Calorie restriction modulates inactivity-induced changes in the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and pentraxin-3.

CONTEXT

Energy balance and physical activity potentially influence systemic inflammation.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to test the hypothesis that moderate energy restriction may prevent activation of inactivity-induced inflammatory response.

DESIGN

Participants were studied four times at the end of 14-d periods of experimental bed rest or controlled ambulation, after receiving eucaloric or hypocaloric diets.

SETTING

The study was conducted at the clinical research center of the German Space Agency.

SUBJECTS

Nine healthy young volunteers participated.

INTERVENTIONS

Energy intake was calibrated to physical activity and decreased by about 20% in hypocaloric conditions.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Changes in body fat by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry as well as plasma inflammatory markers and cytokine mRNA levels in blood cells were measured.

RESULTS

Fat mass did not change significantly in eucaloric conditions and decreased in hypocaloric periods (-1.0 +/- 0.3 and -1.0 +/- 0.3 kg in ambulatory and bed rest, respectively). Bed rest in eucaloric conditions increased plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) (+143 +/- 53%) and both the ratios between plasma IL-6 and IL-10 (4+/-1 times) and white blood cell IL-6 and IL-10 mRNAs (5 +/- 1 times). Energy restriction prevented bed-rest-mediated increases in CRP and the IL-6 to IL-10 ratio. Bed rest increased (P = 0.03) long pentraxin-3 (PTX3) plasma concentration, without significant activity-by-diet interaction. In all conditions (n = 36), CRP and PTX3 were inversely correlated (r = -0.61; P < 0.001). Changes in fat mass, leptin, and IL-6 directly correlated with CRP and inversely correlated with PTX3. IL-10 inversely correlated with CRP and directly correlated with PTX3 (r = 0.52; P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Calorie restriction prevents the inflammatory response induced by 14 d of bed rest. We suggest an inverse regulation of CRP and PTX3 in response to changes in energy balance.