Abstract
Background and aims
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as a major chronic liver disease. We explored simple and effective ways to improve NAFLD and investigate the mechanism of action.
Methods
NAFLD was induced in 40 rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate the progression and improvement of NAFLD. The treatment-related interventions included aerobic exercise (E) and vitamin E (VE) supplementation. Expression levels of proteins related to fat metabolism were also assessed. The activities of antioxidant enzymes in the liver and serum lipid metabolism were analyzed using biochemical methods.
Results
Aerobic exercise and vitamin E effectively improved NAFLD in rats, resulting in decreased hepatic fat accumulation, reduced hepatocyte ballooning, and decreased triglyceride levels. Combination therapy achieved the best effect. Both aerobic exercise and vitamin E activate the AMPK pathway to phosphorylate acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and reduce fatty acid synthesis. The expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) was decreased significantly in the treated groups, particularly in the E + VE + HFD group. The expression of carnitine palmitoyl-transferase 1C (CPT1C) significantly increased in the treated groups, particularly in the E + VE + HFD group. Compared with the control group, reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the E + HFD group were slightly decreased, while that in the VE + HFD group were significantly decreased, with the even greater reduction observed in the E + VE + HFD group.
Conclusion
Aerobic exercise and vitamin E supplementation can improve HFD-induced NAFLD in rats by regulating the AMPK pathway and reducing oxidative stress.
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Data availability
Data described in the manuscript will be made available upon request pending application and approval from the corresponding author.
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This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81873917).
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Conception and design of the study: BX, YB, TL, and JL. Generation, collection, assembly, analysis, and/or interpretation of data: YB, YW, CW, SJ, YC, WY, and CZ. Drafting or revision of the manuscript: BX, YB, TL, and JL. Approval of the final version of the manuscript: All authors.
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The study protocol conformed to the guidelines of the ARRIVE and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. (Approval number: 20220703).
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Bai, Y., Li, T., Liu, J. et al. Aerobic exercise and vitamin E improve high-fat diet-induced NAFLD in rats by regulating the AMPK pathway and oxidative stress. Eur J Nutr 62, 2621–2632 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03179-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03179-9