Context: Adiponectin is an adipokine mainly secreted by adipocytes that regulates the metabolism of lipids and glucose. Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1), also named NR5A2, is a nuclear receptor that regulates lipid metabolism and homeostasis.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare adiponectin and LRH-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in adipose tissue and LRH-1 expression in skeletal muscle between men and women at baseline and to study the effects of aerobic exercise (AEX) training or weight loss (WL) on their expression.
Methods: This hospital and university setting study included 62 overweight and obese men (n = 23) and women (n = 39) older than 45 years, of whom 41 completed 6 months of WL (n = 21) or AEX (n = 20). Outcomes included abdominal and gluteal adipose tissue and skeletal muscle gene expression.
Results: Adiponectin and LRH-1 mRNA expression in adipose tissue and LRH-1 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle is higher in women than in men (P < .05). Adiponectin mRNA expression in gluteal and abdominal adipose tissue did not change significantly after AEX or WL. LRH-1 mRNA expression increased both in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle after AEX (P < .05) and the change in muscle LRH-1 was different between the groups (P < .05). Adiponectin was positively correlated to LRH-1 in adipose tissue (P < .001). The change in maximal oxygen consumption related to the change in LRH-1 mRNA (r = 0.43; P = .01).
Conclusion: LRH-1, as a nuclear reporter, may activate adiponectin mRNA expression in adipose tissue and increases after AEX.