Effect of Tai Chi on mononuclear cell functions in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Abstract
BackgroundTai Chi is the Chinese traditional medicine exercise for mind-body health. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) exercise on the proliferative and cytolytic/tumoricidal activities of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in postsurgical non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.MethodsPatients (n¿=¿27) were randomly divided into the control group (n¿=¿13) and the TCC group (n¿=¿14). TCC group participated in Tai Chi 24-type exercise for 16 weeks, 60-min every time, and three times a week. Peripheral blood was collected and PBMCs isolated before and after the 16-week TCC, PBMC proliferation and co-culture of PBMCs with the NSCLC cell line A549 were performed for proliferation and cell cytolysis assays. Analysis of NKT cells, NK cells, and CD123+ and CD11c¿+¿dendritic cells were also performed.Results(1) After 16-week of TCC, cell proliferation increased significantly as compared with the control. (2) PBMCs from the TCC group also demonstrated enhanced cytolytic/oncolytic activity against A549 cells. (3) Significant differences were also found in NK cell percentage at t¿=¿16 weeks, post-pre changes of NKT and DC11c between groups.ConclusionRegular Tai Chi exercise has the promise of enhancing PBMC proliferative and cytolytic activities in NSCLC patients. Our results affirm the value of a future trial with a larger scale and longer duration for cancer survivors.Trial registration http://www.chictr.org/en/: ChiCTR-TRC-11001404.
PMID: 25653009