Effects of exercise training on hepatic microsomal triglyceride transfer protein content in rats

Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) is a protein that exerts a central regulatory role in very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) assembly and secretion. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of an exercise-training program on hepatic content of MTP and its relation to hepatic VLDL-triglyceride (VLDL-TG) production in response to lipid infusion. Female rats either fed a standard (SD) or an obesity-induced high-fat (HF; 43% as energy) diet for 8 weeks were subdivided into sedentary (Sed) and trained (Tr) groups. Exercise training consisted of continuous running on a motor-driven rodent treadmill 5 times/week for 8 weeks. At the end of this period, all rats in the fasted state were intravenously infused with a 20% solution of Intralipid for 3 h followed by an injection of Triton WR1339 to block lipoprotein lipase. An additional control group consisting of Sed rats fed the SD diet was infused with saline (0.9% NaCl). Plasma TG accumulation was thereafter measured during 90 min to estimate VLDL-TG production. Under HF diet, hepatic MTP content and plasma TG accumulation after Triton blockade (thus reflecting VLDL-TG synthesis and secretion) were not changed in Sed rats, whereas liver TG content was highly increased (approximately 90%; p<0.01). On the other hand, training reduced liver MTP protein content in both SD (-18%) and HF (-23%) fed rats (p<0.05). Plasma VLDL-TG accumulation was also lower (p<0.05) in Tr than in Sed rats fed the HF diet. This effect was not observed in SD fed rats. Furthermore, the exercise training-induced decrease in VLDL-TG production in HF rats was associated with a decrease in liver TG levels. It is concluded that in addition to a reduction in liver TG content, exercise training reduces VLDL synthesis and/or secretion in HF fed rats probably via MTP regulation.