Effects of moderate exercise on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung
injury and tracheal hyperresponsiveness in rats
Abstract
Aim: Assessment of the effects of moderate exercise on
lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-triggered lung injury. Method: Thirty-two male
Wistar rats were divided into four groups of eight as follows: (1)
control; (2) LPS; (3) exercise (EX); and (4) exercise+ LPS (EX+LPS).
Exercise groups were submitted to exercise (15 m/min for 30 min, 6
days/week, for a period of 8 weeks). LPS (1 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally
injected on a daily basis for 5 successive days during the last week of
the experiment. Ultimately, the levels of stress oxidative markers in
the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and in lung tissues, total white
blood cells (WBC) counts in the BALF, inflammatory markers in lung
tissue, tracheal responsiveness to methacholine, and lung
histopathological changes were assessed. Results: LPS injection
increased the number of total WBC, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes,
and lymphocytes as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the BALF,
tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)- 1β, and MDA in lung
tissues, and tracheal responsiveness to methacholine, and caused lung
pathological damages (P<0.05-P<0.001). Moderate
exercise preconditioning decreased total WBC, neutrophils, eosinophils,
monocytes, and lymphocytes counts in the BALF, diminished levels of
TNF-α, IL-1β, and MDA in the lung, but increased thiol levels in lung
tissues (P<0.05-P<0.01). Furthermore, moderate
exercise alleviated tracheal hyper-responsiveness (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Moderate training improved LPS-induced lung injury by
attenuating lung inflammatory cytokine levels, oxidative damage, and
pathological changes and tracheal hyper-responsiveness.