Muscle Type-Specific Modulation of Autophagy Signaling in Obesity: Effects of Caloric Restriction and Exercise

Background : Obesity causes metabolic dysregulation and contributes to diseases, and autophagy plays a pivotal role in that process. In mice, autophagy, a cellular recycling mechanism, is influenced by factors beyond obesity, including caloric restriction (CR) and CR combined with voluntary wheel ru...

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Main Authors: Fujue Ji, Jong-Hee Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Korean Society for the Study of Obesity 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome
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Online Access:http://www.jomes.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.7570/jomes24048
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author Fujue Ji
Jong-Hee Kim
author_facet Fujue Ji
Jong-Hee Kim
author_sort Fujue Ji
collection DOAJ
description Background : Obesity causes metabolic dysregulation and contributes to diseases, and autophagy plays a pivotal role in that process. In mice, autophagy, a cellular recycling mechanism, is influenced by factors beyond obesity, including caloric restriction (CR) and CR combined with voluntary wheel running (CR+Ex). However, the regulation of autophagy in skeletal muscle during obesity, CR, and CR+Ex remains poorly understood. Methods : Mice (n=42) were randomly divided into six groups: normal diet, normal diet CR, normal diet CR+Ex, high-fat diet, high-fat diet CR, and high-fat diet CR+Ex. All mice were fed ad libitum with either a normal or high-fat diet for the first 4 months, followed by the respective interventions for the subsequent 4 months. Body composition, motor function, and autophagy signaling were assessed. Results : Obesity resulted in increased total mass, lean mass, fat mass, and fat percentage in tissue and decreased grip strength and endurance capacity. Notably, CR+Ex reduced total mass, lean mass, and fat mass in obese mice. In both the normal and obese conditions, the expression of the autophagy markers p62, light chain 3B (LC3B)-I, and LC3B-II was significantly higher in red muscle than white muscle. Obesity led to a reduction in cathepsin L expression, and CR further increased LC3B-I expression in red muscle. Conclusion : CR+Ex was an effective strategy for counteracting the adverse changes in body composition associated with obesity. Compared with red muscle, white muscle exhibits lower autophagy-related protein levels and might require elevated cathepsin L expression to mitigate the negative effects of obesity.
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spelling doaj-art-601c3c321e164eb382ae8a01475868fb2025-08-20T03:56:05ZengKorean Society for the Study of ObesityJournal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome2508-62352025-07-0134330331410.7570/jomes24048jomes24048Muscle Type-Specific Modulation of Autophagy Signaling in Obesity: Effects of Caloric Restriction and ExerciseFujue Ji0Jong-Hee Kim1Department of Physical Education, College of Performing Arts and Sport, Hanyang University, Seoul, KoreaDepartment of Physical Education, College of Performing Arts and Sport, Hanyang University, Seoul, KoreaBackground : Obesity causes metabolic dysregulation and contributes to diseases, and autophagy plays a pivotal role in that process. In mice, autophagy, a cellular recycling mechanism, is influenced by factors beyond obesity, including caloric restriction (CR) and CR combined with voluntary wheel running (CR+Ex). However, the regulation of autophagy in skeletal muscle during obesity, CR, and CR+Ex remains poorly understood. Methods : Mice (n=42) were randomly divided into six groups: normal diet, normal diet CR, normal diet CR+Ex, high-fat diet, high-fat diet CR, and high-fat diet CR+Ex. All mice were fed ad libitum with either a normal or high-fat diet for the first 4 months, followed by the respective interventions for the subsequent 4 months. Body composition, motor function, and autophagy signaling were assessed. Results : Obesity resulted in increased total mass, lean mass, fat mass, and fat percentage in tissue and decreased grip strength and endurance capacity. Notably, CR+Ex reduced total mass, lean mass, and fat mass in obese mice. In both the normal and obese conditions, the expression of the autophagy markers p62, light chain 3B (LC3B)-I, and LC3B-II was significantly higher in red muscle than white muscle. Obesity led to a reduction in cathepsin L expression, and CR further increased LC3B-I expression in red muscle. Conclusion : CR+Ex was an effective strategy for counteracting the adverse changes in body composition associated with obesity. Compared with red muscle, white muscle exhibits lower autophagy-related protein levels and might require elevated cathepsin L expression to mitigate the negative effects of obesity.http://www.jomes.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.7570/jomes24048obesityskeletal muscleautophagycaloric restrictionvoluntary wheel running
spellingShingle Fujue Ji
Jong-Hee Kim
Muscle Type-Specific Modulation of Autophagy Signaling in Obesity: Effects of Caloric Restriction and Exercise
Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome
obesity
skeletal muscle
autophagy
caloric restriction
voluntary wheel running
title Muscle Type-Specific Modulation of Autophagy Signaling in Obesity: Effects of Caloric Restriction and Exercise
title_full Muscle Type-Specific Modulation of Autophagy Signaling in Obesity: Effects of Caloric Restriction and Exercise
title_fullStr Muscle Type-Specific Modulation of Autophagy Signaling in Obesity: Effects of Caloric Restriction and Exercise
title_full_unstemmed Muscle Type-Specific Modulation of Autophagy Signaling in Obesity: Effects of Caloric Restriction and Exercise
title_short Muscle Type-Specific Modulation of Autophagy Signaling in Obesity: Effects of Caloric Restriction and Exercise
title_sort muscle type specific modulation of autophagy signaling in obesity effects of caloric restriction and exercise
topic obesity
skeletal muscle
autophagy
caloric restriction
voluntary wheel running
url http://www.jomes.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.7570/jomes24048
work_keys_str_mv AT fujueji muscletypespecificmodulationofautophagysignalinginobesityeffectsofcaloricrestrictionandexercise
AT jongheekim muscletypespecificmodulationofautophagysignalinginobesityeffectsofcaloricrestrictionandexercise