title: Swimming exercise increases serum irisin level and reduces body fat mass in high-fat-diet fed Wistar rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been shown that irisin levels are reduced in skeletal muscle and plasma of obese rats; however, the effect of exercise training on irisin level remains controversial. We aim to evaluate the association of swimming exercise with serum irisin level and other obesity-associated parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty healthy male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: a normal diet and sedentary group (ND group), normal diet and exercise group (NDE group), high-fat diet and sedentary group (HFD group), and high-fat diet and exercise group (HFDE group. After 8 consecutive weeks of swimming exercise, fat mass and serum irisin level was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher serum irisin levels were detected in the HFDE group (1.15 ± 0.28 μg/L) and NDE group (1.76 ± 0.17 μg/L) than in the HFD group (0.84 ± 0.23 μg/L) or the ND group (1.24 ± 0.29 μg/L), respectively (HFDE group vs. HFD group, P < 0.05; NDE group vs. ND group, P < 0.01). Pearson's correlation analysis showed that serum irisin level negatively correlated with TG level (r = -0.771, P < 0.05), percentage fat mass (r = -0.68, P < 0.05), fat mass (r = -0.576, P < 0.05), visceral fat mass (r = -0.439, P < 0.05) and TC level (r = -0.389, P < 0.05). The fat mass, visceral fat mass and percentage fat mass were lower in the HFDE group than the HFD group (all P values < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Swimming exercise decreases body fat mass in high-fat-fed Wistar rats, which may be attributable to elevated irisin levels induced by swimming exercise.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Taihu Lake Rehabilitation Hospital of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital Group, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214086, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Taihu Lake Rehabilitation Hospital of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital Group, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214086, China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214002, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Taihu Lake Rehabilitation Hospital of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital Group, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214086, China. shentaihu@126.com.|Jiangsu Provincial Taihu Cadre's Sanatorium of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital Group, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214086, China. shentaihu@126.com.
authors.forename: Zhen-Hai
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214064, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214002, China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Jian
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Taihu Lake Rehabilitation Hospital of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital Group, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214086, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Taihu Lake Rehabilitation Hospital of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital Group, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214086, China.
authors.forename: Yin-Bo
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Taihu Lake Rehabilitation Hospital of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital Group, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214086, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Ting
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Provincial Taihu Lake Rehabilitation Hospital of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital Group, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214086, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 214002, China.
authors.forename: Hua-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000097:blood*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C583676:FNDC5 protein, rat; D005353:Fibronectins; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids
keywords: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); Irisin; Swimming exercise; Visceral fat