The difference of myostatin gene expression in fast and slow twitch healthy male rat after eight weeks of high intensity interval training

The aim of the present study was to assess differences in myostatin gene expression in slow and fast-twitch muscles of healthy male rats after 8 weeks high intensity interval training. For this purpose, 12 male
Wistar rats divided into two groups, control (6 = n) and trained (6 = n). High intensity interval training was five days a week for eight weeks. Each session was formed from three intervals (four-minute with intensity of 90 to 100% VO2max and two- minute with intensity of 50 to 60% VO2max). 24 hours after the last training session, the Extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscle were extracted and gene expression levels were measured by RT-PCR. Statistical analysis using independent t-test showed that the soleus and EDL muscles myostatin levels decreased significantly in the experimental group compared with the control group
(0/001 = p). Hence it can be concluded that myostatin expression in both EDL and soleus muscle is reduced by high intensity interval training.