The Simultaneous Effect of Resistance Training and Endothelial Progenitor Cells Injection on Blood Glucose Level, TNF-α and IL-10 Protein Expression of Muscular Cells of Diabetic Male Rats

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is highly prevalent in the group of autoimmune and inflammatory patients. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) plays an important role in regulating complex interactions between pancreatic beta cells and immune cells in the development of T1D. This study was performed to determine the simultaneous effect of resistance training and endothelial progenitor cell injection on blood glucose levels and protein expression of proinflammatory factors TNF-a and IL-10 in muscle tissue of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic male rats.

In this experimental study, 36 male Wistar rats weighing approximately 200±20 g and six weeks old were randomly divided into six groups. Induction of diabetes was performed by intraperitoneal injection of STZ at a dose of 45 mg/kg body weight. Groups included diabetes + stem cell injection + resistance training group, diabetes + resistance training group, diabetes + stem cell injection group, control diabetic group to control the passage of time, and healthy basal and diabetic groups for defaults. Exercises were performed for 17 sessions of resistance training, including climbing ladders with increasing weight three days a week in the same laboratory conditions. Endothelial progenitor cells were cultured by femoral bone marrow aspiration and culture and then injection into the tail vein. 68 hours after the last training session, blood glucose levels were assessed by ELISA and the expression of TNF-a and IL-10 protein in muscle tissue was assessed by Western blotting.

Endothelial stem cell injection, resistance training and resistance training with the simultaneous injection of endothelial stem cells significantly increased the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 in the skeletal muscle tissue of diabetic rats in compared to control group (P<0.05). Expression of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 in the skeletal muscle tissue was significantly increased in resistance training plus the simultaneous injection of endothelial stem cells group in compared to injection of stem cells and resistance training groups (P<0.05). Glucose concentration in the skeletal muscle tissue was significantly reduced in resistance training plus the simultaneous injection of endothelial stem cells group in compared to injection of stem cells and resistance training groups (P<0.05).

It seems that 17 sessions of resistance training reduces blood glucose level and improves inflammatory conditions in response to an increase in IL-10 and a decrease in TNF-a in a group of diabetic rats with resistance training and simultaneous injection of endothelial progenitor cells in diabetic male rats.