Does Regular Exercise Counter T Cell Immunosenescence Reducing the Risk of Developing Cancer and Promoting Successful Treatment of Malignancies?

Abstract

Moderate intensity aerobic exercise training or regular physical activity is beneficial for immune function. For example, some evidence shows that individuals with an active lifestyle exhibit stronger immune responses to vaccination compared to those who are inactive. Encouragingly, poor vaccine responses, which are characteristic of an ageing immune system, can be improved by single or repeated bouts of exercise. In addition, exercise-induced lymphocytosis, and the subsequent lymphocytopenia, is thought to facilitate immune surveillance, whereby lymphocytes search tissues for antigens derived from viruses, bacteria, or malignant transformation. Aerobic exercise training is anti-inflammatory and is linked to lower morbidity and mortality from diseases with infectious, immunological, and inflammatory aetiologies, including cancer. These observations have led to the view that aerobic exercise training might counter the age-associated decline in immune function, referred to as immunosenescence. This article summarises the aspects of immune function that are sensitive to exercise-induced change, highlighting the observations which have stimulated the idea that aerobic exercise training could prevent, limit, or delay immunosenescence, perhaps even restoring aged immune profiles. These potential exercise-induced anti-immunosenescence effects might contribute to the mechanisms by which active lifestyles reduce the risk of developing cancer and perhaps benefit patients undergoing cancer therapy.

Immunosenescence and Inflamm-Aging As Two Sides of the Same Coin: Friends or Foes?

“…One of the key factors that are involved in these changes are the composition and the organization of components of the plasma membrane, which orchestrates assembly of signaling molecules in cholesterol/ganglioside-containing nanoclusters ( 97 ). Thus, changes that were once considered a part of the aging process could be viewed as only the manifestation of some environmental interference and modulated by lifestyle factors such as exercise and nutrition ( 98 ).…”

High-intensity interval training in allogeneic adoptive T-cell immunotherapy – a big HIT?

“…Interestingly, these beneficial effects on mobilization and function were more distinct in moderately fit individuals. It is known that regular prolonged exercise promotes immunosenescence of T cells [55]. This could be (See figure on next page.)…”

Is Chronic Exposure to Low-Dose Organochlorine Pesticides a New Risk Factor of T-cell Immunosenescence?

“…Second, the status of CMV infection was indirectly estimated by the CMV IgG titer, not the direct quantitation of CMV latent dose or viral titer measured by CMV genome copies. Third, there could be immunosenescence-related lifestyle factors (34,35), which were not properly considered in the current study. Even though regular exercise has been reported to have an antiimmunosenescence effect in intervention studies (36), it would be difficult to detect this association in the current observational study.…”