Effect of High-intensity Intermittent Swimming Training on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-αand Liver Enzymes in Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis Male Rats

Alireza  Jowhari; Farhad  Daryanoosh; Maryam  Koushkie Jahromi; Ali Akbar  Nekooeian

doi:10.18502/ssu.v30i10.11454

Alireza Jowhari Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Department of Sports Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Farhad Daryanoosh Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Department of Sports Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Maryam Koushkie Jahromi Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Department of Sports Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Ali Akbar Nekooeian Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ssu.v30i10.11454

Keywords: Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis, High-intensity Interval Swimming, Hepatic peroxisome proliferator activator protein, Liver enzymes.

Abstract

Introduction: Accumulation of fat in the liver tissue is known as the most important cause of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, which is associated with a decrease in the protein of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR-α). This study aimed to investigate the effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIST) on PPAR-α and liver enzymes in high-fat diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis rats.

Methods: The current research was semi-experimental. 40 Spraguedauli male rats (age: 6 to 8 weeks and weight: 230 ± 20 grams) were selected and divided into two equal groups, healthy and high-fat diet (HFD). The HFD group was subjected to gavage for eight weeks with the aim of inducing the disease. Rats were divided into four groups: control-healthy (n=9), healthy-swimming (n=9), control- disease (n=9) and disease -swimming (n=9). The training groups performed HIST for eight weeks (three sessions per week, each session lasting 30 minutes). In the end, liver PPAR-α was measured by western blot analysis; and ALT, AST and GGT enzymes in serum level were measured by photometric method. One-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni's post hoc test were used to analyze the data. Significant level (P≥0.05) and all statistical methods were performed using SPSS16 software.

Results: HIST controlled the weight gain caused by HFD and there was a significant decrease in serum ALT and AST in the healthy-swimming and sick-swimming groups compared to the control-patient group and a significant decrease in serum GGT in the healthy-swimming group compared to the control-patient (P≤0.001) and patient-swimming (P≤0.044) were observed. A significant increase in hepatic PPAR-α was observed in healthy-swimming patients compared to the control-patients (P≤0.002).

Conclusion: HIST can control body weight and reduce liver enzymes. However, more research is needed to obtain definitive results.