Natural Killer Cell Changes To Moderate Exercise on Arterial Compliance and Autonomic Modulation in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1).

Human immunodeficiency virus-1(HIV-1) is associated with cardiovascular abnormalities and autonomic dysfunction. Exercise training is recommended to enhance functional capacity, as it is known that fitness is icommensurate with a improved autonomic profile and can reduce cardiovascular malfunctions. Although it is well established that physical activity in HIV-1 pts results in increased aerobic capacity, the effect of moderate exercise training on vascular mechanisms and autonomic modulations in HIV-1 disease is still unknown. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the effects of regular physical activity on arterial compliance, autonomic modulation and alterations in NK cell number and function in HIV-1 disease. Subjects were matched for age, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, and fitness. Arterial compliance (AC), heart rate variability (HRV), and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were collected and analyzed via traditional methods using power spectral analysis during seated rest. NK cell number was measured via flow cytometry. Four groups of men (N=12), mean age 38.8 ± 5.3) were studied. Trained subjects completed three weekly sessions of supervised aerobic exercised at 60–75% VO _2max for 10 weeks. Controls performed activities of daily living (ADL) with no formal exercise training. Subjects were categorized as follows: HIV negative untrained (HNU), HIV negative trained (HNT), HIV positive untrained (HPU), and HIV positive trained (HPT). HIV positive subjects were seropositive for HIV disease within 24 months of this investigation. Preliminary data demonstrate a strong trend toward augmented arterial compliance and a higher autonomic profile with increased NK cell number and activity [ HPU mean NK cell level, 160.42/cu mm(10.7%); and HPT was 251.8/cu mm (15.4%)] in response to moderate regular exercise. However, cessation of training exercises resulted in return to near baseline NK cell number, percentage (191.8/cu mm (11.2%).

CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced fitness and its effect on vascular compliance and autonomic modulation with moderate regular exercise induces alterations in NK cell number and activity may help improve quality of life, morbidity and mortality, survival and response to therapy in pts with HIV-1 disease.