DYNAMICS OF IMMUNE PROFILES IN MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS DURING THE LYMPHOCYTIC PHASE OF MYOGENIC LEUKOCYTOSIS

Abstract

Aim. This study aims to compare immune profiles during the lymphocytic phase of myogenic leukocytosis in young males and females with different levels of physical activity. Materials and methods. This study involved university students in years 1–4, aged 18–22 years, with different levels of routine physical activity. Changes in their immune profiles were investigated during low- and moderate-intensity muscle work. The study design included assessments of hemodynamic parameters and physical performance, while immune status was evaluated using appropriate methods, followed by statistical ana­lysis of the data. Results. Immune profiling was performed using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on samples obtained at rest and after exercise in males and females aged 18–22 years with different levels of routine physical activity. Treadmill running at a target HR of 120–140 bpm, with speed set at the first stage based on resting HR, was used as the muscle work to induce myogenic leukocytosis. The speed during repeated exercise was determined based on the HR measured during the initial load. At rest, males from the preparatory department had higher levels of double-positive T lymphocytes than athletes, which likely reflects secondary immunodeficiency that limits their routine physical activity. Males and females with different levels of routine physical activity demonstrated no significant differences in the levels of double-negative T cells. During the development of myogenic leukocytosis, male athletes demonstrated increased NBT activity of neutrophils after the second stage of exercise, while in females this parameter did not change significantly. The NBT-negative to NBT-positive neutrophil ratio in the spontaneous NBT test decreased significantly after exercise in females from preparatory and main departments. Conclusion. In male students, decreases in T helper cell levels after exercise were accompanied by decreases in T suppressor cell levels, with no significant change in the helper-suppressor cell ratio. In female students, stable T suppressor cell levels during exercise led to a reduced helper-suppressor cell ratio – after low-intensity initial exercise in the main group and only after repeated moderate-intensity exercise in female athletes.