High-intensity interval training (HIIT) alleviated NAFLD feature via <i>miR-122</i> induction in liver of high-fat high-fructose diet induced diabetic rats

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Exercise intervention is strongly recommended to manage metabolic diseases. In this study, we investigate, whether HIIT and CET can induce hepatic <i>miR-122</i> expression, NAFLD rats with diabetes.<b>Methods:</b> 40 <i>Wistar rats</i> divided into 2 groups, non-diabetic (NDC) and diabetic .Type 2 diabetes was induced by high-fat high-fructose diet (HFHFD). Then diabetic rats were subdivided into three groups: diabetic control (HFHFD + DC), CET (HFHFD + CET), and HIIT (HFHFD + HIIT). After eight weeks of exercise on a rodent treadmill, we measured <i>miR-122</i> and its target genes expression in the liver of rats.<b>Results:</b> HIIT decreased the expression of <i>FAS, ACC, SREBP-1c</i> compared with HFHFD + DC (<i>p</i> = .004, <i>p</i> = .032, <i>p</i> = .043, respectively), and could partially increase <i>miR-122</i> expression as compared with HFHFD + DC (26.8%, <i>p</i> = .68).<b>Conclusions:</b> Exercise training could be a non-pharmacological intervention for improvement of NAFLD of diabetic rats by induction of <i>miR-122</i>. HIIT had a greater effect on NAFLD amelioration than CET.