Expression of PPARα and PGC1α proteins in cardiac tissue of male rats with type 2 diabetes after high intensity interval training

Physical activity in patients with diabetes can affect myocardial structure and function, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 8 weeks of high intensity interval training (HIIT) on expression of PPARα and PGC1α proteins in the heart tissue of male Wistar rats with type 2 diabetes. In the present study, 28 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups Control Healthy, Exercise Healthy, Diabetes Control, and Diabetes Exercise. After a period of high-fat diet and then after induction of diabetes, animals in Diabetes Exercise and Exercise Healthy groups performed the HIIT training protocol for 8 weeks and 5 sessions per week. 48 hours after the last training session, cardiac tissue was extracted and the levels of PGC-1α and PPARα proteins were assessed using Western blotting. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test at a significance level of P<0.05. The results showed that the expression levels of PGC-1α protein in the Diabetes Control group decreased significantly compared to the Control Healthy group (P=0.001) and increased significantly in the Diabetes Exercise group compared to the Diabetes Control group (P=0.001). Also, expression levels of PPARα protein in the Diabetes Control and Diabetes Exercise groups increased significantly compared to the healthy groups (P=0.001). Moreover, the amount of PPARα protein showed a significant decrease in the Diabetes Exercise group compared to the Diabetes Control group (P=0.001). HIIT exercises can probably play an effective role in regulating the PPARα/PGC1α signaling pathway and modulate the adverse changes caused by diabetes in this signaling pathway related to mitochondrial biogenesis.