The Effect of Voluntary Exercise on Gut Microbiota in Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum Intake Mice under High-Fat Diet Feeding.

Although dietary fiber treatment alters the gut microbiota and its metabolite production, it is unclear whether or not exercise habits can have a supplemental effect on changes in gut microbiota in dietary fiber-treated mice. To clarify the supplemental effect of voluntary exercise on gut microbiota in partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), which is a soluble dietary fiber, treated mice under high-fat diet (HFD) feeding, 4-week-old male C57BL/6J mice (n = 80) were randomly divided into two dietary groups: the control-diet (CD) and HFD. Then, each dietary group was treated with or without PHGG, and with or without wheel running. After the experimental period, measurement of maximal oxygen consumption, a glucose tolerance test and fecal materials collection for analysis of gut microbiota were carried out. Voluntary exercise load in PHGG treatment under HFD feeding showed the supplemental effect of exercise on obesity (p < 0.01) and glucose tolerance (p < 0.01). Additionally, in both CD and HFD groups, voluntary exercise accelerated the decrease in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in mice fed with PHGG (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that voluntary exercise might activate the prevention of obesity and insulin resistance more via change in gut microbiota in mice administrated with PHGG.

Characterization of fat metabolism in the fatty liver caused by a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet: A study under equal energy conditions.

The pathology of fatty liver due to increased percentage of calories derived from fat without increased overall caloric intake is largely unclear. In this study, we aimed to characterize fat metabolism in rats with fatty liver resulting from consumption of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate (HFLC) diet without increased caloric intake. Four-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the control (Con) and HFLC groups, and rats were fed the corresponding diets ad libitum. Significant decreases in food intake per gram body weight were observed in the HFLC group compared with that in the Con group. Thus, there were no significant differences in body weights or caloric intake per gram body weight between the two groups. Marked progressive fat accumulation was observed in the livers of rats in the HFLC group, accompanied by suppression of de novo lipogenesis (DNL)-related proteins in the liver and increased leptin concentrations in the blood. In addition, electron microscopic observations revealed that many lipid droplets had accumulated within the hepatocytes, and mitochondrial numbers were reduced in the hepatocytes of rats in the HFLC group. Our findings confirmed that consumption of the HFLC diet induced fatty liver, even without increased caloric intake. Furthermore, DNL was not likely to be a crucial factor inducing fatty liver with standard energy intake. Instead, ultrastructural abnormalities found in mitochondria, which may cause a decline in ß-oxidation, could contribute to the development of fatty liver.

Exhaustive exercise reduces tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in response to lipopolysaccharide in mice.

OBJECTIVE: Stressful exercise reduces the plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine concentration in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism of exhaustive exercise-induced suppression of the plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha concentration in response to LPS. METHODS: Male C3H/HeN mice (n = 66) were randomized to treadmill running to exhaustion (Ex) or a sedentary (Non-Ex) condition. Monocytes and splenic macrophages were collected from some animals, and other animals were injected with LPS (1 mg/kg) immediately after the exercise. The liver, lung and spleen tissues in the mice were removed 30 min after the LPS injection for determination of TNF-alpha mRNA expression. Blood and tissue samples were collected for determination of TNF-alpha and TNF receptors (TNFR) 1 h after the LPS injection. RESULTS: Although there was a significant suppression in LPS-induced plasma TNF-alpha in the Ex mice when compared to the Non-Ex mice (p < 0.01), soluble TNFR in plasma was not affected by the exercise. There was no change in cell-surface expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and in LPS-induced TNF-alpha mRNA expression and TNFR content in tissues between the Ex and Non-Ex groups. Interestingly, TNF-alpha contents in the liver, lung and spleen of the Ex mice were significantly lower than those of the Non-Ex group (p < 0.01, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that exhaustive exercise-induced suppression of the plasma TNF-alpha concentration despite LPS stimulation might depend on translation of TNF-alpha in tissues.

Beta-adrenergic receptor blockade attenuates the exercise-induced suppression of TNF-alpha in response to lipopolysaccharide in rats.

Stressful exercise has been found to reduce the proinflammatory cytokine response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In this study, we aimed to determine whether receptor antagonists for corticosterone or catecholamines would increase the LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) response after exhaustive exercise. Female F344 rats were randomly assigned to one of five groups: control (vehicle), RU-486 (glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, 30 mg/kg)-, propranolol [nonselective beta-adrenergic receptor (AR) blockade, 30 mg/kg]-, atenolol (beta(1)-AR blockade, 30 mg/kg)-, or ICI 118551 (beta(2)-AR blockade, 30 mg/kg)-treated groups. Each antagonist was given intraperitoneally 30 min prior to exercise or control period. Exercised rats ran until exhaustion on a treadmill at gradually increasing speeds, from 10 to 36 m/min at 15% grade. Immediately postexercise or control period all rats were injected with LPS (1 mg/kg, i.v.). Plasma TNF-alpha was reduced by prior exercise to approximately 10% of that of sedentary controls (p < 0.01). Plasma TNF-alpha concentration in exercised RU-486-treated rats was significantly different than that of nonexercised rats (19.2%, p < 0.01) and not different from exercised rats. However, pretreatment of rats with the nonselective beta-AR blocker propranolol almost completely reversed the exercise-induced suppression of plasma TNF-alpha in response to LPS. beta(1)-AR pretreatment almost completely attenuated the exercise-induced suppression of LPS-induced plasma TNF-alpha while beta(2)-antagonism had a partial effect. These results indicate that exercise-induced catecholamines, acting through beta-ARs (especially the beta(1)-AR), are responsible for the exercise-induced suppression of plasma TNF-alpha after LPS administration.