Effects of regular swimming exercise on caveolin, insulin signaling, and SREBP-1c in adipose tissue of high-fat-fed ovariectomized rats

[Purpose] This study examined whether regular exercise modulates subcutaneous adipose tissue expression of caveolae-related genes (Cav-1, Cav-2, and Cav-3), insulin signaling mediators (IR, IRS-1, and IRS-2), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.[Methods] Thirty-week-old female Sprague–Dawley rats were ovariectomized and assigned to general diet (OVX-GD), high-fat diet (OVX-H), or high-fat diet plus exercise (OVX-H+EX) groups (<i>n</i> = 7). Swimming exercise performed for 60 min/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks. After 12-h fast, inguinal adipose tissue was collected and mRNA expression was analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test (<i>p</i> < 0.05).[Results] High-fat feeding increased body weight and fat mass compared with the OVX-GD group. Despite no reduction in food intake, exercise attenuated weight gain and reduced final body weight and fat mass (<i>p</i> < 0.05). OVX-H rats showed increased Cav-1, Cav-2, and SREBP-1c expression and decreased IR and IRS-1 expression. Exercise reversed these changes. IRS-2 expression was also significantly increased in the exercise group (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas Cav-3 expression did not differ among the groups.[Conclusion] Regular exercise may improve adipose tissue metabolic regulation in OVX rats by modulating the mRNA expression of caveolae related genes and suppressing lipogenic gene activity.