Exercise training with dietary restriction enhances circulating irisin level associated with increasing endothelial progenitor cell number in obese adults: an intervention study

Junhao Huang; Shen Wang; Fengpeng Xu; Dan Wang; Honggang Yin; Qinhao Lai; Jingwen Liao; Xiaohui Hou; Min Hu

doi:10.7717/peerj.3669

Exercise training with dietary restriction enhances circulating irisin level associated with increasing endothelial progenitor cell number in obese adults: an intervention study

PeerJ. 2017 Aug 14:5:e3669. doi: 10.7717/peerj.3669. eCollection 2017.

Authors

Junhao Huang¹, Shen Wang^{1

2

3}, Fengpeng Xu¹, Dan Wang^{1

2}, Honggang Yin^{1

3}, Qinhao Lai^{1

2}, Jingwen Liao¹, Xiaohui Hou², Min Hu¹

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sports and Health Promotion, Scientific Research Center, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China.
² Department of Sports and Health, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, China.
³ School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Objective: Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) correlate negatively with obesity. Previous studies have shown that exercise significantly restores circulating EPC levels in obese people; however, the underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. Recently, irisin has been reported to have a critical role in the regulation of EPCs. This exercise-induced myokine has been demonstrated to play a therapeutic role in obesity. In this study, we hypothesized that the increase in circulating irisin may form a link with increasing EPC levels in obese people after exercise.

Methods: Seventeen obese adults completed an 8-week program of combined exercise and dietary intervention. Clinical characteristics, blood biochemistry, and circulating irisin levels of subjects were measured before and after eight weeks of training. EPC levels were evaluated via flow cytometry, and EPC migratory and adhesive functions were also determined.

Results: Circulating irisin levels significantly increased following the 8-week training program (P < 0.05). We furthermore observed an improvement in EPC numbers (P < 0.05), and EPC migratory and adhesive functions (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) after the intervention. Additionally, we detected a positive correlation between changes in irisin and changes in EPC number (r = 0.52, P < 0.05).

Discussion: For the first time, a positive correlation between increasing irisin levels and increasing EPC levels has been reported after an 8-week program, consisting of exercise and dietary intervention. This result suggests a novel effect of irisin on the regulation of EPC mobilization, which might contribute to improvement of endothelial function in obese people.

Keywords: Diet; Endothelial function; Endothelial progenitor cells; Exercise; Irisin; Obesity.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Pearl River Scholar Program in Guangdong Province of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31600969), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (No. 2016A030313625) and the Foundation of Youth Talents in Higher Education of Guangdong Province of China (No. 2015KQNCX083). There was no additional external funding received for this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.