The Effect of Exercise Training on lncRNA Expression in Asthma

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease worldwide, characterized by inflammation in the respiratory tract accompanied by bronchoconstriction, edema, and increased mucosa. Oxidative stress causes smooth muscle contraction, proliferation, and hypersensitivity of the airways, while hypoxia and systemic inflammation weaken the respiratory muscles. Lung hyperinflation in asthmatic patients causes an increase in the work of breathing. The increased workload on the respiratory muscles increases the respiratory frequency and causes dyspnea.

Pharmacological agents, allergen avoidance, lifestyle modification, anti-IgE antibodies and selectively alternative/complementary drugs or non-pharmacological methods (including breathing exercises, pulmonary rehabilitation, yoga and inspiratory muscle training) are applied in the treatment of asthma. Exercise training; it has been reported to improve asthma symptoms, quality of life, exercise capacity, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and cardiopulmonary fitness and reduce airway inflammation and nighttime symptoms in asthmatic patients. In addition, asthma control can be increased with appropriate timing and intensity of exercise-based PR. The physiological effect of inspiratory muscle training is to weaken the metaboreflex mechanism, possibly reducing the activity of chemosensitive afferents and sympathetic nerve stimulation. Inspiratory muscle training stimulates structural and biochemical adaptations within the inspiratory muscles. It is stated in the literature that physiotherapy approaches such as breathing exercises and respiratory muscle training provide clinical benefits by increasing inspiratory muscle strength and reducing symptoms and the need for bronchodilators.

In recent years, the role of lncRNAs has also been emphasized in studies conducted on asthma patients. LncRNAs are long non-coding RNAs and there are studies indicating that they play an important role in the regulation of asthma. However, there is no study in the literature examining the effect of exercise training on lncRNA MALAT1 in asthmatic patients. Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease worldwide, characterized by inflammation in the respiratory tract accompanied by bronchoconstriction, edema, and increased mucosa. Oxidative stress causes smooth muscle contraction, proliferation, and hypersensitivity of the airways, while hypoxia and systemic inflammation weaken the respiratory muscles. Lung hyperinflation in asthmatic patients causes an increase in the work of breathing. The increased workload on the respiratory muscles increases the respiratory frequency and causes dyspnea.

Pharmacological agents, allergen avoidance, lifestyle modification, anti-IgE antibodies and selectively alternative/complementary drugs or non-pharmacological methods (including breathing exercises, pulmonary rehabilitation, yoga and inspiratory muscle training) are applied in the treatment of asthma. Exercise training; it has been reported to improve asthma symptoms, quality of life, exercise capacity, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and cardiopulmonary fitness and reduce airway inflammation and nighttime symptoms in asthmatic patients. In addition, asthma control can be increased with appropriate timing and intensity of exercise-based PR. The physiological effect of inspiratory muscle training is to weaken the metaboreflex mechanism, possibly reducing the activity of chemosensitive afferents and sympathetic nerve stimulation. Inspiratory muscle training stimulates structural and biochemical adaptations within the inspiratory muscles. It is stated in the literature that physiotherapy approaches such as breathing exercises and respiratory muscle training provide clinical benefits by increasing inspiratory muscle strength and reducing symptoms and the need for bronchodilators.

In recent years, the role of lncRNAs has also been emphasized in studies conducted on asthma patients. LncRNAs are long non-coding RNAs and there are studies indicating that they play an important role in the regulation of asthma. However, there is no study in the literature examining the effect of exercise training on lncRNA MALAT1 in asthmatic patients. The research is a preliminary study for further studies in this field.Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease worldwide, characterized by inflammation in the respiratory tract accompanied by bronchoconstriction, edema, and increased mucosa. Oxidative stress causes smooth muscle contraction, proliferation, and hypersensitivity of the airways, while hypoxia and systemic inflammation weaken the respiratory muscles. Lung hyperinflation in asthmatic patients causes an increase in the work of breathing. The increased workload on the respiratory muscles increases the respiratory frequency and causes dyspnea.

Pharmacological agents, allergen avoidance, lifestyle modification, anti-IgE antibodies and selectively alternative/complementary drugs or non-pharmacological methods (including breathing exercises, pulmonary rehabilitation, yoga and inspiratory muscle training) are applied in the treatment of asthma. Exercise training; it has been reported to improve asthma symptoms, quality of life, exercise capacity, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and cardiopulmonary fitness and reduce airway inflammation and nighttime symptoms in asthmatic patients. In addition, asthma control can be increased with appropriate timing and intensity of exercise-based PR. The physiological effect of inspiratory muscle training is to weaken the metaboreflex mechanism, possibly reducing the activity of chemosensitive afferents and sympathetic nerve stimulation. Inspiratory muscle training stimulates structural and biochemical adaptations within the inspiratory muscles. It is stated in the literature that physiotherapy approaches such as breathing exercises and respiratory muscle training provide clinical benefits by increasing inspiratory muscle strength and reducing symptoms and the need for bronchodilators.

In recent years, the role of lncRNAs has also been emphasized in studies conducted on asthma patients. LncRNAs are long non-coding RNAs and there are studies indicating that they play an important role in the regulation of asthma. However, there is no study in the literature examining the effect of exercise training on lncRNA MALAT1 in asthmatic patients. The research is a preliminary study for further studies in this field.

Inclusion criteria

• Being between the ages of 18 and 75,
• Being diagnosed with severe persistent asthma by a chest physician in accordance with the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guideline criteria,
• Patients with type 2 inflammation markers. According to the accepted standard; Peripheral eosinophils ≥150/µL and/or induced sputum eosinophils ≥2% - Airway hyperresponsiveness (PC20 methacholine < 8 mg/mL) and/or bronchodilator response (>12% or 200 mL improvement in % predicted FEV1 following 400 mg salbutamol inhalation)

Exclusion criteria

• Having had a recent (within the last month) respiratory tract infection,
• Having a smoking history of over 10 packs/years or having a smoking history within 6 months of quitting smoking,
• Having received oral corticosteroid treatment within the last 4 weeks,
• Having a Body Mass Index >30,
• Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA) and Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA),
• Vasculitis,
• History of malignancy,
• Pregnancy,
• Presence of a musculoskeletal, neurological or cardiac disease that would prevent exercise.