ISEO – Inaugural Conference July 22nd & 23rd 2026 - organized by DKFZ

Aerobic Exercise Training and β2-Adrenergic Signaling in the Regulation of Immunosuppression in Cancer

23 Jul 2026, 11:45

1h 15m

Heidelberg Congress Center ( Heidelberg Congress Center )

1 - Scientific Poster Poster Session

Speaker

Janaina da Silva Vieira (School of Physical Education and Sport and Dept of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences University of Sao Paulo)

Description

Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) hyperactivation contributes to tumor progression and cancer-associated immunosuppression. Aerobic exercise training (AET) is known to reduce sympathetic overactivity; however, its role in modulating tumor-induced immunosuppression via β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) signaling remains poorly understood.
Objective:
To investigate how β2-AR signaling regulates tumor-associated immunosuppression and whether AET modulates immune function in preclinical tumor models.
Methods:
In vitro experiments were performed using the murine colon carcinoma CT26 cell line and primary splenocytes treated with propranolol (β-adrenergic antagonist, 5–20 µM) or clenbuterol (β2-AR agonist, 1–10 µM). Cell growth and gene expression of immune checkpoint molecules (PD-L1, Galectin-9, and VISTA) were assessed. In vivo, BALB/c mice underwent six weeks of AET on a treadmill prior to CT26 tumor inoculation. Animals were allocated to sedentary or trained groups, with or without propranolol treatment (5 mg/kg/day). Tumor growth, tissue mass, and immune cell populations in the spleen, lymph nodes, and tumors were analyzed by flow cytometry.
Results:
In CT26 cells, β2-AR activation increased VISTA expression, suggesting enhanced tumor-associated immunosuppression, whereas propranolol had no significant effect on checkpoint expression. In primary splenocytes, β-adrenergic blockade increased cell proliferation, indicating improved immune function. In vivo, AET induced a trend toward reduced tumor mass and significantly increased CD8⁺ T cell proportions in the spleen. However, these effects were not observed when AET was combined with propranolol treatment. Notably, AET prevented the reduction of CD8⁺ T cells in lymph nodes observed in sedentary tumor-bearing mice.
Conclusion:
AET partially counteracts tumor-associated immunosuppression and modulates systemic immune profiles. However, the contribution of SNS signaling requires further investigation, as β-adrenergic blockade appears to improve immune function in vitro but attenuates some AET-induced immune benefits in vivo. These findings support AET as a relevant adjuvant strategy to enhance anti-tumor immunity.

Keywords

Neuroimmunology; β2-adrenergic signaling; aerobic exercise training