The Effects of Resistance Exercise Training on Visceral White Adipose Lipolytic Pathways in Female Rats.

BACKGROUND

Visceral white adipose tissue (vWAT) accumulation is a key contributor to cardiometabolic disease, particularly in females, yet the impact of resistance exercise training (RET) on vWAT metabolism remains poorly characterized.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the effects of 10 wk of RET on visceral adiposity, glycemic regulation, and vWAT lipolytic pathway activation in female rats.

METHODS

Female Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 20) were randomized to sedentary (SED; n = 10) or RET ( n = 10) groups. RET animals performed weighted ladder climbing 5 d·wk -1 for 10 wk. Weekly body mass and food intake over the final week were recorded. Fasting blood glucose measurements and intravenous glucose tolerance tests were performed 3-4 d following the final exercise bout. Visceral adipose (gonadal white adipose tissue [gWAT] depot) and skeletal muscles were collected 5 d following the final exercise bout and weighed. gWAT samples were used for western blotting of proteins involved in lipolysis and lipid metabolism.

RESULTS

RET significantly increased biceps and flexor digitorum longus relative muscle mass and reduced gWAT mass ( P < 0.05), without significantly altering body mass. Fasting blood glucose was reduced ( P < 0.05) in RET compared to SED animals and strongly correlated with gWAT mass ( R = 0.71, P < 0.001), while intravenous glucose tolerance test area under the curve was unchanged. RET animals demonstrated enhanced phosphorylation of adipose triglyceride lipase and protein kinase A substrates ( P < 0.05) in gWAT.

CONCLUSIONS

RET enhances basal lipolytic pathway activation in vWAT and improves fasting glycemia independent of body mass. These findings support RET as a weight-neutral strategy to reduce vWAT and improve cardiometabolic health in females.