Background: The estrogen deficiency, abnormal lipid profile, weight gain and a sedentary lifestyle are factors associated with the increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease in menopausal women. However, physical exercise practice reduces some of these risk factors. Moreover, it has been shown that exercise has an impact on inflammation, in sympathetic activity and improves endothelial function. Aims: The present study aims to evaluate the effects of moderate aerobic training on biochemical, morphological and physiological parameters in LDL Knockout mice with estrogen deprivation, evaluating the components of the ascending aortic wall. Methods: The animals were randomly divided into six groups (n=5): sedentary control (SC), sedentary control ovariectomized (SCO), trained control ovariectomized (TCO), LDL-Knockout sedentary (KS), LDL-Knockout sedentary ovariectomized (KOS) and LDL-Knockout trained ovariectomized (KOT). The trained groups underwent a protocol of moderate training for 4 weeks on a treadmill with speed and progressive load. After training, blood samples were collected for biochemical assessments and the aorta was removed for dissection and histological morphometry study. In addition, the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin II proteins were examined by immunohistochemistry in all groups of animals. Results: Changes of expressions of ACE and angiotensin II were found when the group was subjected to exercise. The concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides were lower in the groups of animals with estrogen deprivation and dyslipidemia. In animals that performed exercises we found significant increase (p<0.05) in Vv[lam]; decrease in Vv[col] and CWT, and a tendency for decrease both in TS and IMT when compared to the SC groups. The histological morphometry findings showed consistency in the results of the aorta study when the ovariectomized group underwent the exercise protocol. Conclusion: We conclude that physical training contributed to reducing vessel rigidity and to improvements in vascular compliance, with the increase in volume density of elastic lamellae in the estrogen-deprived groups who had normal cholesterol levels.

Introduction. Sarcopenia is a process characterized by reduction in protein mass and muscle strength with increasing age, especially in the postmenopausal period, resulting in functional limitations and with great impact on the physical autonomy of the elderly. Objective. To evaluate the effects of diets with vegetable proteins (VP) or animal proteins (AP) associated with resistance training (RT) on the structural and biochemical parameters of the medial gastrocnemius muscle in Wistar rats with sarcopenia. Methods. An experimental model with ovariectomized rats was used to induce sarcopenia and resistance training. The histochemical technique was used for the typing of muscle fibers, the cross-sectional area of myocytes, and volume densities of myocytes and interstitium; the technique of Picrosirius stain was used to highlight the collagen fibers. Results. The VP diet was not able to minimize the effects of sarcopenia in the medial gastrocnemius of sedentary animals and when associated with RT, it promoted maintenance of the CSA, attenuating the atrophy of type IIB fibers in the medial gastrocnemius. The AP diet in sedentary animals protected the type I fibers. When combined with RT, the AP promoted muscle remodeling, with reduction in volume density of type I and IIA fibers, and increase of IIB fibers, together with an increase in collagen volume density. Conclusion. The data suggest a tendency to better results of hypertrophy in animal groups that consumed the AP diet, even the sedentary animals, although more evident in those trained.

Menopausal women are at high risk of developing heart disease. However, physical exercise practice can reverse this scenario. We evaluated the biochemical, morphological, and physiological effects of moderate aerobic physical exercise on the pancreas of knockout mice for LDL receptor with estrogen deprivation by ovariectomy. Animals were divided into six groups (n = 5): sedentary non-ovariectomized control; sedentary ovariectomized control; trained ovariectomized control; sedentary non-ovariectomized LDL-R knockout; sedentary ovariectomized LDL-R knockout; and trained ovariectomized LDL-R knockout. Physical exercise practice promoted improvement in biometric and biochemical parameters analyzed, with reduction of visceral adipose tissue and VLDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. In addition, physical exercise practice altered the morphology of pancreatic islets and improved their response to the effects of menopause. Thus, physical exercise practice was fundamental to minimize the effects of dyslipidemia associated with ovariectomy in the pancreatic tissue of LDL-R knockout animals, contributing to reduce the risk of developing cardiac diseases in the menopause period.

