ABSTRACT
Background: Overexpression of lectin-like low density lipoprotein [LOX-1] receptor plays an important role in hyperglycemia-induced vascular complications such as atherosclerosis. Based on the beneficial effects of exercise on preventing cardiovascular complications of diabetes, we aimed to examine the protective effects of aerobic exercise on expression of LOX-1 receptor and produc on of free radicals inthe heart of diabetic rats
Methods: Four groups of rats were used: [n=5 per group]: sedentary normal, trained normal, sedentary diabetes and trained diabetes. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injec on of streptozotocin [50 mg/kg]. The exercise protocol was consisted of swimming 30 min/day, 5 days/week for eight weeks. Plasma glucose was evaluated at initiation, weeks 4 and 8 of experiment. At the end of experiment, rats were sacrificed and the heart was removed for determination of nitrate, malondialdehyde, and LOX-1 gene expression. In normal non-diabetic rats, the blood glucose level was <150 mg/dl; however, the induction of diabetes resulted in levels more than >400 mg/dl. Gene expression of LOX-1 was increased in the heart of diabetic rats. Exercise reduced the gene expression of this protein in diabetic states without reducing the blood glucose. Finally, swimming exercise decreased the malondialdehyde and nitrate levels in heart tissue both in control and diabetic rats
Conclusion: Swimming exercise reduces heart expression of the LOX-1 receptor in accompany with reduc on of free radicals production. Since these parameters are important in generation of diabetic complications, swimming exercise is a good candidate for reducing these complications
ABSTRACT
Purpose: obesity is one of the most common problems in the world. Imbalance between energy consumption and expenditure is a main factor in weight disorder. Exercise helps losing weight by increasing energy expenditure and modulation of the energy intake. The present study examined protective effects of daily moderate aerobic exercise on preventing weight gain in high fat diet rats
Materials and Methods: male wistar rats weighing 200 +/- 20 grams were randomly divided into 4 groups of five rats as follow: Normal [cont], Normal and exercise [Ex], sedentary and high fat diet [HFD/sed] and exercise and high fat diet [HFD/Ex]. High fat diet [HFD] was made by adding 10% animal oil to the standard rodent chow. Exercise protocol consisted of swimming for 1 hr/day, 5 days/week for a period of 8 weeks. Weight gain was calculated according to weight of each rat in the initiation of exercise and food intake was measured in a certain day each week
Results: moderate swimming exercise increased the food intake in control group, which was significant in the first [P = 001], third, fourth, fifth [P = .05] and eighth weeks [P = .001]. Moderate swimming exercise decreased the food intake in HFD/Ex group, which was significant in the first and third weeks [P = .001]. HFD decreased the food intake in the first, second, third, [P = .001] fourth and fifth weeks [P = .05] in comparison with the control group. There was a gradual increment of weight gain in all groups during the experiment without any significant difference
Conclusion: findings of this study indicated that moderate swimming exercise without any calorie restrictions was not sufficient to prevent weight gain