Exercise Training suppresses vascular fibrosis in aging obesity induced rats

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise training (ET) on vascular fibrosis in aging model rats with diet-induced obesity. METHODS: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: Aging control (A-C), A-C with high fat diet (AHF), AHF with ET (AHF + ET). Aging was induced by D-galactose (D-gal) and obesity was induced by HFD (60% fat) for 9 weeks. The experimental rats performed swimming (60 min/day, 5 days/week) for 8 weeks. All rat aorta samples were harvested for RT-PCR and morphologic analyses. RESULTS: The exercise training significantly decreased levels of AT-1, TGF-ß and Coll-1 gene expression compared to AHF group. The AHF + ET group showed a reduced collagen accumulation in the aorta media compared to AHF group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ET could protect the aging obesity aorta against down-regulation of fibrotic factors (AT-1, TGF-ß and Coll-1 gene) and fibrosis by inhibition of collagen accumulation in the aorta media.