The effect of 10-week endurance training in water on immunosenescence in elderly rats

A complex of restricted naïve lymphocytes in conjunction with an age-associated accumulation of senescent T cells and/or thymic involution are major contributors to the immunosenescence, which can be modulated by exercise training. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of 10-week endurance training in water on immunosenescence in elderly rats.

16 rats (24 months old) were randomly distributed into control group (n=8) and endurance training (n=8). Endurance training was performed in 4 sessions per week in a container with dimensions of 50x50x100 with water at 30±1ºC. Data were analyzed by independent sample T test with SPSS software version 22 at significance level <0.05.

There was a significant difference between the two training and control groups in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, naïve TCD8+ and lymphocytes, senescent TCD8+, senescent naïve TCD8+ (P=0.01), while significant difference was not observed between thymus weight (P=0.43) and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio (P=0.29).

The results of this study suggest that endurance training in water is a safe activity for elderly in order to improve the immune system and reduction of senescence-prone T cells.