Salivary immunoglobulin A in healthy adolescent females: effects of maximal exercise, physical activity, body composition and diet

BACKGROUND: The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effect of acute maximal exercise (VO2max test) on salivary immunoglobulin A (SIgA) responses in adolescent females. A secondary aim was to examine the relationship between resting SIgA levels and VO2max, physical activity, body composition, and diet. METHODS: Fifty healthy female adolescents completed a laboratory-based VO(2ma)x test, assessment of body composition via hydrodensitometry, a validated physical activity questionnaire (PAQ-A), and a three-day food diary. Unstimulated saliva was collected before, and 5 and 120 minutes after VO2max testing. Absolute SIgA (mu g/mL) concentration was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Secretion rate of SIgA (mu g/min) was calculated by multiplying absolute SIgA concentration by saliva flow rate (SFR, mu L/min). RESULTS: A significant increase in absolute SIgA concentration (146.8 +/- 59.2 mu g/mL) was noted immediately after VO2max testing (P<0.05) and returned to pre-exercise levels (120.1 +/- 54.1 mu g/mL) by 120-min post-exercise (P>0.05). No significant VO2max test effects were observed for SIgA secretion rate and SFR (P>0.05). VO2max values (41.92 +/- 6.36 mL/kg/min) were correlated with body fat percentage (r=-0.59; P<0.01), PAQ-A total score (r=0.48; P<0.01), and acute changes in absolute SIgA levels (r=0.28; P<0.05). No significant associations were observed between dietary measures and resting SIgA levels or SFR (P>0.05) except for dietary fiber which correlated with resting absolute SIgA concentration (r=0.29; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that acute graded maximal exercise results in a transient increase in absolute SIgA concentration and that these changes are associated with individual VO2max values.