Abstract Aims: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the resistance training (RT) on the lipid profile and metabolism, oxidative stress, and activity of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in the left ventricle (LV) of diet-induced obesity rats. Methods: Forty males Wistar rats 90 days-old were grouped into four groups (n=10): i) Sedentary group (SED); ii) Obese sedentary group, feed with high-fat diet (Ob-SED); iii) Resistance Trained group (RT), and iv) Obese Resistance trained group (Ob-RT). The LV was assayed to Obesity index, LV lipid content, citrate synthase activity, lipid peroxidation (TBARS), enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems, lipid profile, cardio-metabolic parameters, and activity of MMP-2. Results: High-fat diet was associated with manifestations of the obesity, body mass gain, and increased obesity index, accompanied by an alteration in the lipid profile. On the other hand, RT was able to prevent body weight gain, to reduce the obesity index and to improve the lipid profile, to elevate the activation of the citrate synthase, and to decrease MMP-2 activity in the LV of obese rats. Conclusion: RT positively modulated blood lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes preventing the increased activity of MMP-2 in the left ventricle from rats fed with high-fat diet.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of both swimming and resistance training on tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 expression, adipocyte area and lipid profiles in rats fed a high-fat diet. METHODS: The study was conducted over an eight-week period on Wistar adult rats, who were divided into six groups as follows (n = 10 per group): sedentary chow diet, sedentary high-fat diet, swimming plus chow diet, swimming plus high-fat diet, resistance training plus chow diet, and resistance training plus high-fat diet. Rats in the resistance training groups climbed a vertical ladder with weights on their tails once every three days. The swimming groups swam for 60 minutes/day, five days/week. RESULTS: The high-fat diet groups had higher body weights, a greater amount of adipose tissue, and higher tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression in the visceral adipose tissue. Furthermore, the high-fat diet promoted a negative change in the lipid profile. In the resistance training high-fat group, the tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression was lower than that in the swimming high-fat and sedentary high-fat groups. Moreover, smaller visceral and retroperitoneal adipocyte areas were found in the resistance training high-fat group than in the sedentary high-fat group. In the swimming high-fat group, the tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression was lower and the epididymal and retroperitoneal adipocyte areas were smaller compared with the sedentary high-fat group. CONCLUSION: The results showed that both exercise modalities improved the lipid profile, adiposity and obesity-associated inflammation in rats, suggesting their use as an alternative to control the deleterious effects of a high-fat diet in humans.