Effect of Aerobic Training and Vitamin D Consumption on NFATc1 Gene Expression in Bone Tissue of Rats Exposed to H2O2

 Increased reactive oxygen species disrupt the balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Although the role of training (T) and vitamin D (VD) consumption in bone health has been shown, there is no accurate information on the role of these two interventions on the nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), as an osteoclast marker.

 Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of T and VD on NFATc1 gene expression in bone tissue of rats exposed to H2O2.

 Fifty adult male Wistar rats aged 8 - 10 weeks and weighing 180 to 220 g were randomly assigned to 10 groups including (1) control (C), (2) dimethyl sulfoxide + normal saline (sham; Sh), (3) 1 mmol/kg H2O2 (1H), (4) 1H+VD, (5) 1H+T, (6) 1H+VD+T, (7) 2 mmol/kg H2O2 (2H), (8) 2H+VD, (9) 2H+T, and (10) 2H+VD+T. The research protocol lasted eight weeks to implement. The levels of NFATc1 gene expression were measured by qRT-PCR.

 Based on the results, 1H and 2H significantly increased NFATc1 gene expression levels (P = 0.001). However, T (P = 0.001), VD (P = 0.001), and VD+T (P = 0.001) reduced NFATc1 gene expression in the bone tissue of rats exposed to 1 and 2 mmol H2O2. Also, NFATc1 gene expression was significantly lower in the 1H+VD+T group than in the 2H + VD group (P = 0.03).

 It seems that T and VD consumption both alone and synergistically have a reducing effect on NFATc1 as an osteoclast index in rats exposed to 1 and 2 mmol/kg H2O2.