Aerobic exercise elevates markers of angiogenesis and macrophage IL-6 gene expression in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of overweight-to-obese adults

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Alterations in the inflammatory state, metabolic function, and structure of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) can impact the development of insulin resistance in obesity. Exercise can improve metabolic health in obesity, but the effects of exercise on SAT are not well known. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acute exercise and habitual exercise training on mRNA expression of markers of lipid metabolism, inflammation, fibrosis, and hypoxia/angiogenesis in SAT, as well as adipocyte cell size. We recruited overweight-to-obese adults who exercised regularly (ACTIVE: n = 8) or were sedentary (SED: n = 12). The groups were well matched for age (27 ± 1 vs. 24 ± 2 yr), body mass index (29 ± 1 vs. 27 ± 1 kg/m 2 ), and body composition (30 ± 1 vs. 29 ± 1% body fat), but as expected, cardiorespiratory fitness was greater in ACTIVE vs. SED (V̇o 2peak : 51 ± 3 vs. 42 ± 1 ml·kg fat-free mass -1 ·min -1 ; P = 0.01). Abdominal SAT biopsy samples were obtained before and 1 h after a single session of aerobic exercise (60 min at ~65% V̇o 2peak ). The exercise session increased SAT mRNA expression of VEGFA , an important regulator of angiogenic processes, in both groups. In addition, SAT from ACTIVE subjects had greater mRNA expression of the endothelial cell marker CD31 compared with SED, which may be a cumulative effect of the transient increases in VEGFA with regular exer

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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