Gámez-Macías Paola Elizabeth, Félix-Soriano Elisa, Sáinz Neira, Del Moral Amelia Martí, García-Calzón Sonia, Moreno-Aliaga María Jesús, González-Muniesa Pedro
Fac Pharm & Nutr, Dept Nutr Food Sci & Physiol, University of Navarra, Irunlarrea 1, Pamplona, 31008, Spain.
Center for Nutrition Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
J Physiol Biochem. 2026 Jan 29;82(1):5. doi: 10.1007/s13105-026-01139-5.
Telomere shortening is a key marker of cellular aging and linked to pathologies such as liver disease. Oxidative stress and inflammation (hallmarks of obesity) contribute to telomere shortening, while omega-3 (DHA) and exercise may counteract these effects by enhancing cellular homeostasis. This study aims to analyze the influence of DHA supplementation and/or exercise over one year on liver telomere length in obese aged mice. Two-month-old female mice were fed either a control or high-fat diet (HFD) for four months. Diet-induced obese (DIO) mice were then assigned to one of four groups: (1) DIO, maintained on an HFD; (2) DIO + EX, subjected to exercise; (3) DIO + DHA, fed an HFD supplemented with DHA; and (4) DIO + DHA + EX, subjected to both exercise and DHA supplementation. The intervention continued until the mice reached 18 months of age. The DIO group showed significant telomere attrition, which was prevented only when omega-3 and exercise were combined. Additionally, only the combined DHA and exercise group improved the expression of genes related to oxidative stress (Sirt3, Foxo3, Sod1, Cat). Interestingly, DHA and exercise separately reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine Il-1b expression compared to the control group, but not when combined. These results indicate that DHA combined with physical exercise could be an effective strategy to maintain telomere integrity in aged obese female mice, due to their antioxidant properties.
端粒缩短是细胞衰老的关键标志，与诸如肝脏疾病等病理状况相关。氧化应激和炎症（肥胖的特征）会导致端粒缩短，而ω-3（二十二碳六烯酸，DHA）和运动可能通过增强细胞稳态来抵消这些影响。本研究旨在分析补充DHA和/或运动一年对肥胖老年小鼠肝脏端粒长度的影响。将两个月大的雌性小鼠喂食对照饮食或高脂饮食（HFD）四个月。然后将饮食诱导肥胖（DIO）小鼠分为四组之一：（1）DIO组，维持高脂饮食；（2）DIO + EX组，进行运动；（3）DIO + DHA组，喂食添加了DHA的高脂饮食；（4）DIO + DHA + EX组，同时进行运动和补充DHA。干预持续到小鼠达到18个月龄。DIO组显示出明显的端粒损耗，只有当ω-3和运动相结合时才得以防止。此外，只有DHA和运动联合组改善了与氧化应激相关基因（Sirt3、Foxo3、Sod1、Cat）的表达。有趣的是，与对照组相比，DHA和运动单独作用时均可降低促炎细胞因子Il-1β的表达，但联合作用时则不然。这些结果表明，由于DHA和体育锻炼具有抗氧化特性，它们相结合可能是维持老年肥胖雌性小鼠端粒完整性的有效策略。
