Effect of short-term strength exercise on the epigenetic regulation of NFkB in mesenteric adipose tissue of obese mice.

• Grant number: 21/14385-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2023
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Leandro Pereira de Moura
• Grantee: Diego Gomes de Melo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas (FCA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Limeira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Obesity is a multifactorial disease characterized by an exacerbated increase in body fat. Such an event favors the increase of the inflammatory process causing cardiometabolic diseases, gastrointestinal disease and Crohn's disease. Knowing this, studies show that with the increase in adipose mass, the process of hypoxia and the consequent transcription of inflammatory genes, the differentiation of M1 type macrophages (inflammatory profile) begins, responsible for stimulating the transcription of inflammatory cytokines (such as TNF- ± and IL-6) in adipose tissue. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that due to the effects of obesity, epigenetic factors can be modulated in adipose tissue, promoting changes in the specific transcriptional region of NFºB in DNA through modulation of methylation in the transcription promoter island of the gene. However, it is known that physical exercise is a non-pharmacological tool capable of reducing pro-inflammatory transcription factors. In this context, physical exercise performed chronically proves to be an important strategy for reducing body adiposity, providing the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines highly expressed in chronic metabolic diseases. However, it is still unclear in the literature whether short-term strength physical exercise can increase DNA methylation in adipose tissue, intervening in the transcription of NF:B. Therefore, the main objective of this project is to investigate the influence of short-term strength training on DNA methylation in the specific region of NF:B transcription, on the reduction of transcription and maturation of microRNAs (miR-130b AND miR-21) and in the modulation of NF:B in the mesenteric adipose tissue of obese mice. To induce the obesity model, swiss mice will receive an HFD diet for 10 weeks, and at the end of the period the animals will be divided into two groups: sedentary obese (OB) and obese strength exercise (OBexT); Lean animals will be used as a control group: lean control (CT). According to protocols already established by the laboratory, the animals of the trained obese group will be submitted to seven sessions of strength exercises for further analysis. The results of this project will contribute, in an unprecedented way, to the understanding of the protective effects of short-term strength physical exercise, starting the process of reducing inflammatory damage and the development of chronic metabolic diseases associated with obesity.