Effect of Aerobic Exercise Intensity on the Genes Expression Involved in Physiological Hypertrophy of the Heart

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise intensity on the genes expression involved in physiological hypertrophy of the heart.

In this experimental study 24 male Wistar rats weighing 200±20 g and eight weekschr('39') old were randomly divided into three control groups (n=8) and high intensity exercise (n = 8) and sub-maximal continuous exercise (n=8). The high intensity exercise protocol; 30 minutes of intermittent running (each exercise consisting of 4 minutes of running 90-85% VO2max and 2 minutes of active recovery with 50-60% VO2max) was administered three days a week for 8 weeks. Also, the sub group continuous exercise group (30-60 min) was activity intensity of 50-55% of maximal oxygen consumption of rats. Gene expression of the variables was measured.

There was a significant difference in the rate of gene expression changes in all three variables (TGF-1, TIMP and MMP-I) between eight weeks of intense and continuous intermittent exercise compared to the control group (p<0.05). Both exercise methods led to a significant increase in the expression of TGF-ß1 and TIMP genes in the heart of male Wistar rats. But MMP-I changes in the intermittent group are not significant compared to the control group.

Exercise seems to improve the factors involved in the physiological hypertrophy of the heart. Therefore, the findings of the present study have been expressed with caution and more research is needed in the future.