Effect of eight weeks high intensity interval training on NRF-1, 2 and Tfam gene expressione levels in ST muscles in rats with myocardial infarction

Background: One of the side effects of myocardial infarction is the changes in slow contraction muscle phenotype to fast contraction due to decreased mitochondrial density. Mitochondrial biogenesis with its ability to create new mitochondria and increase mitochondrial density can minimize these complications. NRF-1,2 and Tfam are proteins that affect mitochondrial biogenesis that induces mitochondrial biogenesis by regulating mitochondrial DNA in the nucleus. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of high intensity interval training on expression of NRF-1,2 and Tfam genes in the rats with myocardial infarction.

Methods: In this experimental study, which was done experimentally, 12 Wistar male rats with myocardial infarction were divided into two experimental groups (30 minutes on a treadmill on a regular basis and 4 minutes running with a severity of 90-85% VO2max and two minutes of active recovery with 50% -60% VO2max three days a week for eight weeks) and control (without exercise). The expression of NRF-1,2 and Tfam genes was studied as an effective factor in downstream mitochondrial biogenesis. Statistical data were analyzed with independent T test in spss18 (α≥0.05).

Results: The results showed that the expression of NRF-1, NRF-2 and Tfam genes increased significantly (in at all P≤0.001).

Conclusion: Generally, eight weeks of high intensity interval training increase mitochondrial biogenesis in slow muscle of myocardial infarction rats with effect on NRF-1, NRF-2 and Tfam genes.