Effect of Eight Weeks of Aerobic Progressive Training with Capsaicin on Changes in PGC-1α and UPC-1 Expression in Visceral Adipose Tissue of Obese Rats With Diet

Decreased physical activity coupled with increased High‐Fat Diet (HFD) intake prompts obesity. Current research suggests that changing White Adipose Tissue (WAT) to brown promotes energy expenditure to counter obesity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aerobic Progressive training and Capsaicin (Cap) on Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) and Uncoupling protein-1 (UPC-1) gene expression in rat fed a high-fat diet.

 40 male Wistar rats aged 8-12 weeks, were fed a Normal Diet (ND) (n=8) or HFD (n=32) for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, rats were divided into 5 groups: ND, HFD, High-Fat Diet-Training (HFDT), High-Fat Diet-Capsaicin (HFDCap), high-fat diet-training-capsaicin (HFDTCap). Training groups have performed a progressive aerobic running program on a motor-driven treadmill for eight weeks. Capsaicin (4 mg/kg/day) were administered orally, by gavage, once a day. PGC-1α and UCP-1 gene expression levels in the VAT were measured by Real-time PCR method.

 The results of this study showed that PGC-1α and UCP-expression was decreased in HFD group compared to ND group. Also, the expression of PGC-1α and UPC-1 in HFDT, HFDCap and HFDTCap groups was significantly increased compared to HFD. The expression of PGC-1α and UPC-1 in HFDTCap was also significantly increased compared to HFDT and HFDCap groups.

 Possibly, eight weeks of progressive training combined with capsaicin administration has an effect on the browning of visceral adipose tissue in HFD rats by increasing expression of PGC-1α and UCP-1.