Acute exercise induces natural killer cell mobilization but not infiltration into prostate cancer tissue in humans

Abstract

The mobilization and activation of natural killer (NK) cells have been proposed as key mechanisms promoting anti oncogenic effects of physical exercise. Although mouse models have proven that physical exercise recruits NK cells to tumor tissue and inhibits tumor growth, this preclinical finding has not been transferred to the clinical setting yet. In this first-in-human study, we found that physical exercise mobilizes and redistributes NK cells, especially those with a cytotoxic phenotype, in line with preclinical models. However, physical exercise did not increase NK cell tumor infiltrates. Future studies should carefully distinguish between acute and chronic exercise modalities and should be encouraged to investigate more immune responsive tumor entities.

Acute Natural Killer Cells Response to a Continuous Moderate Intensity and a Work-Matched High Intensity Interval Exercise Session in Metastatic Cancer Patients Treated With Chemotherapy

“…Pre-clinical data from pre-operative training in early-stage prostate cancer patients suggest that exercise may promote NK cell tumor infiltration in a dose-dependent manner. While a single aerobic exercise bout twelve hours before prostatectomy failed to increase tumoral NK cell density (Schenk et al, 2022), more completed exercise sessions resulted in a significant effect (Djurhuus et al, 2023). In this regard, the present study showed that a potentially clinically relevant cNK response to aerobic exercise is conserved in patients undergoing long-term chemotherapy, both following MOD and HIIE.…”