Aerobic exercise and vitamin E improve high-fat diet-induced NAFLD in rats by regulating the AMPK pathway and oxidative stress

Background and aimsNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as a major chronic liver disease. We explored simple and effective ways to improve NAFLD and investigate the mechanism of action.MethodsNAFLD was induced in 40 rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate the progression and improvement of NAFLD. The treatment-related interventions included aerobic exercise (E) and vitamin E (VE) supplementation. Expression levels of proteins related to fat metabolism were also assessed. The activities of antioxidant enzymes in the liver and serum lipid metabolism were analyzed using biochemical methods.ResultsAerobic exercise and vitamin E effectively improved NAFLD in rats, resulting in decreased hepatic fat accumulation, reduced hepatocyte ballooning, and decreased triglyceride levels. Combination therapy achieved the best effect. Both aerobic exercise and vitamin E activate the AMPK pathway to phosphorylate acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and reduce fatty acid synthesis. The expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) was decreased significantly in the treated groups, particularly in the E + VE + HFD group. The expression of carnitine palmitoyl-transferase 1C (CPT1C) significantly increased in the treated groups, particularly in the E + VE + HFD group. Compared with the control group, reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the E + HFD group were slightly decreased, while that in the VE + HFD group were significantly decreased, with the even greater reduction observed in the E + VE + HFD group.ConclusionAerobic exercise and vitamin E supplementation can improve HFD-induced NAFLD in rats by regulating the AMPK pathway and reducing oxidative stress.