Search

To determine the immunologic consequences of athletic training at altitude, blood samples were taken at rest from 10 swimmers and 8 control nontraining but altitude-exposed members of the 1996 Australian Olympic Swimming Team, near the start and completion of a 21-day training camp at 2102 m. Blood leukocyte numbers dropped in both groups (p0.05), with the decrease greater in the swimmers (-38% swimmers, -3% controls). Concanavalin A (ConA)-induced blastogenesis decreased in both groups (p0.01), but the drop was greater in the control group (-32% swimmers, -56% controls, p0.05). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced blastogenesis more than doubled in both groups (281% swimmers, 249% controls, p0.01). Increases in mitogen-induced interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-4, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production and a decrease in IL-2 levels were observed in both groups after altitude exposure (all p0.05). The percentage of cells expressing HLA-DR fell (-33% swimmers, -20% controls, p0.01), whereas those expressing CD-4 expression increased (16% swimmers only, p0.01). Although training at medium-level altitude alters some immunologic parameters, the training-induced changes may be secondary to those induced by altitude alone.

Administration of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) induces acute cellular glucoprivation. In the current study, we examined differences in immune parameters after 2-DG administration in both sexes. Male and female BDF1 mice were injected three times, 48 h apart, either with a saline solution (control group) or with 2-DG in saline (500 mg/kg). Two hours after the last injection, blood and spleens were collected. Plasma levels of interleukin-1beta, and interferon-gamma levels were measured. Additionally, the levels of the specific leukocyte antigens CD3, CD4, CD8, T cell receptor (TCR) alpha/beta, I-Ad, and H-2Ld/H-2Db were evaluated by flow cytometry on both blood and spleen cells. The blastogenic response of leukocytes from both tissues to mitogens was assessed. Levels of glucose, corticosterone, testosterone, progesterone, 17beta-estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone were also determined. Increases in the percentage of cells bearing TCR alpha/beta and I-Ad in the blood and H-2Ld/H-2Db in the spleen were observed in the 2-DG-treated group for both sexes. In contrast, higher corticosterone and IL-1beta plasma concentrations, as well as higher percentages of splenocytes bearing TCR alpha/beta and I-Ad, and lower mitogen-induced proliferation of mature T splenocytes (79%) were observed in female but not in male mice injected with 2-DG compared with those injected with saline (p < 0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that female mice are more sensitive than male mice to immune alterations induced by 2-DG administration.

As an adjuvant therapy for patients with high risk of recurrent melanoma, high-dose interferon (IFN)-alpha2b therapy has been shown to have some efficacy. We examined 22 patients with resected melanoma who were treated with repeated injections of recombinant IFN-alpha2b during the treatment. Both angiogenic and immune parameters were measured. White blood cells (WBCs) and lymphocyte numbers, lymphocyte subpopulations, serum concentrations of IFN-alpha and anti-IFN-alpha antibodies, and the serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-8, and basis fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) concentrations were determined over time in resected, recurrence-free patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage III melanoma with one or less (LN+or = 1, n = 7) or more than one (LN+1, n = 8) lymph nodes involved, and AJCC stage IV resected disease (n = 7). Follow-up and recurrence-free intervals were longer in stage III (LN+or = 1) patients compared with stage IV patients (P0.05). The number of WBCs and lymphocytes decreased during the treatment for all patient groups (P0.001). In addition, percentages of CD8 and CD20 were higher in stage IV patients than in stage III (LN+1) and stage III (LN+or = 1) patients at the beginning of therapy (P0.05). A significant increase in the percentage of CD20+ cells, mostly B lymphocytes, was observed in the stage III (LN+1) and stage III (LN+or = 1) patients over time but not in stage IV patients (P0.001). Low IL-8 and bFGF concentrations at the beginning of therapy were associated with significantly longer recurrence-free survival (P0.05). These results warrant a larger trial to determine if the differences observed in patients before treatment can provide prognostic markers in patients receiving IFN-alpha2b therapy.