The Effect of Swimming Endurance Exercise on Cell Death and Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Gene Expression in Brain of Rat: An Experimental Study of Alzheimer's Disease Model

Background and Objectives: Alzheimerchr('39')s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease which is marked by impaired cholinergic function and decreased nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChRs) density. nAChRs are important mediators of cholinergic signaling in modulation of learning and memory function. In Alzheimer hippocampus is particularly vulnerable to specific degenerative processes and neuronal death that mediate cognitive dysfunction. Thus, the aim of present study was to examine the effect of swimming on percentage of cell death and α7nAChR gene expression in brain of Alzheimerchr('39')s disease rat model. Materials & Methods: In this experimental study, 32 Vistar male rats were allocated into 4 groups: sham (Sh), Alzheimer (A), Alzheimer-training (AT), healthy-training (T). Alzheimerchr('39')s model was induced by injection of Aβ1-42 into the CA3 hippocampus region and the rats in the training groups were submitted to swimming (30 min/day for a period of 3 weeks). To determine Alzheimerchr('39')s model, α7nAChR gene expression rate and cell death, immunofluorescence, Real Time PCR and crystal violet were used. Independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test were used for data analysis. Results: The results of this study indicated that Alzheimer significantly reduced α7nAChR gene expression in the rat hippocampus (p<0.05); While exercise improved the expression of reduced α7nAChR gene in Alzheimerchr('39')s rats and the percentage of Alzheimer’s-induced cell death (p<0.05). Conclusion: Exercise is probably useful for prevention of cell death and reduced α7nAChR gene expression rate in Alzheimer’s rat. Key words: Swimming exercise, Cell death, Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, Alzheimer, Rat   Funding: This study did not have any funds. Conflict of interest: None declared. Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University approved the study (LU.ECRA.2018.15). How to cite this article: The Effect of Swimming Endurance Exercise on Cell Death and Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Gene Expression in Brain of Rat: An Experimental Study of Alzheimerchr('39')s Disease Model. J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci 2020; 19 (9): 955-68. [Farsi]