Endurance Exercise Does Not Exacerbate Cardiac Inflammation in BALB/c Mice Following mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination

Abstract

The mechanism underlying myopericarditis associated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, including increased susceptibility in young males, remains poorly understood. This study aims to explore the hypothesis that engaging in physical exercise at the time of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination may promote a cardiac inflammatory response, leading to the development of myopericarditis. Male BALB/c mice underwent treadmill running or remained sedentary for five weeks. Subsequently, two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine or vehicle were administered with a 14-day interval, while the exercise regimen continued. The animals were euthanized days after the second vaccination. Vaccination was followed by body weight loss, increased hepatic inflammation, and an antigen-specific T cell response. Small foci of fibrovascular inflammation and focal cell loss were observed in the right ventricle, irrespective of vaccination and/or exercise. Vaccination did not elevate cardiac troponin levels. Cardiac tissue from the vaccinated mice showed upregulated mRNA expression of the genes IFNγ and IL-1β, but not IL-6 or TNFα. This pro-inflammatory signature in the heart was not exacerbated by endurance exercise. Ex vivo vascular reactivity remained unaffected by vaccination. Our data provide evidence for the cardiac safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. The role of exercise in the development of pro-inflammatory cardiac changes post mRNA vaccination could not be established.

Keywords

• myocarditis
• myopericarditis
• mRNA vaccine
• BNT162b2
• endurance exercise
• exercise