The Effect of Aerobic Exercise in Ambient Particulate Matter on Lung Tissue Inflammation and Lung Cancer

Exposure to Air pollution PM10 results in lung inflammation increased risk of lung cancer. Regular aerobic exercise improves the inflammatory status in different lung diseases. However, the effects of long-term aerobic exercise on the pulmonary response to PM10 have not been investigated.

The present study evaluated the effect of aerobic exercise on the lung inflammatory and risk of lung cancer of rat exposed to PM10 carbon black.

Twenty four adult male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: A: control (without exposure PM10 and aerobic exercise; n = 6), B: aerobic exercise (five times per week for 4 weeks; n = 6), C: exposure to PM10 carbon black (5 mg/m(3); per rat; n = 6), D: and aerobic exercise concomitantly with exposure to PM10 carbon black (n = 6). The gene expression of TLR4, NF-κB and TNF-α were analyzed in lung tissue by Real time-PCR. In order to determine the significant differences between groups, one way ANOVA and LSD post hoc and Kruskal-Vallis test were used.

Aerobic exercise inhibited the PM10 -induced increase in the gene expression of TLR4, NF-κB and TNF-α. But there was significant different only between B and C groups for TNF-α and NF-κB (P = 0.047, 0.014, respectively).

We conclude that four week aerobic exercise presents protective effects in a rat model of PM10 carbon black-induced lung inflammation and risk of lung cancer. Our results indicate a need for human studies that evaluate the lung Responses to aerobic exercise chronically performed in polluted areas.