Effects of Concurrent Training (Resistance-Endurance) on Interferon-γ, Interloukin-18 and Transforming Growth Factor-β Gene Expression in Women with Type 2 Diabetes

High-intensity training increases the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines and decreases the expression of pre-inflammatory cytokines in healthy individuals. However, there is limited research investigating the role of concurrent training in the expression of these cytokines in diabetics. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of concurrent training on the gene expression of pre-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in females with type 2 diabetes.

In total, 12 diabetic patients (age range: 30-38 years) were selected randomly and divided into concurrent training (healthy cases, n=6), concurrent training (diabetic cases, n=6), and control (diabetic cases, n=6). The concurrent training protocol consisted of three isometric resistance training sessions with 3 sets of 8 with 80% of their one maximum repetition (  per week. Moreover, the endurance training included 30-min running (3 sets of 10 min) on a treadmill with a 70%-80% maximum heart rate. The amount of the mRNA gene expression in leukocyte (Interferon-γ[IFN-γ], Interloukin-18[IL-18], and Transforming Growth Factor [TGF-β]) was determined by the Real time-PCR technique. Quantitative gene expression was calculated using the 2-ΔΔ CT method. The differences in variables were determined by the independent t-test (permutation test) and one-way ANOVA. Ethics code: 1393.10.15

The healthy and diabetic cases showed no significant difference in terms of reduction in the IFN-γ and TGF-β mRNA gene expression after training, compared to the control group (P>0/05). In addition, the results showed that IL-18 mRNA gene was not expressed in leukocytes of healthy and diabetic cases immediately after training (P>0.05).

In conclusion, the results suggest that concurrent training in one session is not able to create an alteration in the expression of IFN-γ, IL-18, and TGF-β. This type of exercise training may require a longer duration and greater intensity to make changes.