OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a single session of exercise conducted below the anaerobic threshold on the functions of neutrophils and circulating monocytes in Wistar rats. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This study had an experimental design with a single post-test in which subjects of the experimental group exercised in water for 30 minutes, whereas the control group was not submitted to any intervention. Functional capacity of circulating phagocytes was assessed by means of a phagocytosis assay of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction test. To compare means between groups, t tests for independent samples were used with p set at < 0.05. RESULTS: There were no significant differences as to the total and differential number of leucocytes between groups. Nonetheless, not only did the neutrophils of the experimental group phagocyte more S. cerevisiae (p = 0.005), but they also reduced NBT more efficiently (p = 0.018) in comparison with control subjects. No significant differences in these functional activities were observed in circulating monocytes. CONCLUSION: The exercise performed below the anaerobic threshold was sufficient to increase both phagocytic and microbicide activities of neutrophils in animal model, but the same protocol did not yield similar results for circulating monocytes.
Exercise; Immune system; Phagocytosis; Monocytes; Neutrophils; Wistar rats
