Endurance training affects muscular angiogenesis and serum VEGF concentration in diabetic rats

Endurance training as a component of an effective exercise plan, may lead to increase in heart strength and bodily resistance. One of the most common adaptations that occur in this type of training is creating new vessels (angiogenesis) and increase in growth factor promoting angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of endurance training on muscular capillary density and serum vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF, concentration in diabetic rats. Forty rats divided into two groups of diabetic and non-diabetics. Each group divided to endurance trained and non-trained sub groups. Endurance trained group received training for 8 weeks. Immunohistochemistry for alkaline phosphates activity was done to measure capillary density and angiogenesis in cardiac muscle. For data analysis, One Way Anova and tukey post-hoc test were performed. Study showed diabetes significantly decreased capillary density in cardiac muscle and VEGF serum level (P=0.001). Also, 8 weeks of endurance training significantly increased capillary density in cardiac muscle and VEGF serum level in healthy and diabetic rats (P=0.001). It seems likely that endurance training improved cardiac performance in diabetes via angiogenesis. Evidence of increase in VEGF serum level and angiogenesis caused by this type of exercise, may suggest an effective way for developing a new therapeutic strategy for improving cardiac insufficiency conditions in diabetic patients in future.