Effect of Six Weeks of Continuous and High-Intensity Interval Training on miR-132, miR-134 Levels and Stroke Volume, in Male Rats: A Stroke Model

Mohammad Baqer  Azizi; Rasoul  Rezaei; Mohsen  Salesi; Javad  Nemati

doi:10.18502/ssu.v34i2.21591

Mohammad Baqer Azizi Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Rasoul Rezaei Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Mohsen Salesi Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Javad Nemati Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ssu.v34i2.21591

Keywords: Stroke, microRNA-132, microRNA-134, Exercise.

Abstract

Introduction: Sports science specialists have not yet reached a definitive or universal exercise guideline for stroke prevention and treatment. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of six weeks of continuous and high-intensity interval training on miR-132 and miR-134 levels, stroke volume, and neurological deficits in male rats, a stroke model.

Methods: Twenty-four eight-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=6 per group): sham, HIIT, MICT, and control. The HIIT (2×6 min, 85-90% VO2 max activity and 2×5 min, 65% VO2 max rest) and MICT (65% VO2 max) were performed five sessions per week for four weeks. At the end of the intervention, hippocampal, cortical, and striatum tissues were measured to measure the expression levels of miR-132 and miR-134 using Real-Time PCR. Data analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni post hoc test (p<0.05) with SPSS version 16.

Results: Both training modalities significantly increased miR-132 expression in the hippocampus (p<0.05); however, HIIT also produced this effect in the cortex and the striatum compared with MICT (p<0.05). HIIT significantly increased miR-134 expression in the cortex and significantly decreased its expression in the striatum (p<0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference in the variables of stroke volume and neurological deficit between both the HIIT and MICT training groups and the control group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Performing exercise activities throughout life can have a positive effect on different parts of the brain and help the patient after a stroke. Therefore, it can be concluded that regular exercise may help to minimize both the acute and chronic complications of stroke.