Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
University of Innsbruck, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
Redox Biol. 2021 Jul;43:101976. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2021.101976. Epub 2021 Apr 23.
Mitochondria are central regulators of cellular metabolism, most known for their role in energy production. They can be "enhanced" by physical activity (including exercise), which increases their integrity, efficiency and dynamic adaptation to stressors, in short "mitochondrial fitness". Mitochondrial fitness is closely associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity. Given the importance of mitochondria in immune functions, it is thus not surprising that cardiorespiratory fitness is also an integral determinant of the antiviral host defense and vulnerability to infection. Here, we first briefly review the role of physical activity in viral infections. We then summarize mitochondrial functions that are relevant for the antiviral immune response with a particular focus on the current Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic and on innate immune function. Finally, the modulation of mitochondrial and cardiorespiratory fitness by physical activity, aging and the chronic diseases that represent the most common comorbidities of COVID-19 is discussed. We conclude that a high mitochondrial - and related cardiorespiratory - fitness should be considered as protective factors for viral infections, including COVID-19. This assumption is corroborated by reduced mitochondrial fitness in many established risk factors of COVID-19, like age, various chronic diseases or obesity. We argue for regular analysis of the cardiorespiratory fitness of COVID-19 patients and the promotion of physical activity - with all its associated health benefits - as preventive measures against viral infection.
线粒体是细胞代谢的核心调节剂，其在能量产生中的作用最为人所知。它们可以通过体育活动（包括锻炼）来“增强”，这增加了它们的完整性、效率和对压力源的动态适应能力，简而言之就是“线粒体健康”。线粒体健康与心肺健康和体育活动密切相关。鉴于线粒体在免疫功能中的重要性，心肺健康也是抗病毒宿主防御和易感染性的一个重要决定因素，这并不奇怪。在这里，我们首先简要回顾体育活动在病毒感染中的作用。然后，我们总结了与抗病毒免疫反应相关的线粒体功能，特别关注当前的冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行和先天免疫功能。最后，讨论了体育活动、衰老以及代表 COVID-19 最常见合并症的慢性疾病对线粒体和心肺健康的调节。我们的结论是，高线粒体和相关的心肺健康应被视为包括 COVID-19 在内的病毒感染的保护因素。这一假设得到了 COVID-19 许多既定危险因素（如年龄、各种慢性疾病或肥胖）中线粒体健康降低的证实。我们主张定期分析 COVID-19 患者的心肺健康，并促进体育活动——以及其所有相关的健康益处——作为预防病毒感染的措施。
