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Resistance exercise improves cardiac function and mitochondrial efficiency in diabetic rat hearts
Tae Hee Ko1, Jubert C Marquez1, Hyoung Kyu Kim1,2
1National Research Laboratory for Mitochondrial Signaling, Department of Physiology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, BK21 plus Project Team, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Pflugers Archiv : European Journal of Physiology
|October 17, 2017
Summary
Resistance exercise (RE) improves cardiac function in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC) by enhancing mitochondrial health and biogenesis. This study shows RE effectively combats DC, preserving heart contractility through improved energy metabolism and reduced oxidative stress.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Metabolic Disease Research
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC) is characterized by metabolic disturbances and mitochondrial dysfunction.
- Resistance exercise (RE) shows potential for improving health, but its effects on DC and mitochondrial function are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if RE can prevent or ameliorate DC by improving mitochondrial function in a rat model.
- To assess the impact of RE on cardiac function, energy metabolism, and mitochondrial biogenesis in diabetic rats.
Main Methods:
- Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats were divided into sedentary control (SC) and resistance exercise (RE) groups.
- RE involved ladder climbing training 5 days/week for 28 weeks.
- Cardiac function, energy metabolism markers, mitochondrial biogenesis proteins, and oxidative stress indicators were analyzed.
Main Results:
- RE rats demonstrated improved glucose uptake, lower lipid profiles, and enhanced ejection fraction and fractional shortening compared to SC rats.
- Mitochondrial analysis revealed increased mitochondrial numbers, elevated expression of PGC-1α and TFAM, reduced proton leakage, and lower reactive oxygen species production.
- RE led to higher mitochondrial membrane potential, increased superoxide dismutase 2, and decreased uncoupling proteins (UCP2, UCP3).
Conclusions:
- Resistance exercise is effective in ameliorating diabetic cardiomyopathy by improving mitochondrial function.
- RE contributes to maintaining diabetic cardiac contractility through enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis and improved metabolic and oxidative profiles.