Regular exercise as part of one's lifestyle is well-recognized for its beneficial effect on several diseases such as cardiovascular disease and obesity; however, many questions remain unanswered regarding the effects of exercise on the gut environment. This study aimed to investigate the impact of long-term endurance exercise on modulating inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Fifteen-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to six months of endurance treadmill training, while age-matched controls remained sedentary. Results showed that IL-6 mRNA levels in colon tissues were significantly higher in the exercise group compared to the sedentary group. Exercise activated a significant ER stress-induced survival pathway by increasing BiP and phosphorylation of eIF2α (p-eIF2α) expressions in the liver and colon, while decreasing CHOP in the liver. Gene expressions of MUC2, Occludin, and Claudin-2 were increased in the colon of the exercise group, indicating enhanced intestinal integrity. Furthermore, the data showed a positive correlation between microbiota α-diversity and BiP (r = 0.464~0.677, p < 0.05). Populations of Desulfovibrio C21 c20 were significantly greater in the exercise group than the sedentary group. Additionally, predicted functions of the gut microbial community in terms of enzymes and pathways supported the enhancement of fatty-acid-related processes by exercise. These findings suggest that prolonged endurance exercise can affect the colon environment, which is likely related to changes in inflammation, ER stress, mucin layers and tight junctions, associated with modifications in the gut microbiome.
Keywords: endoplasmic reticulum stress; endurance exercise; gut microbiome; inflammation; tight junction.