Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences (Mar 2024)
The Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on the Visceral Adipose Tissue Perilipin3 and Perilipin5 Genes Expression in Obese Male Rats with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Abstract
Background and purpose: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) affects the expression of genes altered by obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Perilipins (PLINs) are a family of five proteins that are expressed on the surface of fat droplets in various tissues, including visceral adipose tissue, and regulate lipid metabolism. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of an eight-week HIIT program on the expression of PLIN3 and PLIN5 genes in the visceral fat tissue of obese male rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Materials and methods: The present study involved 24 male Wistar rats. The animals were randomly and equally divided into three groups: control, fatty liver, and HIIT with fatty liver. A high-fat diet was used to induce obesity and fatty liver. The rats in the fatty liver group were placed on a high-fat diet for 10 weeks. After completing the 10-week high-fat diet to ensure intervention induction, Lee's index was used. The HIIT program lasted for eight weeks with five sessions per week using a specialized treadmill at zero inclination. Exercise intensity was determined by estimating maximum oxygen consumption. Forty-eight hours after the last exercise session and after a ten-hour fasting, rats were anesthetized with a suitable mixture of xylazine and ketamine. Adipose tissue samples were frozen in liquid nitrogen in special cryovials and sent to the laboratory for gene expression measurement. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were used to examine differences between groups at a significant level of P<0.05. Results: Data analysis showed significant differences in the expression of PLIN3 (F2,21=471.30, P=0.001) and PLIN5 (F2,21=185.60, P=0.001) genes in visceral fat adipose tissue among the study groups. In addition, results indicated increased expression of PLIN3 (P=0.001) and PLIN5 (P=0.001) genes in visceral fat adipose tissue in the fatty liver group compared to the control group. A significant decrease in the expression of these genes was observed in the HIIT group with fatty liver compared to the control and fatty liver groups (P=0.001). Conclusion: The findings of the study demonstrated that the expression of PLIN3 and PLIN5 genes in visceral fat adipose tissue increased due to induced fatty liver and the HIIT program moderated this increase. The reduction in the expression of these genes compared to the healthy group indicates the beneficial effect of physical activity under healthy conditions. This study suggests that the HIIT program had more beneficial effects beyond reversing the damage from the disease. Reduction in the expression of PLIN3 and PLIN5 genes in visceral fat adipose tissue as mechanisms of HIIT efficacy suggests a way to counteract the adverse effects of obesity and fatty liver.
