The effect of different intensities of acute and chronic aerobic activity on the signaling pathway of the inflammasome NLRP3 complex and TLR4 and some inflammatory cytokines in young men

The results of the studies showed that the intensity and volume of aerobic exercise activities can make different responses to the immune system. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute and chronic effects of moderate and high intensity aerobic exercises on the signaling pathway of the inflammatory NLRP3 complex or TLR4 and some inflammatory cytokines in young men.

A randomized sampling method was used in which 60 subjects were selected based on their research. They were randomly divided into two groups (40 subjects) with a mean age of 24.4 ± 0.4 years and a BMI of 23.3 ± 3.5 kg/m2 and in the control group (20 persons) with a mean age of 22.8 ± 0.55 years and BMI of 23.0 ± 4.91 kg/m2. The training protocol for the moderate group performed up to 50 - 70 and for the high group up to 70 – 90 percent of maximum heart rate respectively. Using real time-PCR method, the expression of NLRP3, TLR4 genes and using the Elisa method IL-1β and IL-18 were measured. Also repeated measure ANOVA and the LSD post hoc- test were used to analyzing data at the significant level of p < 0.05.

The results showed that acute aerobic exercise with moderate intensity had no significant effect on the expression of NLRP3 (p=0.20), TLR4 (p=0.80) genes and serum levels of IL-1β (p=0.15) and IL-18 (p=0.25) cytokines. While acute exercise with severity initiation of the activity of the inflammatory complex, with a significant increase in serum levels of IL-1β, IL-18 and, and expression of NLRP3 and TLR4 genes (p=0.01). Also moderate chronic aerobic exercise also significantly reduced the expression of NLRP3, TLR4 genes and serum levels of IL-1β, IL-18 cytokines (p=0.001). In the case of high chronic training, significant increases in expression of genes NLRP3, TLR4 and serum levels of IL-1β, IL-18 cytokines were observed (p=0.0001).

It can be concluded that endurance chronic aerobic activity with moderate intensity is effective in decreasing the expression of the inflammasome and inflammation while acute aerobic activity with some intensities  had no effect.