Increased Hepatic UNC-51 Like Autophagy Activating Kinase 1 Gene Expression in Male Wistar Rats in Adaptation to Exercise Training in Fasting State

Abstract

Introduction: Defective lipophagy is associated with metabolic disorders. This study investigated the effect of four weeks of aerobic exercise in a fasted state on hepatic unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1) in male rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Methods: In this experimental research, 30 male Wistar rats with an NAFLD model were randomly divided into control groups: fasting, 3-day training, 5-day training, fasting + 3-day training, and fasting + 5-day training. Unlike other rats that had 24-hour access to food, the fasting groups received the same amount of nutrition during 10 hours. Continuous running was done for four weeks with 3 and 5 sessions per week and in two conditions of feeding and fasting. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS software Version 26 using one-way variance analysis and Bonferroni test with a significance level of (P≤0.05).Results: A significant increase in the expression of the ULK1 gene was observed in the fasting, fasting + 3-day training, and fasting + 5-day training groups compared to the control and 3-day training groups (P<0.05). The increase of ULK1 in the fasting group was higher than in the 3-day- and 5-day training groups (P<0.05). Also, the increase of ULK1 in the fasting + 3-day training and fasting + 5-day training groups was significantly higher than the 5-day training group (P<0.05).Conclusion: Fasting and exercise in the fasting state increase lipophagy and improve NAFLD.

Keywords

• non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• autophagy-related protein-1 homolog
• exercise
• fasting
• autophagy