Physical training boosts heat production and insulin activity, and changes white and brown fat tissues

Physical training (PT) improved physical fitness and certain metabolic parameters in rats with metabolic syndrome induced by a high-fat diet.

• Rats with metabolic syndrome showed low physical fitness and high levels of glucose, insulin, and blood pressure when compared to control rats.
• Both white and brown adipose tissues exhibited increased adipocyte area and decreased blood vessel and fibroblast numbers.
• White adipose tissue expressed higher levels of pro-inflammatory adipokines and lower levels of anti-inflammatory adipokines and adiponectin.
• Impairment in the insulin signaling pathway was observed in white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of the metabolic syndrome rats.
• Physical training resulted in thermogenic changes in skeletal muscle, white adipose tissue, and brown adipose tissue.
• PT may lead to the development of brown-like adipocyte cells in metabolic syndrome rats.

Simplified