The Effect of Short-Term Treadmill Exercise on the Expression Level of TFAM in the Heart of Nicotine-Sensitized Rats

TFAM (mitochondrial transcription factor A) is involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and induces anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects. Nicotine can also alter the function of cardiovascular system and induce heart failure and other heart diseases. Interestingly, it has been reported that exercise can interfere with the effects of nicotine, and change the expression pattern of different genes. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effect of short-term treadmill exercise on the expression level of TFAM in the heart of nicotine-sensitized rats.

Nicotine was administered intraperitoneally at the dose of 0.21 mg/kg. Treadmill exercise was performed during 14 days, according to the study’s protocol.

The results revealed that nicotine reduced the expression of TFAM. The treadmill (Fourteen-day training) increased the expression of TFAM in the heart of the control rats. Furthermore, 14-day training with treadmill restored the effect of nicotine on the expression of TFAM in nicotine-sensitized rats.

Nicotine induced pro-apoptotic and anti-oxidative stress effects via down-regulating the expression of TFAM. Fourteen -day training with treadmill induced a protective effect against nicotine-induced cardiac apoptosis and oxidative stress, via restoring the effect of nicotine on TFAM. The results are indicative of the fact that short-term treadmill exercise may decrease the risk of heart failure and other cardiac diseases.