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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: EJE-08-0220v1 159/2/129    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Oberbach, A. Articles by Kovacs, P. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Oberbach, A. Articles by Kovacs, P.

Long-term exercise training decreases interleukin-6 (IL-6) serum levels in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance: effect of the –174G/C variant in IL-6 gene

¹ Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 27, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany² , Internal Medicine/Cardiology³ Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany⁴ Faculty of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research, University of Leipzig, Inselstrasse 22, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany

(Correspondence should be addressed to M Blüher; Email: bluma{at}medizin.uni-leipzig.de; P Kovacs Email: peter.kovacs{at}medizin.uni-leipzig.de)

Objective: Exercise training has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in patients with type 2 diabetes. Changes in interleukin-6 (IL-6) serum concentrations in response to training could contribute to these beneficial effects. However, there are heterogeneous data on whether circulating IL-6 is altered by exercise training. We therefore hypothesize that genetic factors modify the individual changes in IL-6 levels after long-term training.

Research design and methods: The –174G/C variant in the IL-6 gene was genotyped in 60 subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. For a 12-month interventional study, patients were randomized into three groups: a control group (n=16) was compared with one group, which underwent a standardized training program (n=24) and another group, which was treated with 4 mg rosiglitazone once daily (n=20). At baseline, after 1, 6, and 12 months, we measured anthropometric parameters and serum concentration of IL-6 and, at baseline and after 12 months, we determined glucose tolerance and fitness level.

Results: Only in subjects carrying the SNP –174C allele did long-term exercise training result in significantly reduced IL-6 serum concentrations. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified the IL-6 genotype as a significant predictor of changes in IL-6 serum concentrations independent of age, gender and improvement in body mass index, hemoglobin (Hb)A_1c, and fitness level in response to training.

Conclusions: Genetic variants in the IL-6 gene significantly modify changes in IL-6 serum concentrations in response to long-term exercise training programs. Our data suggest that genetic factors are important determinants for the individual response to anti-inflammatory effects of exercise training.