Effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval swim training on Leptin and Hepassocin proteins in liver tissue of rats with Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis induced by a high-fat diet

Bahrani, Seyed Mohammad Nabi; Rahmati, Saleh; Moghaddam, Vahid

doi:10.48307/FMSJ.2025.29.3.246

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Volume 29, Issue 3 (Bimonthly 2025)

Feyz Med Sci J 2025, 29(3): 246-256

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Effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval swim training on Leptin and Hepassocin proteins in liver tissue of rats with Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis induced by a high-fat diet

Seyed Mohammad Nabi Bahrani

, Saleh Rahmati ^*

, Vahid Moghaddam

Department of Physical Education, Pardis Branch, Islamic Azad University, Pardis, Iran & Department of Physical Education, Pardis Branch, Islamic Azad University, Pardis, Iran , Rahmatisalehrahmati@pardisiau.ac.ir

Abstract: (325 Views)

Background and Aim: With the increasing industrialization of societies and rising physical inactivity, the prevalence of diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is on the rise. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an advanced stage of NAFLD, is associated with insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is considered an effective non-pharmacological intervention for NASH management. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the optimal exercise protocol. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of HIIT swim training on leptin and hepassocin protein levels in the liver tissue of rats with NASH.
Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats (age: 8 weeks, weight: 230 ± 20 g) were selected. NASH was induced through a high-fat diet, and the rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n=9 per group): healthy without exercise, healthy with exercise, NASH without exercise, and NASH with exercise. The HIIT swim training protocol (8 weeks, 3 sessions per week on alternate days) consisted of 20 bouts of 30-second swimming intervals with 30-second rest periods between bouts. The training load started at 7% of body weight in the first week, increasing by 1% weekly to reach 14% by the eighth week. Leptin and hepassocin (HPS) protein levels in liver tissue were measured using Western blotting.
Results: Leptin protein levels were significantly higher in the healthy-exercise group compared to the NASH-without-exercise group (P=0.031, mean difference=0.441). Hepassocin protein levels were significantly elevated in the NASH-without-exercise group compared to both the healthy-without-exercise group (P=0.013, mean difference=0.556) and the healthy-exercise group (P=0.01, mean difference=0.575).
Conclusion: Despite the continuation of a high-fat diet, HIIT swim training demonstrated positive effects on molecular markers associated with NASH. However, further research is needed to establish definitive conclusions.

Keywords: Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis, Leptin, Hepassocin, High-Intensity Interval Training

Type of Study: Research | Subject: General
Received: 2024/12/5 | Revised: 2025/08/17 | Accepted: 2025/07/7 | Published: 2025/08/17

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Bahrani S M N, Rahmati S, Moghaddam V. Effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval swim training on Leptin and Hepassocin proteins in liver tissue of rats with Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis induced by a high-fat diet. Feyz Med Sci J 2025; 29 (3) :246-256
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