Interval Training Intensity and the Expression of Caspase-9 in Obese Rats with Myocardial Infarction

Objective: Physical exercise reduces myocardial apoptosis but its molecular process is unclear yet. The activated Caspase-9 has a key role in advancing the process of apoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of aerobic interval training intensity on the process of apoptosis in the 10-week male obese wistar rats with myocardial infarction. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial,18 rats after myocardial infarction induction were divided into three experimental groups of high intensity (Interval running for 60 minutes on a treadmill, each cycle consisting of 4 minutes running with 55-60% of VO2max and 2 minutes’ active recovery with an intensity of 45-50% VO2max, four days a week for 6 weeks) and low intensity (Interval running for 60 minutes on a treadmill, each cycle consisting of 4 minutes running with 85-90% of VO2max and 2 minutes’ active recovery with an intensity of 50-60% VO2max, four days a week for 6 weeks) and a control group (no training). The concentration of cardiomyocytes caspase-9, as the main indicator of apoptosis was measured by qRT-PCR. Results: The concentration of caspase-9 was higher in the control group than the high intensity training group (P=0.012) and the low intensity training group (P=0.002). The high intensity training group had higher Caspase index values than the low intensity training group (P≥0.001). Discussion: The findings of this study indicated aerobic interval training resulted in the expression of caspase-9 gene and thus reducing the occurrence of cardiomyocytes apoptosis after myocardial infarction.