The influence of physical activity on the profile of immune response cells and cytokine synthesis in mice with experimental breast tumors induced by 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene.

This study aims to investigate cytokine synthesis by lymphocytes in the presence of mammary tumors and the interaction with physical activity. For this study, we used 56 female Balb/c, 8-week-old, virgin mice with a body mass between 20 and 30 g. The mice were divided into four groups: a no tumor/nontrained control group; a no tumor/trained group subjected to physical training of swimming in water (30 ± 4°C) for 45 min, five times per week for 8 weeks; a tumor/nontrained (sedentary) group in which the animals received 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene [(DMBA) 1 mg/ml weekly for 6 weeks)]; and a tumor/trained group in which animals were subjected to the aforementioned DMBA tumor induction and swim training protocols. After the experimental period, immune cells were collected from spleen cell specimens, placed in culture, and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. The presence of cluster of differentiation (CD)3, CD4, and CD8 markers and the expression of interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12, transforming growth factor β, and tumor necrosis factor α cytokines were assessed by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Physical activity increased the quantities of lymphocytes producing interferon γ, IL-2, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor α and decreased the quantities of lymphocytes and macrophages expressing IL-4, IL-10, and transforming growth factor β. In contrast, tumor induction, in the absence of swim training, reduced Th1 cytokine levels while increasing the presence of Th2 cytokines and Treg cells. Physical activity promoted reductions in the incidence of tumor development and promoted immune system polarization toward an antitumor Th1 response pattern profile.