Qiang Yang - Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou ۲۲۱۰۰۲, Jiangsu, China
Wen-wen Wang - Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou ۲۲۱۰۰۲, Jiangsu, China
Pu Ma - Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou ۲۲۱۰۰۲, Jiangsu, China
Zhong-xuan Ma - Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou ۲۲۱۰۰۲, Jiangsu, China
Meng Hao - Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou ۲۲۱۰۰۲, Jiangsu, China
Temitope I Adelusi - Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou ۲۲۱۰۰۲, Jiangsu, China
Lei Du - Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou ۲۲۱۰۰۲, Jiangsu, China
Xiao-Xing Yin - Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou ۲۲۱۰۰۲, Jiangsu, China
Qian Lu - Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou ۲۲۱۰۰۲, Jiangsu, China

Objective(s): Increasing evidence suggests that regular physical exercise improves type ۲ diabetes mellitus (T۲DM). However, the potential beneficial effects of swimming on insulin resistance and lipid disorder in T۲DM, and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Materials and Methods: Rats were fed with high fat diet and given a low dosage of Streptozotocin (STZ) to induce T۲DM model, and subsequently treated with or without swimming exercise. An ۸-week swimming program (۳۰, ۶۰ or ۱۲۰ min per day, ۵ days per week) decreased body weight, fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin. Results: Swimming ameliorated lipid disorder, improved muscular atrophy and revealed a reduced glycogen deposit in skeletal muscles of diabetic rats. Furthermore, swimming also inhibited the activation of Wnt۳a/β-catenin signaling pathway, decreased Wnt۳a mRNA and protein level, upregulated GSK۳β phosphorylation activity and reduced the expression of β-catenin phosphorylation in diabetic rats. Conclusion: The trend of the result suggests that swimming exercise proved to be a potent ameliorator of insulin resistancein T۲DM through the modulation of Wnt۳a/β-catenin pathway and therefore, could present a promising therapeutic measure towards the treatment of diabetes and its relatives.

GSK۳β, insulin resistance, Swimming training, Type ۲ diabetes mellitus, Wnt۳a/β-catenin signaling