Lingitz Marie-Therese, Kühtreiber Hannes, Auer Lisa, Mildner Michael, Krenn Claus G, Aigner Clemens, Moser Bernhard, Bekos Christine, Ankersmit Hendrik Jan
Division of General Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Applied Immunology Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Biology (Basel). 2025 Jul 7;14(7):825. doi: 10.3390/biology14070825.
Marathon running exerts physical stress and may lead to transient immune dysregulation, increasing susceptibility to airway inflammation and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). This study investigated systemic levels of antimicrobial peptides in athletes and their association with EIB. Serum concentrations of angiogenin, human beta-defensin 2 (hBD-2), major basic protein (MBP), S100A8, and S100A8/A9 were measured in 34 marathoners and 36 half-marathoners at baseline, immediately after a race, and seven days postrace using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and compared with 30 sedentary controls. Lung function was assessed by spirometry to identify bronchoconstriction. Levels of hBD-2 and S100A8/A9 were significantly elevated postrace in runners compared to baseline and controls, returning to baseline during recovery. During recovery, S100A8 levels remained slightly elevated in marathoners with EIB. Similarly, human beta-defensin 2 was modestly increased in runners who developed bronchoconstriction. Notably, S100A8 levels correlated negatively with lung function parameters, including forced expiratory volume and mid-expiratory flows. These findings suggest that endurance running induces systemic inflammatory responses and modulates innate immune peptides, particularly in individuals prone to bronchoconstriction. These peptides may serve as biomarkers of respiratory stress and help guide personalized strategies in endurance sports.
马拉松跑步会产生身体压力，并可能导致短暂的免疫失调，增加气道炎症和运动诱发支气管收缩（EIB）的易感性。本研究调查了运动员体内抗菌肽的全身水平及其与EIB的关联。使用酶联免疫吸附测定法，在34名马拉松运动员和36名半程马拉松运动员的基线、赛后即刻和赛后七天测量血管生成素、人β-防御素2（hBD-2）、主要碱性蛋白（MBP）、S100A8和S100A8/A9的血清浓度，并与30名久坐不动的对照组进行比较。通过肺活量测定法评估肺功能以确定支气管收缩情况。与基线和对照组相比，跑步者赛后hBD-2和S100A8/A9的水平显著升高，恢复期间恢复至基线水平。在恢复过程中，患有EIB的马拉松运动员的S100A8水平仍略有升高。同样，出现支气管收缩的跑步者体内人β-防御素2也适度增加。值得注意的是，S100A8水平与肺功能参数呈负相关，包括用力呼气量和呼气中期流速。这些发现表明，耐力跑会诱发全身炎症反应并调节先天性免疫肽，尤其是在易发生支气管收缩的个体中。这些肽可能作为呼吸应激的生物标志物，并有助于指导耐力运动中的个性化策略。
