Exercise training partially rescues impaired mucosal associated invariant t-cell mobilization in breast cancer survivors compared to healthy older women

Exercise may attenuate immunosenescence with aging that appears to be accelerated following breast cancer treatment, although limited data on specific cell types exists and acute and chronic exercise have been investigated independently in older adults. PURPOSE: To determine the mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cell response to acute exercise before (PRE) and after (POST) 16 weeks of exercise training in breast cancer survivors (BCS) and healthy older women (CON). METHODS: Age-matched BCS and CON performed 45 minutes of intermittent cycling at 60% peak power output wattage. Blood samples were obtained at rest, immediately (0h) and 1h after exercise to determine MAIT cell counts, frequency, and intracellular cytokine expression. RESULTS: At PRE, MAIT cell counts were greater in CON (137%) than BCS at 0h (46%, p