Increase in interstitial interleukin-6 of human skeletal muscle with repetitive low-force exercise

Lars Rosendal, Karen Søgaard, Michael Kjaer, Gisela Sjøgaard, Henning Langberg, Jesper Kristiansen

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Abstract

Interleukin (IL)-6, which is released from muscle tissue during intense exercise, possesses important metabolic and probably anti-inflammatory properties. To evaluate the IL-6 response to low-intensity exercise, we conducted two studies: 1) a control study with insertion of microdialysis catheters in muscle and determination of interstitial muscle IL-6 response over 2 h of rest and 2) an exercise study to investigate the IL-6 response to 20 min of repetitive low-force exercise. In both studies, a microdialysis catheter (cutoff: 3,000 kDa) was inserted into the upper trapezius muscle of six male subjects, and the catheters were perfused with Ringer-acetate at 5 microl/min. Venous plasma samples were taken in the exercise study. The insertion of microdialysis catheters into muscle resulted in an increase in IL-6 from 8 +/- 0 to 359 +/- 171 and 484 +/- 202 pg/ml after 65 and 110 min, respectively (P <0.001). Similarly, in the exercise study, IL-6 increased to 289 +/- 128 pg/ml after a 55-min rest (P <0.001). During the subsequent repetitive low-force exercise, muscle IL-6 further increased to 1,246 +/- 461 pg/ml and reached 2,132 +/- 477 pg/ml after a 30-min recovery (all P <0.001). In contrast to this, plasma IL-6 did not significantly change in response to exercise. We conclude that upper extremity, low-intensity exercise results in a substantial increase in IL-6 in the interstitium of the stabilizing trapezius muscle, whereas no change is seen for plasma IL-6.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Applied Physiology
Volume98
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)477-81
Number of pages5
ISSN8750-7587
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2005

Keywords

  • Adult
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6
  • Male
  • Muscle Contraction
  • Muscle, Skeletal
  • Periodicity
  • Physical Exertion
  • Stress, Mechanical

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