Improvement in the anti-inflammatory profile with lifelong physical exercise is related to clock genes expression in effector-memory CD4+ T cells in master athletes.

The synchronization of clock genes, immune function and ageing presents new dimensions with interesting challenges. Lifelong athletes showed modified expression patterns of clock genes and cytokine production associated with the physical fitness level. Moreover, the acute bout of exercise altered the clock machinery mainly in CD4+ T cells; however, the clock gene expressions induced by acute exercise were different between the master athletes and control group.