Over Expression of FOXO1 in Subcutaneous Fatty Tissue and its Response to Resistance Training in High Fat Diet and Type 2 Diabetic Rat

Forkhead box proteins and Forkhead box transcription factor O1 (FOXO1) in particular, mediate insulin signaling pathways and glucose homeostasis. This study aimed to compare FOXO1 expression in subcutaneous adipose (SA) tissue between obese rats with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its response to resistance training in T2D.

21 male wistar rats (220±20 g) were obese by 6 weeks high fat diet (HFD) and randomly assigned to either non-diabetes (n=7) or two T2D groups (control and exercise groups, n=7 in each case). Fasting glucose, insulin, insulin resistance and FOXO1 expression were compared between non-diabetes and diabetes groups. All variables were also assigned after resistance training in the form of climbing a ladder (6 weeks/5 times weekly) in exercise compare with control groups. Data were compared by ANOVA, independent and paired t-test methods (P<0.05).

Induction of diabetes resulted in significant increase in insulin resistance, glucose, and FOXO expression in SA tissue and a decrease in insulin compared to obese health rats (P< 0.0001). A significant decrease in fasting insulin (P< 0.0001), insulin resistance (P< 0.0001) and FOXO1 expression in SA tissue (P< 0.0001) and increase in insulin (P: 0.002) were observed by resistance training compared to control diabetes rats.

Based on our results, improving insulin resistance and glucose in response to resistance training in obese diabetic rats may be rooted in decreased insulin expression following these exercises.