Interaction Effect of High Interval and Low Intensity Continuous Trainings with Crocin on the Expressions of PGC-1a and UCP1 in Heart Tissue of Male Diabetic Rats

Diabetes is a form of metabolic disease which sufferers are constantly exposed to cardiovascular disease. Exercise training and diet are two important factors in managing this disease. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the interactive effect of High Intensity Interval and Low Intensity Continuous Trainings and Crocin on expression of PGC-1α and UCP1 genes in Heart Tissue of Diabetic Rats.

In this experimental study, 56 diabetic male rats (Induced by high-fat diet and injections Stz) were divided into 7 groups: 1) High Intensity Interval training, 2) High Intensity Interval training and Crocin consumption, 3) Low Intensity Continuous Trainings, 4) Low Intensity Continuous Trainings and Crocin consumption, 5) Sham, 6) Crocin consumption, and 7) Control. Both High Intensity Interval and Low Intensity Continuous training trained on the treadmill 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks, respectively with intensity of 80 to 85 and 50 to 55 percent of maximum running speed on rodent treadmill and Crocin consumption received 25 mg/kg Crocin per day for eight weeks. The data were analyzed by Paired sample t-test, two-way ANOVA and Bonferronchr('39')s post hoc test (p≤0.05).

Training (p = 0.001) and crocin consumption (p = 0.001) increased significantly the expression of PGC-1α and UCP1, Also, training with crocin consumption has interactive effects in increasing the PGC-1α gene expression (p = 0.001) and UCP1 (p = 0.001) and high intensity interval and low intensity continuous training have the same effects on the increase of UCP1 expression (p = 0.02).

It seems high intensity interval and low intensity continuous training with Crocin consumption have interactive effects on improvement of PGC-1α and UCP1 gene expression levels in heart tissue of diabetic rats.