Effects of resveratrol, exercises and their combination on Farnesoid X receptor, Liver X receptor and Sirtuin 1 gene expression and apoptosis in the liver of elderly rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver

Amir Hajighasem; Parvin Farzanegi; Zohreh Mazaheri; Marjan Naghizadeh; Ghoncheh Salehi

doi:10.7717/peerj.5522

Effects of resveratrol, exercises and their combination on Farnesoid X receptor, Liver X receptor and Sirtuin 1 gene expression and apoptosis in the liver of elderly rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver

PeerJ. 2018 Sep 10:6:e5522. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5522. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Amir Hajighasem¹, Parvin Farzanegi¹, Zohreh Mazaheri², Marjan Naghizadeh¹, Ghoncheh Salehi¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Exercise Physiology, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran.
² Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disorder. This study aims to consider effects of resveratrol, exercise and their combination on Farnesoid X receptor (Fxr), the liver X receptor (Lxr) and Sirtuin 1 (Sirt 1) genes expression in the liver of elderly rats with NAFLD.

Methods: Rats with NAFLD were randomly divided into seven groups including patient, saline, resveratrol (RSV), interval exercise, continuous exercise, interval exercise + RSV and continuous exercise + RSV. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the liver tissue were measured using specific ELISA kits. A TUNEL assay kit was used for the assessment of hepatic cells apoptosis. Lipid profiles were considered by measuring the serum triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL, and HDL. Expression of Sirt1, Lxr and Fxr genes was considered using RT-PCR.

Results: Resveratrol administration alone or combined with exercise training significantly improved the expression of Sirt1, Lxr and Fxr genes (p < 0.05) in the hepatic tissue of rats with NAFLD, while levels of AST, ALT, ALP enzymes, as well as apoptotic cells were significantly decreased (p < 0.05).

Discussion: Although resveratrol alone improves the expression of Sirt1, Lxr and Fxr, as well as liver function, combined therapy with exercise training is more effective to improve NAFLD.

Keywords: Continuous exercise; Fxr; Interval exercise; Lxr; NAFLD; Resveratrol; Sirt1.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by a grant received from Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch, Iran. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.