Int J Sports Med 2001; 22(4): 261-267
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-13818
Physiology and Biochemistry
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Tissue Expression and Plasma Concentrations of TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6 Following Treadmill Exercise in Mice

L. H. Colbert1 , J. M. Davis1 , D. A. Essig1 , A. Ghaffar2 , E.-P. Mayer2
  • 1 Department of Exercise Science, School of Public Health,
  • 2 Department of Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

Exercise can increase plasma inflammatory cytokine concentrations in humans, but tissue responses are not well studied. We examined plasma concentrations and tissue expression of TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6 following treadmill running in mice. C57B1/6 mice were randomly assigned to: non-exercise control (CON), sacrifice at 0 or 1.5 h after 60 min running (MOD0, MOD 1.5), sacrifice at 0, 1.5, or 3 h after fatiguing running (∼3h) (EX0, EX1.5, EX3), or lipopolysaccharide (25 μg) with no exercise (LPS). Lung, liver, muscle, and brain mRNA expression was analyzed (n = 4 - 6/group) using reverse transcriptase-rapid polymerase chain reaction (RT-RPCR). Plasma cytokine concentrations were determined (n = 4 - 10/group) by ELISA. Plasma IL-6 was higher in EX1.5, and lung TNFα mRNA was higher in EX1.5 and EX3 compared to CON (P < 0.05). No significant increases in plasma cytokine concentrations or tissue cytokine expression were found in other EX groups. LPS significantly increased these cytokine measures in tissues and plasma, with the exception of plasma IL-1β which was undetectable. The source of the plasma IL-6 following exercise does not appear to be lung, liver, muscle, or brain tissue, and remains to be determined. These data also suggest that tissue level cytokine expression may not necessarily lead to increased plasma cytokine concentrations.

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J. M. Davis

Department of Exercise Science
University of South Carolina

Columbia, SC 29208
USA


Phone: Phone:+ 01 (803)777-6881

Fax: Fax:+ 01 (803)777-8422

Email: E-mail:mdavis@sph.se.edu

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