Vol. 91, Issue 3, 1067-1072, September 2001
Phagocytic function in cyclists: correlation
with catecholamines and cortisol
E. Ortega
Rincón1,
J. M.
Marchena1,
J. J.
García1,
A.
Schmidt2,
T.
Schulz2,
I.
Malpica1,
A. B.
Rodríguez1,
C.
Barriga1,
H.
Michna2, and
H.
Lötzerich2
1 Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias,
Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain; and
2 Institute of Morphology and Tumor Research, Deutch
Sporthoschule Köln, 50933 Köln, Germany
Flow cytometer measurements were made of the basal
variations in peripheral blood functional monocytes and granulocytes
over the course of a training season (January to November) of a cycling team. Parallel determinations were made of plasma concentration of
catecholamines (chromatography) and cortisol (RIA) in a search for
neuroendocrine markers. The results showed the greatest phagocytic capacity to occur in the central months (March, May, and July), coinciding with the greatest number and highest level of competitive events with good correlation with a peak in epinephrine during these
months (r2 = 0.998 for monocytes and
r2 = 0.674 for granulocytes). No
good correlations were found between phagocytosis and norepinephrine or
cortisol. The highest values for phagocytosis and epinephrine
concentration were found in May. These results suggest that blood
epinephrine concentration could be a good neuroendocrine marker
of sportspeople's phagocytic response.
monocytes; granulocytes; exercise; immunology
