Plasma Changes of Chemerin and Pentraxin-3 Following Eight Weeks of Endurance Exercise in Men with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in the world which is associated with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma changes of chemerin and pentraxin-3 (PTX3) following 8 weeks of endurance training in men with NAFLD.
In this quasi-experimental Study, thirty four patients with NAFLD were selected purposefully. The participants were randomly divided into two groups, endurance training group (n=17) and control group (n=17). The endurance training program included eight weeks running on a treadmill with maximum heart rate (HRmax) intensity of 55-75% for 45 minutes three times a week. Seventy two hours before the beginning of the study and at the end of the eighth week, blood samples were taken from all the participants. The data were analyzed by paired sample t-test and independent t-test at the significant level p Plasma levels of chemerin in the endurance training group significantly decreased (p=0.013). Also, there was a significant difference between the two groups after the end of the intervention (p=0.002). Plasma levels of PTX3 increased significantly in the endurance training group (p=0.001). There was also a significant difference between two groups after the end of the intervention (p=0.01).
The present study showed that the 8-week endurance training increased the plasma levels of PTX3 and decreased the plasma levels of chemerin in men with NAFLD. Endurance training, possibly through various mechanisms, reduces the inflammatory factors and increases the anti-inflammatory factors in men with NAFLD. Endurance training, probably by activation of lipolysis, over-regulation of unpaired protein-1 and activator receptors of peroxisomes proliferation-, changes in adipocytokines, etc. decreases charmicin and increases PTX3 levels of plasma in men with NAFLD.