Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic Of Iran

en Effects of High-Intensity Interval Vs. Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training on Body Composition and Gene Expression of ACE2, NLRP3, and FNDC5 in Obese Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial Exercise Physiology Exercise Physiology Original Research Original Research     Background: Obesity is considered a multisystem disease associated with higher mortality and morbidity in adults. This study explored the effects of two Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on body composition, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), and the gene expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) in adults with obesity.    Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 36 obese, inactive subjects (age: 45.16 ± 3.13 yrs.; mean,  BW: 112.38 ± 20.1 kg, Height: 1.67 ± 0.07,  and BMI: 39.66 ± 6.07 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: HIIT: (n = 12), MICT (n = 12), and control (n = 12). Both exercise groups received 40 min of training per session (three times/week) for eight weeks. Body composition, body fat percentage (BFP), VO2max, and the gene expression of ACE2, and NLRP3, were taken pre- and post-intervention using the qRT-PCR technique. The data were analyzed using SPSS software via parametric (ANOVA and ANCOVA) and non-parametric tests (Mann Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis).     Results: Our results showed that HIIT and MICT protocols could be effective in normalizing body composition measurements and VO2max, but HIIT could reduce body fat percentage (BFP) in obese subjects. Moreover, HIIT and MICT could significantly reduce the gene expression of NLRP3 (p < 0.0001) and ACE2 (p < 0.0001), while increasing the gene expression of FNDC5 (p < 0.0001). There were negative correlations between the gene expression of FNDC5 and NLRP3, as well as ACE2. Furthermore, increased FNDC5 was negatively correlated with BFP (r =  0.392, p < 0.001).    Conclusion: Overall, our results indicated that HIIT and MICT protocols had the greatest impact on the gene expression of NLRP3, ACE2, and FNDC5.   Exercise training, Obesity, COVID-19, NLRP3, ACE2, FNDC5, Body composition 1256 1264 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-7912-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Fariba Armannia phd.armannia@gmail.com 200319475328460075235 200319475328460075235 No Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Farshad Ghazalian f.ghazalian@srbiau.ac.ir 200319475328460075236 200319475328460075236 Yes Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Mahdi Shadnoush shadnoush@gmail.com 200319475328460075237 200319475328460075237 No 2. Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition Sciences & Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Hossein Keyvani Keyvani.h@gmail.com 200319475328460075238 200319475328460075238 No Department of Virology, School of Medicine, & Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center, Firoozgar General Hospital, Tehran, Iran Mandana Gholami m.gholami@srbiau.ac.ir 200319475328460075239 200319475328460075239 No Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran