Acute hypertrophic but not maximal strength loading transiently enhances the kynurenine pathway towards kynurenic acid

PURPOSE: Due to distinct immuno- and neuro-modulatory properties, growing research interest focuses on exercise-induced alterations of the kynurenine (KYN) pathway in healthy and clinical populations. To date, knowledge about the impact of different acute strength exercise modalities on the KYN pathway is scarce. Therefore, we investigated the acute effects of hypertrophic (HYP) compared to maximal (MAX) strength loadings on the KYN pathway regulation. METHODS: Blood samples of twelve healthy males (mean age and weight: 23.5 ± 3.2 years; 77.5 ± 7.5 kg) were collected before (T(0)), immediately after (T(1)), and 1 h after completion (T(2)) of HYP (5 sets with 10 repetitions at 80% of 1RM) and MAX (15 sets with 1RM) loadings performed in a randomized cross-over design. Serum concentrations of tryptophan (TRP), KYN, kynurenic acid (KA), and quinolinic acid (QA) were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The KA/KYN ratio increased from T(0) to T(1) (p = 0.01) and decreased from T(1) to T(2) (p = 0.011) in HYP, while it was maintained within MAX. Compared to MAX, serum concentrations of KA were greater in HYP at T(1) (p = 0.014). Moreover, the QA/KA ratio was significantly lower in HYP than in MAX at T(1) (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Acute HYP loading led to increases in the metabolic flux yielding KA, thereby possibly promoting immunosuppression and neuroprotection. Our findings emphasize the potential of acute HYP exercise as short-term modulator of KYN pathway downstream to KA in healthy males and need to be proven in other samples. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00421-020-04375-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.