• Swimming Combined with Estrogen Reduces Serum IGF-1 Levels and Blood glucose Induced by a High-Fat Diet via Modulating the Hepatic Expression of miR-130a-3p and miR-29a in a Postmenopausal rat model.
  • Sara Shirazpour,1 Mohammad Khaksari ,2,* Hamideh Bashiri,3 Kayvan Khoramipour,4
    1. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
    2. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
    3. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
    4. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran


  • Introduction: This study was designed to determine the effects of swimming (SWIM) and E2 (alone and incombination) on Blood Glucose (BG) in female rat model of menopause with diet-induced obesity, emphasizing the role of IGF-1 and hepatic expression of miR-130a-3p and miR-29a.
  • Methods: Female ovariectomized (OVX) rats given standard diet (SD) or 60% high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks. To assess the effects of 8 weeks injection of E2 and SWIM on BG, the OVX rats were assigned into 8 groups: SD+Oil (sesame oil), HFD+Oil, SD+E2, HFD+E2, SD+Oil+SWIM, HFD+Oil+SWIM, SD+E2+ SWIM and HFD+E2+ SWIM. E2 and sesame oil (1 mg/kg, every 4 days/8 weeks) were injected (i.p), and swimming (5 days /8 weeks) was done.
  • Results: A significant increase in the expression of miR -130a-3p and decreased BG were observed in the HFD+SWIM+Oil and HFD+E2 groups compared to the HFD+Oil group (P<0.05, P<0.001, P<0.001, and P<0.001; respectively). On the other hand, an elevation in the expression of miR-29a and decrease in serum levels of IGF-1 were observed in the HFD groups treated with E2 compared to the HFD+Oil group (P<0.01). Treatment with SWIM+E2 in the HFD group resulted in a significant increase in serum IGF-1 levels compared to both the E2 group (P < 0.01) and the SWIM+Oil group (P < 0.001). In addition, a significant decrease in the hepatic expression of miR -130a-3p and miR-29a and BG were observed in the SWIM+E2+HFD group compared to the SWIM+Oil+HFD group (P<0.05).
  • Conclusion: Overall, swimming combined with Estrogen can Reduced Serum IGF-1 levels and blood glucose induced by a high-Fat diet via modulating the hepatic expression of miR-130a-3p and miR-29a in a postmenopausal rat model.
  • Keywords: Swimming, 17-beta estradiol, Micro RNA, IGF-1, Obesity, Blood glucose.