title: Exercise counters diet-induced obesity, proteinuria, and structural kidney alterations in rat.
abstract: We studied the effects of exercise training in treating renal impairment due to hypertension and obesity in rats. Diet-induced obese and non-obese Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: Sed-Ob, Ex-Ob, Sed-C, and Ex-C (motor treadmill for 13 weeks; Ex=exercise-trained, C=control, Ob=obese, Sed=sedentary). Creatinine, proteinuria, and kidney structure were evaluated. Sed-C rats had normal and stable blood pressure (BP), while Sed-Ob rats developed hypertension. After 4 weeks of exercise, BP decreased in exercise-trained groups (less than 25% at the end of the experiment in obese rats, and less than 10% in non-obese rats). Both the body mass and retroperitoneal fat mass were lower in the exercise-trained groups than in the sedentary ones. Serum creatinine was not different among the groups, but the urinary protein excretion was significantly higher in the Sed-Ob group than in the matched non-obese group. Compared to the non-obese animals the mean glomerular volume increased by 45% in Sed-Ob rats and by 30% in Ex-Ob rats. Obese animals also showed increased mesangial volume density compared to non-obese animals. The present findings allow us to conclude that the exercise training could be an auxiliary practice to attenuate renal alterations seen in diet-induced obesity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Morphometry and Cardiovascular Morphology, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinheiro-Mulder
authors.forename: Marcia B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Aguila
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bregman
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mandarim-de-Lacerda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar