Exercise Training Prevents High Fructose-Induced Hypertension and Renal Damages in Male Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats

Figures

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  FIGURE 1. Blood pressure and body weight in DS rats. DS rats were divided into three groups and fed a control diet (Con) or a high-fructose diet (HFr; 60% fructose). A part of HFr-fed DS rats underwent exercise training (Ex) with treadmill running at an aerobic intensity for 12 wk. A, The time course of SBP in the Con (open squares), HFr (closed squares), and HFr and Ex (HFr–Ex; open triangles) groups. B, The time course of body weight in the Con (open squares), HFr (closed squares), and HFr–Ex (open triangles) groups. Data are presented as means ± SE for n = 8 rats per group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared with the Con group; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01 compared with the HFr group.

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  FIGURE 2. Renal functions in DS rats. Plasma creatinine (A), creatinine clearance (B), urinary albumin excretion (C), and urinary L-FABP excretion (D) were compared among the Con, HFr, and HFr–Ex groups. Data are presented as means ± SE for n = 8 rats per group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared with the Con group; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01 compared with the HFr group.

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  FIGURE 3. Renal histological characteristics in DS rats. A, Representative images of the glomerulus and the renal cortex stained with PAS (top panel), against desmin (second panel), against α-SMA (third panel), and with Masson trichrome (bottom panel) in the Con, HFr, and HFr–Ex groups. IGS (B), glomerular desmin-positive area (C), arteriolar media-to-lumen ratio (D), and RIV (E) were compared among the Con, HFr, and HFr–Ex groups. Data are presented as means ± SEM for n = 6 rats per group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared with the Con group; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01 compared with the HFr group.

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  FIGURE 4. Levels of AGT in plasma and urine and expression of AGT and renin in the renal cortex of DS rats. The levels of plasma AGT (A) and urinary AGT (B) were compared among the Con, HFr, and HFr–Ex groups. The renal expression of AGT (C) and renin (D) were compared among the Con, HFr, and HFr–Ex groups. Top panels depict representative immunoblots from the different groups. The intensities of each specific protein band were normalized to that of β-actin, and the mean intensities of the values for the Con group. Data are presented as means ± SEM for n = 8 rats per group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared with the Con group; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01 compared with the HFr group.

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  FIGURE 5. Expression and activity of ACE and ACE2 in the renal cortex of DS rats. The renal expression of ACE (A) and ACE2 (B) were compared among the Con, HFr, and HFr–Ex groups. Top panels depict representative immunoblots from the different groups. The intensities of each specific protein band were normalized to that of β-actin, and the mean intensities of the values for the Con group. The renal activity of ACE (C) and ACE2 (D)were compared among the Con, HFr, and HFr–Ex groups. Data are presented as means ± SEM for n = 8 rats per group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared with the Con group; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01 compared with the HFr group.

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  FIGURE 6. Expression of angiotensin receptors in the renal cortex of DS rats. The renal expression of AT1R (A), AT2R (B), and MasR (C) was compared among the Con, HFr, and HFr–Ex groups. Top panels depict representative immunoblots from the different groups. The intensities of each specific protein band were normalized to that of β-actin, and the mean intensities of the values for the Con group. Data are presented as means ± SEM for n = 8 rats per group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 compared with the Con group; #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01 compared with the HFr group.