Background: We investigated the effects and mechanism of swimming on platelet function in mice fed with a high-fat diet.
Material and methods: Mice were randomly divided into the control group (NC), high-fat group (HF), and high-fat diet combined with swimming group (FE). The FE group swam for 60 min a day, 5 days a week, for 8 weeks.
Results: Compared with the NC group, the HF group had significant weight gain, dyslipidemia, abbreviated bleeding time after tail breakage, increased clot retraction, increased platelet aggregation rate, increased spread of platelets on fibrinogen, and increased pAKT level in platelets. Compared with the HF group, the FE group had lower body weight, improved dyslipidemia, prolonged bleeding time, reduced clot retraction, reduced platelet aggregation rate, decreased spread of platelets on fibrinogen, and decreased pAKT level in platelets.
Conclusions: By inhibiting the level of pAKT in platelets, swimming improves platelet dysfunction in mice fed with a high-fat diet.
Keywords: Swimming; bleeding-time; clot retraction; platelet aggregation rate; platelet spread.