High intensity interval training protects the heart against acute myocardial infarction through SDF-1a, CXCR4 receptors and c-kit levels

Abstract: Background: One of the best and most effective applied and tolerable approaches for cardioprotecion is the regular exercise. In situation of exercise activity and even cardiac ischemic injury, the activity of the myocardial stem cells and their recruiting factors are changed so that contribute the adaptation and repairment of the myocardium. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of myocardial preconditioning with high intensive interval training on SDF-1a myocardial levels, CXCR4 receptors and c-kit after acute myocardial infarction in male rats. Methods: 20 male Wistar rats (8 week old ,weight 234.8 ± 5.7 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups of control (C), training (T), myocardial infraction (MI) and training+ myocardial infraction (T+MI). The training groups performed two weeks of high-intensity interval training in four sections. Each section included two or three days of practice sessions and two sessions each per a day. The number or intensity of the intervals increased in each section. SDF-1, CXCR4 and C-Kit proteins were measured by the Western blot method in the myocardial tissue and myocardial injury enzymes (CK, LDH, troponin T) were measured in serum. Results: The results of this study showed that that SDF-1, CXCR4 and C-Kit had a significant increase after two weeks of high intensity interval training and myocardial infraction. Also, serum enzyme measurements showed a positive effect of exercise, so that in the myocardium injury enzymes significantly increased in the myocardial infarction group compared with the other three groups, training and training- myocardial infarction (P<0.001). As well as, there was a significant difference between the groups of training -myocardial infarction in all of the enzymes of the myocardium injury compared to the control and training groups. Conclusions: Even short terms of high intensity interval training can increase the levels of proteins SDF1-a, CXCR4 and C-Kit in order to cardioprotection against myocardial injury through recruitment stem cells.