Physical exercise, obesity, inflammation and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs): a review with bioinformatics analysis

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) represent an innate organism defense mechanism characterized by neutrophil release of intracellular material to capture any aggressor agent. Elevated NETs release is associated with increased inflammatory response and related diseases, such as obesity. Chronic physical training is one of the main strategies to treat and prevent obesity. The relationship between physical training and NETs is still under study. The present review, followed by a bioinformatics analysis, demonstrates the meaningful connection between physical exercise, obesity, and NETs. The bioinformatics indicated TNF-α as a leading gene after the ontological analysis followed by positive-interleukin-6 regulation, chemokines, and inflammatory response regulation. The main results pointed to a relevant regulatory effect of physical training on NETs release, indicating physical exercise as a possible therapeutic target on modulating NETs and inflammation. Graphical abstract