5‐Aminoimidazole‐4‐carboxamide ribonucleotide prevents fat gain following the cessation of voluntary physical activity

New Findings What is the central question of this study? We investigated whether 5‐aminoimidazole‐4‐carboxamide‐1‐beta‐D‐ribofuranoside (AICAR) could prevent acute increases in body fat and changes in omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue following the sudden transition from physical activity to physical inactivity. What is the main finding and its importance? AICAR prevented fat gains following the transition from physical activity to inactivity to levels comparable to rats that remained physically active. AICAR and continuous physical activity produced depot‐specific changes in cyclin A1 mRNA and protein that were associated with the prevention of fat gain. These findings suggest that targeting AMP‐activated protein kinase signalling could oppose rapid adipose mass growth. The transition from physical activity to inactivity is associated with drastic increases in ‘catch‐up’ fat that in turn foster the development of many obesity‐associated maladies. We tested whether 5‐aminoimidazole‐4‐carboxamide‐1‐beta‐D‐ribofuranoside (AICAR) treatment would prevent gains in body fat following the sudden transition from a physically active state to an inactive state by locking a voluntary running wheel. Male Wistar rats were either sedentary (SED) or given wheel access for 4 weeks, at which time rats with wheels continued running (RUN), had their wheel locked (WL) or had WL with daily AICAR injection (WL + AICAR) for 1 week. RUN and WL + AICAR prevented gains in body fat compared with SED and WL (P