title: An essential role for diet in exercise-mediated protection against dyslipidemia, inflammation and atherosclerosis in ApoE⁻/⁻ mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diet and exercise promote cardiovascular health but their relative contributions to atherosclerosis are not fully known. The transition from a sedentary to active lifestyle requires increased caloric intake to achieve energy balance. Using atherosclerosis-prone ApoE-null mice we sought to determine whether the benefits of exercise for arterial disease are dependent on the food source of the additional calories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice were fed a high-fat diet (HF) for 4.5 months to initiate atherosclerosis after which time half were continued on HF while the other half were switched to a high protein/fish oil diet (HP). Half of each group underwent voluntary running. Food intake, running distance, body weight, lipids, inflammation markers, and atherosclerotic plaque were quantified. Two-way ANOVA tests were used to assess differences and interactions between groups. Exercised mice ran approximately 6-km per day with no difference between groups. Both groups increased food intake during exercise and there was a significant main effect of exercise F((1,44) = 9.86, p<0.01) without interaction. Diet or exercise produced significant independent effects on body weight (diet: F(1,52) = 6.85, p = 0.012; exercise: F(1,52) = 9.52, p<0.01) with no significant interaction. The combination of HP diet and exercise produced a greater decrease in total cholesterol (F(1, 46) = 7.9, p<0.01) and LDL (F(1, 46) = 7.33, p<0.01) with a large effect on the size of the interaction. HP diet and exercise independently reduced TGL and VLDL (p<0.05 and 0.001 respectively). Interleukin 6 and C-reactive protein were highest in the HF-sedentary group and were significantly reduced by exercise only in this group. Plaque accumulation in the aortic arch, a marker of cardiovascular events was reduced by the HP diet and the effect was significantly potentiated by exercise only in this group resulting in significant plaque regression (F1, 49 = 4.77, p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this model exercise is beneficial to combat dyslipidemia and protect from atherosclerosis only when combined with diet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology and the Vascular Biology Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cesar
authors.forename: Samuel Vasallo
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: Jennipher
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adi
authors.forename: Nikhil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Adi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vazquez-Padron
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Pascal J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Goldschmidt-Clermont
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agatston
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kurlansky
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Webster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D004035:Diet Therapy; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D016207:Cytokines; D008055:Lipids