Inês O Gonçalves1, Emanuel Passos2, Sílvia Rocha-Rodrigues3, Joan R Torrella4, David Rizo4, Estela Santos-Alves3, Piero Portincasa5, Maria J Martins2, António Ascensão3, José Magalhães3. 1. Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: igoncalvs@gmail.com. 2. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal. 3. Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure, Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Portugal. 4. Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain. 5. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University Medical School, Bari, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Lieber-DeCarli diet has been used to induce obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). As scarce anatomical and clinical-related information on this diet model exists and being exercise an advised strategy to counteract metabolic diseases, we aimed to analyze the preventive (voluntary physical activity - VPA) and therapeutic (endurance training - ET) effect of exercise on clinical/anatomical features of rats fed with Lieber-DeCarli diet. METHODS: In the beginning of the protocol, Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into standard-diet sedentary (SS, n = 20), standard-diet VPA (SVPA, n = 10), high-fat diet sedentary (HS, n = 20) and high-fat diet VPA (HVPA, n = 10) groups. After 9-weeks, half (n = 10) of SS and HS groups were engaged in an ET program (8 wks/5 d/wk/60 min/day). At this time, a blood sample was collected for biochemical analysis. At the end of protocol (17-weeks) anatomic measures were assessed. Heart, liver, femur and visceral fat were weighted and blood was collected again. Liver section was used for histopathological examination. RESULTS: At 17-weeks, high-fat diet increased visceral adiposity (HS vs. SS), which was counteracted by both exercises. However, ET was the only intervention able to diminished obesity-related measures and the histological features of NASH. Moreover, blood analysis at 9 weeks showed that high-fat diet increased ALT, AST, cholesterol and HDL while VLDL and TG levels were decreased (HS vs. SS). Notably, although these parameters were counteracted after 9-weeks of VPA, they were transitory and not observed after 17-weeks. CONCLUSIONS: ET used as a therapeutic tool mitigated the clinical/anatomical-related features induced by Liber-DeCarli diet, thus possibly contributing to control obesity and metabolic disorders.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Lieber-DeCarli diet has been used to induce obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). As scarce anatomical and clinical-related information on this diet model exists and being exercise an advised strategy to counteract metabolic diseases, we aimed to analyze the preventive (voluntary physical activity - VPA) and therapeutic (endurance training - ET) effect of exercise on clinical/anatomical features of rats fed with Lieber-DeCarli diet. METHODS: In the beginning of the protocol, Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into standard-diet sedentary (SS, n = 20), standard-diet VPA (SVPA, n = 10), high-fat diet sedentary (HS, n = 20) and high-fat diet VPA (HVPA, n = 10) groups. After 9-weeks, half (n = 10) of SS and HS groups were engaged in an ET program (8 wks/5 d/wk/60 min/day). At this time, a blood sample was collected for biochemical analysis. At the end of protocol (17-weeks) anatomic measures were assessed. Heart, liver, femur and visceral fat were weighted and blood was collected again. Liver section was used for histopathological examination. RESULTS: At 17-weeks, high-fat diet increased visceral adiposity (HS vs. SS), which was counteracted by both exercises. However, ET was the only intervention able to diminished obesity-related measures and the histological features of NASH. Moreover, blood analysis at 9 weeks showed that high-fat diet increased ALT, AST, cholesterol and HDL while VLDL and TG levels were decreased (HS vs. SS). Notably, although these parameters were counteracted after 9-weeks of VPA, they were transitory and not observed after 17-weeks. CONCLUSIONS: ET used as a therapeutic tool mitigated the clinical/anatomical-related features induced by Liber-DeCarli diet, thus possibly contributing to control obesity and metabolic disorders.
Authors: José Ignacio Martínez-Montoro; Isabel Cornejo-Pareja; Ana María Gómez-Pérez; Francisco J Tinahones Journal: Nutrients Date: 2021-11-15 Impact factor: 5.717