The effect of high intensity interval training on myostatin and SMAD2/3 proteins in the left ventricular tissue of the heart muscle of type 1 diabetic rats

Disruption of the myostatin/SMAD pathway can lead to heart failure. Diabetes can disrupte this pathway. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of six weeks of high-intensity interval training HIIT (on myostatin and SMAD2/3 proteins in the left ventricular tissue of the heart muscle of type 1 diabetic rats.

In this study, 12 Spragodoli male rats (2-month old) with a mean weight of 300±20 g were selected.  Through streptozotocin solution, they were randomly divided into 2 groups: diabetic endurance training (6 heads) and diabetic control (6 heads); The training groups performed the training program 4 days a week for 6 weeks, including 5 interval 4-minute with an intensity of 85 to 95% of the maximum speed, and 3-minute active rest periods with an intensity of 50 to 60% of the maximum speed; Independent t-test was used to analyze the data.

Six weeks of HIIT training lead to a significant reduction in myostatin protein content between training and control groups in myocardial tissue (P=0.044). Also, HIIT training resulted in a significant decrease in SMAD2/3 protein content between training and control groups in myocardial tissue (P=0.001).

It can be said that HIIT training by reducing the content of myostatin and SMAD2/3 proteins in the left ventricle of the heart has been able to prevent cardiac atrophy in type 1 diabetic subjects. This reduction can lead to physiological cardiac hypertrophy.