The impacts of garlic and voluntary training alone or together on myocardial miR-126 and miR-210 gene expressions and angiogenesis in healthy rats

microRNAs (miRs) play a critical role in both physiological and pathological processes. Recent studies have shown that garlic and exercise training have many beneficial effects in different disorders including cardiovascular disease. However, their mechanisms have not been fully understood. This study sought to investigate the impact of garlic and voluntary training alone or together on the miR-126 and miR-210 gene expressions and cardiac angiogenesis.

Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=7): (1) Control, (2) Garlic, (3) Exercise, and (4) Garlic+Exercise. Animals were gavaged with raw fresh garlic homogenate (250 mg/kg body weight/day) or were subjected to voluntary training alone or together for about 6 weeks. The expressions of miR-126 and miR-210 in the heart tissue were measured by real-time PCR and lipid profile in serum was assessed by enzymatic kits. Angiogenesis was determined by immunostaining detection of PECAM-1 and CD31 in the heart tissue.

Garlic and exercise up-regulated myocardial miR-126 (P<0.01), miR-210 (P<0.001) expressions, and angiogenesis (P<0.001) which was evidenced by higher CD31 expression. Besides, combination of garlic and exercise amplified their effects on those parameters (P<0.001). Moreover, both voluntary exercise and garlic alone (P<0.01) or together (P<0.001) markedly modulated serum lipid profile.

Voluntary exercise and garlic treatment for 6 weeks enhanced myocardial angiogenesis. These alterations were partly due to the increment of miR-126 and miR-210 expressions in the heart tissue in relation to improvement in lipid profile.