The effect of eight weeks of high intensity interval training on Let-7a, NO and VEGF levels in cardiac tissue of young rats with type 2 diabetes

Diabetes interferes with some of the factors that contribute to cardiac angiogenesis. So, this study aimed to investigate the effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on VEGF, NO and Let-7a in young rats with type 2 diabetes.

The present study is an experimental study in which the statistical population consisted of young rats (8 weeks) with type 2 diabetes. A total of 24 young rats (8 weeks old) were divided into three groups: diabetic + HIIT, healthy + HIIT + healthy control. ELISA was used to measure VEGF and NO and Real time PCR was used for Le7-a.

Diabetes + HIIT group had more VEGF compared to healthy control group (P= 0.005) and healthy + HIIT group had more VEGF than healthy control group (P=0.001). The healthy + HIIT group also had higher VEGF than the diabetes + HIIT group (P=0.005). The diabetes + HIIT group had more NO than the healthy control group (P=0.041) and the healthy + HIIT group had more NO compared to the healthy control group (P=0.005). Also, the difference between the healthy + healthy group in comparison with the diabetes + healthy group was not significant in terms of NO (P=0.07). The diabetic + healthy group had more Let-7a than the healthy control group (P=0.009) and the healthy + HIIT group had more Let-7a than the healthy control group (P=0.001). Also, the healthy + HIIT group had a higher Let-7a value compared to the diabetes + HIIT group (P=0.001).

The findings of this study showed that HIIT increases VEGF, Let-7a and NO in diabetic and healthy rats. However, the increase in these variables was higher in healthy samples than in diabetic samples.