Beneficial Effects of Exercise Training (Treadmill) on Body Mass and Skeletal Muscle Capillaries/Myocyte Ratio in C57BL/6 Mice Fed High-Fat Diet

Abstract

C57BL/6 mice develop signals and symptoms comparable at least in part with the metabolic syndrome in humans. This study aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of exercise training upon skeletal microcirculation in these mice. Animals were fed one of two diets during an eight week period: standard chow (SC) or very high-fat (HF). Afterwards, the exercise training protocol (treadmill) was established and mice divided into SC and HF sedentary (SC-Sed, HF-Sed) or exercised groups (SC-Ex, HF-Ex), respectively. HF/HF-Sed mice had the greatest body mass (plus 65% than SC-Sed; P<0.0001), and exercise reduced it by 23% (P<0.0001). The plasma insulin was higher in the HF-Sed than in the matched -Ex (P<0.001). The ratio between capillaries/myocytes in HF-Ex group increased by 64% than in HF-Sed group (P<0.001) and increased by 80% in SC-Ex group than in SC-Sed group (P<0.001). In conclusion, exercise improved the lipid profile by reducing body mass gain, insulin resistance, ameliorating the skeletal muscle microcirculation.