Effect of a 9-week exercise training regimen on expression of developmental genes related to growth-dependent fat expansion in juvenile rats.

This study examined the association between changes in mRNA expression of development-related genes including those of the homeobox (Hox) family and growth-dependent increases in inguinal, mesenteric, and epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT) at 4, 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age in rats. We also examined the effects of a 9-week exercise training regimen starting at 5 weeks of age on the mRNA levels of the genes of interest. HoxC8, HoxC9, Gpc4, Bmpr1a, Pparγ, Pgc1α, Adrb3, Hsl, leptin, and adiponectin in each type of WAT - except HoxA5, Gpc4, and Pgc1α in epididymal - showed a positive association between WAT weights and WAT mRNA levels; however, the slope of the regression lines exhibited fat depot-specific differences.