ORIGINAL ARTICLE  EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MEDICINE 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2018 July-August;58(7-8):1096-101

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.17.07845-8

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Salivary immunoglobulin A in healthy adolescent females: effects of maximal exercise, physical activity, body composition and diet

Hermann-J. ENGELS ✉, Bradley J. KENDALL, Mariane M. FAHLMAN, Neha P. GOTHE, Kelsey C. BOURBEAU

Division of Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

BACKGROUND: The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effect of acute maximal exercise (VO2max test) on salivary immunoglobulin A (SIgA) responses in adolescent females. A secondary aim was to examine the relationship between resting SIgA levels and VO2max, physical activity, body composition, and diet.
METHODS: Fifty healthy female adolescents completed a laboratory-based VO2max test, assessment of body composition via hydrodensitometry, a validated physical activity questionnaire (PAQ-A), and a three-day food diary. Unstimulated saliva was collected before, and 5 and 120 minutes after VO2max testing. Absolute SIgA (µg/mL) concentration was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Secretion rate of SIgA (µg/min) was calculated by multiplying absolute SIgA concentration by saliva flow rate (SFR, µL/min).
RESULTS: A significant increase in absolute SIgA concentration (146.8±59.2 µg/mL) was noted immediately after VO2max testing (P<0.05) and returned to pre-exercise levels (120.1±54.1 µg/mL) by 120-min post-exercise (P>0.05). No significant VO2max test effects were observed for SIgA secretion rate and SFR (P>0.05). VO2max values (41.92±6.36 mL/kg/min) were correlated with body fat percentage (r=-0.59; P<0.01), PAQ-A total score (r=0.48; P<0.01), and acute changes in absolute SIgA levels (r=0.28; P<0.05). No significant associations were observed between dietary measures and resting SIgA levels or SFR (P>0.05) except for dietary fiber which correlated with resting absolute SIgA concentration (r=0.29; P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that acute graded maximal exercise results in a transient increase in absolute SIgA concentration and that these changes are associated with individual VO2max values.

KEY WORDS: Exercise - Secretory immunoglobulin A - Adolescent - Cardiorespiratory fitness - Body composition