High intensity interval exercise enhances the global HDAC activity in PBMC and anti-inflammatory cytokines of overweight-obese subjects

• Obese individuals exhibit a low grade systemic inflammatory profile.
• High intensity interval exercise (HIIE) increased HDAC activity in PBMC of obese.
• HIIE increased systemic levels of IL-6, IL-10 an TGF-β in obese individuals.
• HIIE may help to reduce low grade inflammation in obesity through epigenetic modulation of leukocytes.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the global activity of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and systemic levels of cytokines in response to high intensity interval exercise (HIIE) in overweight-obese individuals.MethodsIn order to verify the acute effects of exercise on epigenetic and inflammatory modulation, ten overweight-obese males (BMI >25 to <35 kg/m2) performed a single bout of HIIE (10 bouts of 60 s to 85–90%PMax/75 s to 50%PMax) and the blood samples were collected pre, immediately post and 24 h post HIIE session for cytokine measurements and HDAC activity analyses. The global activity of HDAC in PBMC was determined by fluorometric assay and the serum concentrations of IL-6, IL-10, IL-17a, TGF-β and TNF-α were quantified by ELISA.ResultsHIIE session induced a leukocytosis (27%, p = 0.001), characterized by the increase in the number of circulating lymphocytes (41%, p = 0.002) and monocytes (59%, p = 0.001). Interestingly, a significant increase in global HDAC activity in PBMC (132%, p = 0.002) with a concomitant increase in serum concentrations of IL-6 (11%, p = 0.04), IL-10 (27%, p = 0.003) and TGF-β (63.44%, p = 0.05) were observed immediately after exercise. At this time, no significant difference was observed in the levels of TNF-α and IL-17a. None of these variables was significantly changed at 24 h after HIIE.ConclusionThese data support the hypothesis that the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise may be related, at least in part, to the modulation of HDAC activity in PBMC of individuals with overweight-obese.