en Pathology Pathology Original Article Original Article <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="color:#0000FF;"><strong><em>Background:</em></strong> </span>Tobacco contains carcinogens such as NNK (nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone) that makes induction of lung cancer by changing the stimulation of IL-10 expression. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in resting levels of IL-10 in lung tissues of rats exposed to NNK after a 12-week aerobic submaximal swimming training.<br> <span style="color:#0000FF;"><strong><em>Methods</em></strong><em>:</em></span> For this purpose, 46 Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups consisting training, training + NNK, NNK, saline and control. NNK-induced groups received NNK subcutaneously one day per week at a rate of 12/5 mg per kg body weight and the training groups performed submaximal swimming training for 12 weeks. The levels of IL-10 in homogenized lung tissue were measured by ELISA.<br> <span style="color:#0000FF;"><strong><em>Results:</em></strong></span> Findings indicated that a period of swimming training increased the IL-10 levels significantly in lung tissue of training group when compared to control (P=0.00) and NNK groups (P=0.00). Also, a significant increase of IL-10 level was observed in exercise + NNK group when compared to NNK group (p&le;0/02). Furthermore, it was observed that IL-10 levels of NNK group had a significant decrease when compared to training group (P=0/00), training + NNK group (p&le;0/02), but had insignificant increase when compared to saline group (p&le;0/85).<br> <span style="color:#0000FF;"><strong><em>Conclusions:</em></strong> </span>Generally, it could be confirmed that regular submaximal aerobic training plays an important role in the inhibition of the effects of lung inflammation induced by NNK via increasing IL-10 activity.</span></span><br> <p></p><p></p> Interleukin 10, tobacco derived nitrosamine ketone, submaximal aerobic activity, inflammation. 158 163 http://caspjim.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-760-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Ali Barzegari ali_barzegari@pnu.ac.ir 100319475328460012427 100319475328460012427 Yes Department of Physical Education and Sports, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran Shadmehr Mirdar sh.mirdar@umz.ac.ir 100319475328460012428 100319475328460012428 No Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran