Rios, Jaqueline LourdesKo, LorettaJoumaa, VenusLiu, ShuyueDiefenthaeler, FernandoSawatsky, AndrewHart, David A.Reimer, Raylene A.Herzog, Walter2019-10-012019-10-012019-05-09Rios, J. L., Ko, L., Joumaa, V., Liu, S., Diefenthaeler, F., Sawatsky, A., ... Herzog, W. The mechanical and biochemical properties of tail tendon in a rat model of obesity: effect of moderate exercise and prebiotic fibre supplementation. "Journal of Biomechanics". 1-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.03.031http://hdl.handle.net/1880/111124https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/43929Canada Research Chair Programme, Killam Foundation, CAPESThe worldwide trajectory of increasing obesity rates is a major health problem precipitating a rise in the prevalence of a variety of co-morbidities and chronic diseases. Tendinopathy, in weight and non-weight bearing tendons, in individuals with overweight or obesity has been linked to metabolic dysfunction resulting from obesity. Exercise and dietary fibre supplementation (DFS) are common countermeasures to combat obesity and therefore it seems reasonable to assume that they might protect tendons from structural and mechanical damage in a diet-induced obesity (DIO) model. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a DIO, DIO combined with moderate exercise, DIO combined with DFS (prebiotic oligofructose), and DIO combined with moderate exercise and DFS on the mechanical and biochemical properties of the rat tail tendon. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats, fed a high-fat/high-sucrose diet were randomized into a sedentary, a moderate exercise, a DFS, or a moderate exercise combined with DFS group for 12 weeks. Additionally, six lean age-matched animals were included as a sedentary control group. DIO in combination with exercise alone and with exercise and DFS reduced the Young's Modulus but not the collagen content of the rat tail tendons compared to lean control animals. However, no differences in the mechanical and biochemical properties of the rat tail tendon were detected between the DIO and the lean control group, suggesting that DIO by itself did not impact the tail tendon. It seems that longer DIO exposure periods may be needed to develop overt differences in our DIO model.engUnless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.PrebioticOligofructoseHigh-fat/high-sucrose dietYoung’s modulusStress-relaxation testMale ratTail tendonjournal articlehttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.03.031