounding effects of age, length of ischemia, duration of the disease, and the amount of such factors before exercise (p≤0.042). It seems that exercise may yield a better control of atherosclerotic inflammation in patients with ischemic heart disease through the induction of regulatory T cells.