Combined exercise training improved exercise capacity and lung inflammation in rats with hepatopulmonary syndrome

• Published in: Life sciences (1973) Vol. 287; p. 120112
• Main Authors: Nascimento, Eloisa Sanches Pereira, Nunes, Walter Moreno Campos, Guerra, Eduardo Marques, da Roza, Marcello Rodrigues, Silva-Costa, Suellen, Machado-Silva, Wilcelly, Avelar, Gleiciane Gontijo, de Toledo Nóbrega, Otávio, Vieira, Rodolfo P., Amado, Veronica Moreira, Melo-Silva, César Augusto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 15-12-2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Aerobic capacity; Aerobic exercise; Animals; Epithelium; Exercise; Exercise Test - methods; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Fitness training programs; Hepatopulmonary syndrome; Hepatopulmonary Syndrome - pathology; Hepatopulmonary Syndrome - physiopathology; Hepatopulmonary Syndrome - therapy; Immunohistochemistry; Inflammation; Interleukin 10; Leukocytes; Lungs; Male; Mechanics (physics); Physical Conditioning, Animal - methods; Physical Conditioning, Animal - physiology; Physical exercise; Physical fitness; Physical training; Pneumonia - pathology; Pneumonia - physiopathology; Pneumonia - therapy; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resistance exercise; Resistance training; Respiratory function; Respiratory mechanics; Respiratory Mechanics - physiology; Respiratory system; Respiratory tract; Training; Respiratory mechanics; Hepatopulmonary syndrome; Resistance exercise; Aerobic exercise
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120112
• EISSN: 1879-0631
• ISSN: 0024-3205

Physical exercise training attenuates pulmonary inflammation, but its effects on impaired respiratory function caused by hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) have not been evaluated. We determined if the combination of moderate intensity aerobic and resistance training during HPS development modifies exercise capacity, respiratory system mechanics, and lung inflammation responses.
Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham, HPS, and HPS + combined exercise training groups. Fifteen days after HPS induction, a moderate intensity aerobic plus resistance exercise training protocol was performed five times a week for 5 weeks on alternate days. Exercise capacity, respiratory system mechanics, lung inflammation, pulmonary morphology, and immunohistochemistry were evaluated.
Overall, our findings indicated that combined exercise training efficiently increased the maximal running and resistance capacity of HPS animals. The training regimen reduced the expression of P2X7 in parenchymal leukocytes (P < 0.01), partially restored the expression of interleukin-10 in airway epithelium (P < 0.01), and increased the expression of TFPI in the airway epithelium (P < 0.01) as well as reduced its expression in parenchymal leukocytes (P < 0.01). However, exercise training did not attenuate HPS-induced respiratory mechanical derangements or lung tissue remodeling.
Combined exercise training can elicit adaptation with regard to both maximal running capacity and maximum strength and modify the expression of P2X7 and TFPI in parenchymal leukocytes and that of IL-10 in airway epithelium.
•Combined exercise training increases exercise capacity in rats with hepatopulmonary syndrome.•Exercise training reduces the expression of P2X7 of parenchymal leukocytes in rats with hepatopulmonary syndrome.•Hepatopulmonary syndrome modifies lung morphology and mechanics.