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Home / Equine Research Bank / BMC Physiol / Athletic humans and horses: comparative analysis of interleu...
BMC physiology2011; 11; 3; doi: 10.1186/1472-6793-11-3

Athletic humans and horses: comparative analysis of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in trained and untrained subjects at rest.

Abstract: Horses and humans share a natural proclivity for athletic performance. In this respect, horses can be considered a reference species in studies designed to optimize physical training and disease prevention. In both species, interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a major role in regulating the inflammatory process induced during exercise as part of an integrated metabolic regulatory network. The aim of this study was to compare IL-6 and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in trained and untrained humans and horses. Results: Nine highly trained male swimmers (training volume: 21.6 ± 1.7 h/wk in 10-12 sessions) were compared with two age-matched control groups represented by eight lightly trained runners (training volume: 6.4 ± 2.6 h/wk in 3-5 sessions) and nine untrained subjects. In addition, eight trained horses (training volume: 8.0 ± 2.1 h/wk in 3-4 sessions) were compared with eight age-matched sedentary mares. In humans, IL-6 mRNA levels in PBMCs determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were significantly higher in highly trained subjects, whereas IL-6R expression did not differ among groups. In horses, transcripts of both IL-6 and IL-6R were significantly up-regulated in the trained group. Conclusions: Up-regulation of IL-6R expression in PBMCs in horses could reflect a mechanism that maintains an adequate anti-inflammatory environment at rest through ubiquitous production of anti-inflammatory cytokines throughout the body. These findings suggest that the system that controls the inflammatory response in horses is better adapted to respond to exercise than that in humans.
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Publication Date: 2011-01-21 PubMed ID: 21255427PubMed Central: PMC3036646DOI: 10.1186/1472-6793-11-3Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research focuses on studying the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) in the blood of trained and untrained humans and horses, and suggests that the system controlling inflammatory response in horses is better adapted to exercise than in humans.

Introduction

  • The study begins by acknowledging the affinity both humans and horses share for athletic performance. The analysis is rooted in the concept that horses can serve as a reference point for research aimed at optimizing physical training and disease prevention.
  • The significance of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, is highlighted. In both species, IL-6 plays a crucial role in managing the inflammatory process instigated during exercise as part of an integrated metabolic regulatory network.
  • The primary objective was to compare the mRNA expression of IL-6 and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) between trained and untrained humans and horses.

Methodology and Results

  • The research involved three groups of human subjects and two horse groups. The human groups consisted of nine highly trained swimmers, eight lightly-trained runners, and nine untrained individuals. The horse groups were composed of eight trained horses and eight sedentary mares.
  • Results showed that IL-6 mRNA levels in PBMCs, determined through a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, were significantly higher in highly trained human subjects. However, there was no difference in IL-6R expression across the human groups.
  • Conversely, in horses, the expressions of both IL-6 and IL-6R were significantly higher in the trained group.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The research concluded that the enhanced IL-6R expression in PBMCs in horses might denote a mechanism that mirrors an appropriate anti-inflammatory environment at rest via the body’s omnipresent production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, thus suggesting a better adaptive system to exercise-induced inflammation.
  • These findings put forth a hypothesis that the inflammatory response control system in horses is better suited to handle exercise than that in humans.
  • The conclusions derived from this research could potentially pave the way towards more focused and understanding training and recovery methods in both human athletes and horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Capomaccio S, Cappelli K, Spinsanti G, Mencarelli M, Muscettola M, Felicetti M, Verini Supplizi A, Bonifazi M. (2011). Athletic humans and horses: comparative analysis of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in trained and untrained subjects at rest. BMC Physiol, 11, 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6793-11-3

Publication

BMC physiology
ISSN: 1472-6793
NlmUniqueID: 101088687
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 11
Pages: 3

Researcher Affiliations

Capomaccio, Stefano
  • Centro di Studio del Cavallo Sportivo, Dipartimento di Patologia, Diagnostica e Clinica Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italia. capemaster@gmail.com
Cappelli, Katia
    Spinsanti, Giacomo
      Mencarelli, Marzia
        Muscettola, Michela
          Felicetti, Michela
            Verini Supplizi, Andrea
              Bonifazi, Marco

                MeSH Terms

                • Adult
                • Animals
                • Female
                • Gene Expression Regulation
                • Horses
                • Humans
                • Interleukin-6 / biosynthesis
                • Interleukin-6 / genetics
                • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
                • Male
                • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
                • Receptors, Interleukin-6 / biosynthesis
                • Receptors, Interleukin-6 / genetics
                • Rest / physiology
                • Species Specificity
                • Sports / physiology
                • Young Adult

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