METHODS: (1) Twenty older inhabitants from Shiguang third country of Shanghai city in October 2004 were selected as subjects. They, aged 55-56 years and including 10 males and 10 females, were randomly divided into two training groups (n = 10) and control group (n = 10). These older individuals have known and consented to the testing scheme and have no disciplinarian exercise recently. (2) Training group: exercise contents were mostly twenty-four TCC (Commencing form. Part the Wild Horse's Mane on Both Side, White Crane Spreads its Wings, Brush Knee and Twist Step on Both Side and Play Pipa, etc). Exercise loads were sixty minutes every time and four times every week for eight weeks. Every time exercise comprised ten minutes warming- up, forty minutes TCC exercise and ten minutes relaxation at medium intensity (50%-65% maximal heart rate). Control group: the patients had no exercise with individual or collective scheme. (3) At one day before and after 8-week exercise, the percentages of lympheyte subpopulations were determined by flow cytometry, then the ratio of CD4/DC8 was calculated. In addition, the serumal immuglobulin G (IgG). IgM and IgA were determined by Array 360 system autoanalyzer. RESULTS: Totally 20 older people entered the result analysis. (1) The testing results of T lymphocyte subpopulation in two groups had no significant difference before TCC exercise (p > 0.05). After eight-week TCC exercise, the training group showed an increase in the expression of CD4 and significant increase in CD4/CD8 ratio (41.59 +/- 4.32%, 1.87 +/- 0.28; 32.58 +/- 3.16%, 1.07 +/- 0.33, t = -4.02, -5.23, p < 0.05, 0.01), and decrease in the expression of CD8 (22.25 +/- 5.12%, 30.41 +/- 3.75%, t = 3.05, p < 0.05). There was no significant change in the testing results of T lymphocyte subpopulation in control group before and after TCC exercise (p < 0.05). (2) The testing results of immunoglobulin in two groups had no significant difference before TCC exercise (p > 0.05). After eight-week TCC exercise, the training group showed increase in the concentrations of IgG and IgA (12.78 +/- 3.30, 3.18 +/- 0.96 g/L; 11.20 +/- 2.32, 2.56 +/- 0.42 g/L, t = 3.72, -2.98, p < 0.05). The control group showed no significant change in these variables, which were still lower than those before exercise (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: TCC exercise is effecting for improving T lymphocyte and B lymphocyte immune functions in healthy older individuals.

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