The Effect of 4 Weeks of High Intensity Interval Training on the Content of AKT1, mTOR, P70S6K1 and 4E-BP1 in Soleus Skeletal Muscle of Rats with Type 2 Diabetes: An Experimental Study

The most important mechanism of protein synthesis muscle is the mTORC1 pathway in skeletal muscle in which very important proteins play role. Diabetes disturbs this pathway through generating resistance to insulin. The effect of high intensity interval training (HIIT) has not been studied yet on this important pathway in type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of 4 weeks of HIIT on the content of AKT1, mTOR, P70S6K1 and 4E-BP1 proteins in soleus skeletal muscle of rats with type 2 diabetes. In this experimental study, 16 two-month old Sprague-Dawely male rats with an average weight of 260±20 were selected and randomly divided into two groups after being infected to diabetes through STZ induction: diabetic control (n=8) and diabetic training (n=8). The training group exercised 4 weeks (4 days a week) while the control group had no training program. Paired t-test and independent t-test were used to analyze the data. There was a significant increase in the content of mTOR (p=0.015) and 4E-BP1 (p=0.002) proteins in the training group compared to the control one. However, there was no significant difference in the content of proteins AKT1 (p=0.624) and P70S6K1 (p=0.153) in the two groups. . Considering the increase in the content of mTOR and 4E-BP1 proteins in soleus skeletal muscle tissue in type 2 diabetic rats, it can be concluded that 4 weeks of HIIT exercise can synthesize protein through mTOR/4E-BP1 pathway