O exercício físico eleva a função fagocítica de neutrófilos em ratos wistar

Abstract

The relationship between the effects of physical exercises and the immune system responses, which seem to be mediated by alterations in the nervous, hormone, and immune systems, is not new. Nevertheless, doubts about the intensity of the physical exercises and enhancement of the immune system responses still remain. Thus, the goal of the present research was to investigate the effects of physical exercises on the functions of the circulating phagocytes in Wistar rats using experimental design with post-test. The animals were divided into two groups: a control group (n = 8) and another one submitted to only one swimming session of 30 minutes and 0% load (n = 8). The results showed that the physical exercise was enough to significantly stimulate both the phagocytic (P = 0,05) and microbicidal functions (P = 0,05) of neutrophils. On the other hand, no significant differences of monocyte functional activity and total and differential count of leucocytes between the groups were observed. Therefore, it is possible to suggest that physical exercises can be an important non-drug strategy capable to stimulate the innate immune system, particularly as to functional activity of neutrophils. Other studies should be performed to investigate the effects of different intensities of physical exercises on phagocytic and microbicidal functions of phagocytes in Wistar rats.