title: Physical training and weight loss in dogs lead to transcriptional changes in genes involved in the glucose-transport pathway in muscle and adipose tissues.
abstract: Obesity is a worldwide problem in humans and domestic animals. Interventions, including a combination of dietary management and exercise, have proven to be effective for inducing weight loss in humans. In companion animals, the role of exercise in the management of obesity has received relatively little attention. The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in the transcriptome of key energy metabolism genes in muscle and adipose tissues in response to diet-induced weight loss alone, or combined with exercise in dogs. Overweight pet dogs were enrolled on a weight loss programme, based on calorie restriction and physical training (FD group, n = 5) or calorie restriction alone (DO group, n = 7). mRNA expression of 12 genes and six microRNAs were investigated using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). In the FD group, FOXO1 and RAC1 were expressed at lower levels in adipose tissue, whereas ESRRA and AKT2 were more highly expressed in muscle, when compared with the DO group. Comparing expression before and after the intervention, in the DO group, nine genes and three microRNAs showed significant altered expression in adipose tissue (PPARG, ADIPOQ and FOXO1; P < 0.001) and seven genes and two microRNAs were significantly downregulated (NRF2, RAC1, ESRRA, AKT2, PGC1a and mir-23; P < 0.001) in muscle. Thus, calorie restriction causes regulation of several metabolic genes in both tissues. The mild exercise, incorporated into this study design, was sufficient to elicit transcriptional changes in adipose and muscle tissues, suggesting a positive effect on glucose metabolism. The study findings support inclusion of exercise in management of canine obesity.
authors.affiliation: Genética y Mejora Animal, Cordoba University, Edificio C5 Gregor Mendel 1st Floor, Campus Universitario Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Juber
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herrera Uribe
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Vitger
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ritz
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Merete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fredholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Charlotte R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bjørnvad
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: scs@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cirera
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D031204:Caloric Restriction / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D050177:Overweight / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D011446:Prospective Studies; D059467:Transcriptome; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D005947:Glucose
keywords: Exercise; Metabolism; MicroRNA; Obesity; qPCR