The Impact of Swimming Exercise on Serum Leptin and TNF-α Levels in a Rat Model of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Through High-Cholic-Acid and Sucrose Diet

Background & Objective: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is frequently accompanied by visceral obesity, insulin resistance, and low-grade inflammation. Leptin (adipokine) and TNF-α (pro-inflammatory cytokine) are central to its pathophysiology. Structured exercise may modulate these markers. The present study was conducted with aim to determine the effect of swimming exercise on serum leptin and TNF-α in a diet-induced PCOS rat model. Materials & Methods: This post-test-only randomized controlled experiment was conducted on ۴۵ female Wistar rats allocated to control (n=۱۵), PCOS without exercise (P۰, n=۱۵), and PCOS with swimming (P۱, n=۱۵). PCOS was induced by a ۳۲% sucrose and ۴۰% cholic acid regimen for ۴ weeks. P۱ underwent swimming with a ۶% body-weight load, ۵ days/week for ۴ weeks. Serum leptin and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version ۲۹) and statistical tests. P<۰.۰۵ was considered statistically significant. P<۰.۰۵ was considered statistically significant. Results: TNF-α was significantly lower in P۱ (۶۱.۴۳±۳۳.۲۳) than in control (۹۹.۴۶±۱۴.۷۲; P=۰.۰۰۳) and P۰ (۸۹.۵۸±۱۷.۳۱; P=۰.۰۱۴). Leptin levels were higher in PCOS groups than control; P۱ showed a reduction versus P۰, but the decrease was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Swimming exercise significantly attenuated systemic inflammation (TNF-α) in a PCOS rat model and produced a non-significant trend toward lower leptin. Regular swimming may be a feasible non-pharmacologic strategy to mitigate inflammation in PCOS, while effects on leptin warrant further study.

کلیدواژه ها:

Polycystic ovary syndrome ، Leptin ، TNF-&alpha ، ، Swimming exercise ، Rat model