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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Dec 29;14(24):10137-10152.
doi: 10.18632/aging.204458. Epub 2022 Dec 29.

Moderate-vigorous physical activity attenuates premature senescence of immune cells in sedentary adults with obesity: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Xiang-Ke Chen  1 , Chen Zheng  2 , Stephen Heung-Sang Wong  2 , Alvin Chun-Hang Ma  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Moderate-vigorous physical activity attenuates premature senescence of immune cells in sedentary adults with obesity: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Xiang-Ke Chen et al. Aging (Albany NY). .

Abstract

Despite the well-known senolytic effects of physical exercise on immune cells in older adults, the effect of physical activity (PA) on premature immune senescence in sedentary adults with obesity remains largely unknown. This pilot study aimed to investigate the role of objectively measured physical behaviors and Fitbit watch-based free-living PA intervention in premature senescence of immune cells in sedentary adults with obesity. Forty-five participants were recruited in the cross-sectional analysis, and forty of them further participated in the randomized controlled trial. We found that objectively measured moderate-vigorous PA was independently and inversely correlated with the expression of p16INK4a and p21Cip1 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs) of adults with obesity; however, chronological age, body mass index, body fat, maximal oxygen consumption, light PA, sedentary behaviors, and sleep duration were not. More importantly, the 12-week PA intervention mitigated the elevated p16INK4a levels in PBMCs, though it showed no effect on p21Cip1 and senescence-associated secretory phenotypes. Taken together, physical inactivity is an independent determinant of premature senescence in immune cells, while the 12-week PA intervention is a promising strategy to alleviate premature immune senescence in adults with obesity.

Keywords: immune aging; obesity; physical inactivity; premature senescence; senolytic.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this study.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
MVPA is independently and negatively correlated with senescent markers in immune cells of adults with obesity. (A) Correlation between chronological age and senescent markers (log2-transformed p16INK4a and p21Cip1) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). (B) Correlation between maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) and senescent markers in PBMCs. (C) Correlation between body mass index (BMI) or body fat and senescent markers in PBMCs. (D) Correlation between objectively measured physical behaviors, including moderate–vigorous physical activity (MVPA), standing, sedentary behaviors, sleep duration, and senescent markers in PBMCs.
Figure 2
Figure 2
CONSORT flow diagram. Abbreviation: PA: physical activity intervention.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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