Long-term exercise training affects age-induced changes in HSP70 and apoptosis in rat heart

The aim of this study was to test the effects of age and long-term exercise training on antioxidant, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression and apoptosis by comparing the hearts of sedentary and trained rats. Training groups went under 3-, 6- and 9-months of regular exercise (25 m/min with a 0% slope, 60 min/day and 6 days/week). Level of glutathione increased with age in trained and sedentary control rats but level of this factor unchanged by training. Activity of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (mtSOD) increased in heart homogenates of 6- and 9-months trained animals as compared with their sedentary. The rates of apoptosis were increased with age but level of apoptosis in 9-months trained group was significantly lower than corresponding sedentary. Levels of HSP70 expression were significantly decreased with age while long-term training induced marked increase in HSP70 expression levels. These results show that a long-term regular exercise affects age-induced changes in mtSOD, HSP70 and apoptosis as it increases mtSOD activities and HSP70 expression levels and elicits a marked reduction in apoptosis rate in rat myocardium. However, a shorter training program is not effective.