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Home-Based Prescribed Pulmonary Exercise in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: August 24, 2019
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Exercise and Epigenetic Regulation in COPD: Current Evidence and Potential Mechanistic Pathways
Yuanming Zhong1, Jianhua Xu1, Xia Chen1
1School of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|December 11, 2025
Summary
Exercise may improve chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by altering epigenetic regulators. This review explores how different exercise types impact DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs in COPD.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Molecular Biology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant global health issue with limited treatment efficacy for halting progression.
- Epigenetic mechanisms like DNA methylation and non-coding RNAs play key roles in COPD pathogenesis.
- Exercise is crucial for pulmonary rehabilitation, improving COPD symptoms and exercise capacity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current findings on exercise-induced epigenetic alterations in COPD.
- To explore the biological plausibility of exercise's effects on COPD-related pathways via epigenetics.
- To identify gaps in knowledge and suggest future research directions.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical and preclinical studies on exercise and epigenetics in COPD.
- Analysis of aerobic training, resistance exercise, and high-intensity interval training effects.
- Discussion of epigenetic modifications including DNA methylation, histone marks, and non-coding RNAs.
Main Results:
- Exercise is linked to changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA expression in COPD.
- These epigenetic changes may influence COPD-related pathways like antioxidant responses and inflammation.
- Aerobic, resistance, and high-intensity interval training show potential epigenetic effects.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic modifications may mediate some benefits of exercise in COPD.
- Further research is needed to understand tissue specificity, temporal dynamics, and causal links.
- Epigenetic responses to exercise could be potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets for COPD.
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