Physical activity is associated with monocytes and monocyte subsets in low-resourced neighborhoods: data from the Step It Up physical activity intervention

Authors

• A Saurabh
• HA Tarfa
• Y Baumer
• A Dave
• MA Pita
• MA Citron
• LR Ortiz-Whittingham
• S Reynolds
• KA Potharaju
• AS Baez
• K Thompson
• FO Baah
• JF Troendle
• C Ayers
• SJ Really
• VM Mitchell
• A Wells
• M Marah
• BS Collins
• TM Powell-Wiley

Abstract

Background: People living in lower-resourced neighborhoods have higher CVD risk in part due to limited physical activity (PA) access. Monocyte subsets with their platelet aggregates (PlAgg) are key in CVD. We investigated associations between PA and monocyte subsets with PlAgg in African American (AA) women with CVD risk living in resource-limited Washington, DC areas.
Methods: Step It Up is a technology-enabled, community-engaged PA intervention. Participants were enrolled in this study and their baseline PA was measured as daily step counts using a FitBit Charge 2. Flow cytometry was used to measure monocyte subsets and PlAgg in fasting blood samples. Multivariable linear regression determined relationships between PA and monocytes adjusting for BMI and ASCVD 10-year risk score. We examined neighborhood deprivation index (NDI), a Census-tract based measure of neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation, as a moderator of associations between PA and monocytes.
Results: The study cohort was a sample of AA women with overweight/obesity enrolled in Step It Up (N=106, age=57±12 y, BMI=34.8±6.3kg/m2). We observed that higher baseline PA associated with monocyte subsets, but not overall monocyte presence. Furthermore, higher baseline PA negatively associated with PlAgg on all monocytes. PA and monocyte subsets were most associated among those residing in higher deprivation neighborhoods.
Conclusion: Baseline PA was associated with monocyte subsets and lower monocyte-PlAgg formation among AA women living in lower-resourced conditions. Future work should examine the relationship between PA changes and changes in monocyte subsets in community engaged PA interventions like Step It Up, particularly among those residing in limited resource communities.

Scientific Focus Area: Health Disparities

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