The Effect of Forced Short-term Aerobic Running on the Expression of MicroRNA-124 and RE1-Silencing Transcription Factor in the Hippocampus of Adult Male Rats

Transcription factors (TF) and microRNAs, are the largest families of transacting gene regulatory molecules in multicellular organisms. Our goal was to examine the effect of aerobic running on the expression of miR-124 and RE1-silencing TF in the hippocampus of adult male Wistar rats. A total of twelve 8-week-old adult male Wistar rats with a mean body weight of 200-225 g were selected as subjects. Following 1 week of familiarization, the animals were randomly divided into two groups of test (n=6) and control (n=6). In the test group, animals were forced to run on a treadmill, at a speed of 25 m/min for 30 minutes per day, for 14 consecutive days. The animals were sacrificed 24 hours after the last exercise session, and the hippocampi were removed from both sides of the brain hemispheres. Changes in the expression of miR-124 and RE1-silencing TF were analyzed using the quantitative RT-PCR technique. Statistical analysis by independent sample t-test, showed that there was a significant difference between the exercise and control groups (P≤0.05), and while exercise significantly elevated the expression of miR-124, it reduced the expression of RE1-silencing TF. Our findings show that forced aerobic running at a speed of 25 m/min could lead to positive changes in mechanisms involved in exercise-induced neurogenesis.