Human T lymphocyte migration towards the supernatants of human rhinovirus infected airway epithelial cells: influence of exercise and carbohydrate intake

Physical stress induces a marked redistribution of T lymphocytes that may be influenced by carbohydrate (CHO) availability, yet the effect of these on T lymphocyte migration towards infected tissue is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of strenuous exercise and CHO ingestion on subsequent ex vivo lymphocyte migration towards the supernatants of a Human Rhinovirus (HRV)-infected bronchial epithelial cell line. In a randomised, cross-over, double-blind design, 7 trained males ran for 2 h at 60% V . O2peak on two occasions with regular ingestion of either a 6.4% w/v glucose and maltodextrin solution (CHO trial) or placebo solution (PLA trial). Plasma glucose concentration was higher on CHO than PLA after exercise (P<0.05). Migration of CD4+ and CD8+ cells and their CD45RA+ and CD45RO+ subpopulations towards supernatants from HRV-infected cells decreased following exercise (main effect for exercise, P<0.01 for CD4+, CD4+CD45RA+ and CD4+CD45RO+; P<0.05 for CD8+, CD8+CD45RA+ and CD8+CD45RO+). Migration of CD4+ cells and CD4+CD45RA+ cells was ~35% and ~30% higher, respectively, on CHO than PLA at 1 h post-exercise (interaction, P<0.05 for both) and was higher on CHO than PLA for all other subpopulations (P<0.05, main effect for trial). There was little effect of exercise or CHO on migration of these cells towards uninfected (control) cell supernatants or on the proportion of these cells within the peripheral blood mononuclear cell population. The findings of this study suggest that physical stress reduces T cell migration towards HRV-infected cell supernatants and that ingestion of CHO can lessen this effect.