The Effect of Endurance Training on Expression of Autophagy Genes (Beclin-1, ULK-1) in the Heart Tissue of Male Rats with Experimental Diabetes

This study aimed to investigate the effect of six weeks of endurance training on the expression of autophagy-related genes (Beclin-1, ULK-1) in the heart tissue (Myocardium) of rats with diabetes.

Twenty male wistar rats (weight: 204±11.3g), (age= 8 weeks) were divided into four groups including: 1) diabetic type1 training, group 2) diabetic type1 control, group 3) healthy training group, and 4) healthy control group. They developed diabetes by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (45 mg / kg). The endurance training was performed with a moderate intensity (50-55% vo2max) of 5 days a week for 6 weeks. The expression level of autophagy-related genes (ULK-1, Beclin-1) was measured by real-time technique. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were used for statistical analysis.

The expression of autophagy genes (Beclin-1: diabetic type1 control group: 2.49 (±0.53), and healthy control group: 1 (±0.21)), (ULK-1; diabetic type1 control group: 2.56 (±1.02), and healthy control group: 1 (±0.35)) in heart tissue in diabetic rats was significantly higher than in the healthy control group (P: 0.001). After six weeks of endurance training, the expression of these genes in heart tissue was significantly lower in the diabetic training group, healthy training and healthy control than in the diabetic control group. (P: 0.001).

The present study results showed that endurance training by reducing autophagy factors in the heart of male rats with diabetes could be helpful as a preventive and non-pharmacological agent in the treatment of diabetic patients.