IntroductionMetabolic syndrome (MS) comprises several metabolic disorders that are risk factors for cardiovascular disease and has its source connected to the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and development of insulin resistance. Despite studies showing beneficial results of exercise on several risk factors for cardiovascular disease, studies evaluating the effects of different intensities of exercise training on the pancreas with experimental models are scarce.MethodsIn total, 20 Wistar rats were used, divided into four groups: control (C), metabolic syndrome (MS and without exercise), metabolic syndrome and practice of walking (MSWalk), and metabolic syndrome and practice of running (MSRun). The applied procedures were induction of MS by fructose in drinking water; experimental protocol of walking and running; weighing of body mass and VAT; sacrifice of animals with blood collection and removal of organs and processing of samples for light microscopy using the analysis of volume densities (Vv) of the studied structures.ResultsRunning showed a reduction of VAT weight (−54%), triglyceride levels (−40%), Vv[islet] (−62%), Vv[islet.cells] (−22%), Vv[islet.insterstitial] (−44%), and Vv[acinar.insterstitial] (−24%) and an increase of Vv[acini] (+21%) and Vv[acinar.cells] (+22%). Regarding walking, we observed a decrease of VAT weight (−34%) and triglyceride levels (−27%), an increase of Vv[islet.cells] (+72%) and Vv[acinar.cells] (+7%), and a decrease of Vv[acini] (−4%) and Vv[acinar.insterstitial] (−16%) when compared with those in the MS group.ConclusionOur results suggest that the experimental model with low-intensity exercise (walking) seems to be more particularly recommended for preventing morphological and metabolic disorders occurring in the MS.

Background: The emergence of coronary heart disease is increased with menopause, physical inactivity and with dyslipidemia. Physical training is known to promote the improvement of cardiovascular functions. Objective: To investigate the effects of aerobic physical training on the left ventricle in ovariectomized LDL knockout mice. Methods: Thirty animals were divided into 6 groups (n = 5): Sedentary non-ovariectomized control; Sedentary ovariectomized control; Trained ovariectomized control; Sedentary non-ovariectomized LDL-knockout, sedentary ovariectomized LDL-knockout and trained ovariectomized LDL-knockout. We analyzed the average parameters of apparent density of collagen fibers types I and III, and metalloproteinase type 2 and type 9, were considered significant p < 0.05. Results: The results showed that the proposed exercise protocol altered the volume of type I collagen fibers, altered collagen remodeling parameters (MMP-2), and also reduced the 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG) oxidative stress parameter. Conclusion: Moderate intensity aerobic training acts on collagen fiber volume, on collagen remodeling with the reduction of oxidative stress in the left ventricles of ovariectomized LDL-knockout mice.

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Introdução: A obesidade é uma doença de prevalência crescente e que, atualmente, assume caráter epidemiológico como principal problema de saúde pública na sociedade contemporânea. Decorre de fatores genéticos, comportamentais e ambientais e pode se iniciar em qualquer idade. Entretanto quando surge precocemente nos primeiros anos de vida, predispõe à sua presença em idades mais tardias e está associada a diferentes comorbidades. Objetivo: Revisar a literatura sobre a etiologia da obesidade infantil e identificar os principais fatores de risco cardiovasculares associados à obesidade. Métodos: Utilizaram-se os sites científicos Medline, Scielo e Pubmed para consultar as palavras-chave: obesidade, crianças e doenças cardiovasculares. Resultados: Os fatores comportamentais e ambientais foram citados como principais causas da epidemia de obesidade. Os principais fatores de risco cardiovasculares estão associados à hipertensão e disfunção autonômica. Conclusão: A obesidade infantil está relacionada com a prevalência aumentada de doenças metabólicas e cardiovasculares em idade precoce.

Obesity is a universal disease of increasing prevalence and currently assumes epidemiological characteristic, as a main public health issue in contemporary society. Results from genetic, behavioral and environmental factors and it may start at any age. However, obesity appears at early ages predisposes to its presence at later ages bringing several complications, particularly the development of cardiovascular disease. The analysis indicates that autonomic dysfunction seems to be presented among the majority of risk factors that develop this disease, suggesting the need for a deeper study of this mechanism in children population