Journal of

Introduction: Obesity causes accumulation of proinflammatory factors in adipose tissue and it is regarded as a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Aerobic exercise increases insulin sensitivityand reduces fat accumulation and proinflammatory factors. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of endurance exercise on resistin gene expression as one of the proinfammatory agents in visceral adipose tissues in diet-induced obese male rats.

Methods: In an experimental study,  20 Wistar male rats divided into 3 groups: control (standard diet), fat (high-fat diet) and endurance exercise groups (high-fat diet and endurance exercise). Endurance training protocol included 60 minutes exercise per day using an animal treadmill at a speed of 22 meters per minute with 70% of VO₂ max, 5 days a week, and for 8 weeks. Changes in body weights of rats were measured and the resistin gene expression in tissue samples analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results: High-fat diet increased significantly the weight of rats in the fat group (P<0.01). Resistin gene expression in visceral adipose tissues of rats in the fat group increased 2 times in comparison to those of the control group, but this increase was not statistically significant. Endurance exercise reduced resistin gene expression about 4 times in comparison to those of the fat group, but this reduction was not statistically significant, too.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that obesity could increase and endurance training could reduce the resistin gene expression in visceral adipose tissue in rats. Although the present study suggests the beneficial effects of exercise, more studies are needed in this field.