Moderate aerobic exercise-induced cytokines changes are disturbed in PPARα knockout mice

The nuclear transcriptional factor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα) plays a role in regulating genes involved in lipid metabolism, adipogenesis and inflammation. We aimed to assess the role of PPARα on exercise-mediated locally produced cytokines in adipose fat deposits and skeletal muscle. C57BL/6 (WT) and PPARα knockout (PPARα−/−) mice were examined. Each genotype was randomly subdivided into three groups: non-exercised, and euthanized 2 or 24 h after a moderate aerobic exercise session (run on a treadmill at 60% of maximum speed for 1 h). Fat content in gastrocnemius muscle and lipolytic activity in isolated adipose tissue from mesenteric (MEAT) and retroperitoneal (RPAT) adipose tissue were evaluated. In addition, Interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) content were evaluated by ELISA. WT mice showed a maximum lipolysis rate, as well as higher IL-6, IL-10, and IL10/TNF-α ratio values 2 h post-exercise (RPAT only) compared with PPARα−/− mice. Taken together, our data suggests that PPARα knockout mice exhibited reduced lipolysis and anti-inflammatory response in adipose tissue following exercise, PPARα appears to play an important role in immunomodulatory and lipolysis signaling after acute moderate exercise.