Abstract
The present study investigated whether regular and moderate aerobic exercise might prevent airway remodeling in experimental chronic allergic asthma. For this purpose, 48 BALB/c mice were assigned into 2 groups: sedentary (S) and trained (Tr). Tr group ran on a motorized treadmill, at moderate intensity (8-12 m.min-1), 5% grade, 30 min/day, 3 times a week for 8 wks. At 8 wks, animals were further randomized into 2 subgroups to be immunized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) or to receive saline using the same protocol (C). Aerobic exercise continued until the end of the protocol. Echocardiographic analysis was done before, at 4 and 8 weeks of training, and after asthma induction. Twenty-four hours after the last challenge, trained, compared to sedentary mice, presented: 1) an increase in systolic output, left ventricular mass, and end-diastolic volume; 2) a reduction in airway resistance, viscoelastic pressure, static elastance, eosinophil infiltration, smooth-muscle actin expression, and collagen fiber content in airways and lung parenchyma; 3) a decrease of transforming growth factor-β levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and blood; 4) an increase in interferon-γ in BALF and blood; 5) an augment of interleukin (IL)-10 in blood but a reduction in BALF; and 6) a decrease in IL-5 and IL-13 only in BALF. In conclusion, regular and moderate aerobic exercise was effective in preventing airway and lung parenchyma remodeling in the present murine model of chronic allergic asthma, improving lung function.
Supported by: INCT-INOFAR, CNPq, PRONEX, FAPERJ, CAPES
- © 2011 ERS