Effect of 8 weeks HIIT exercise on myostatin, follistatin an follistatin gene expression ratios on myostatin in male rats with type 2 diabetes

Background: Muscular atrophy is one of the indicators of diabetes. Regarding the role of HIIT in reducing hyperglycemia in diabetic patients, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of HIIT training on the expression of myostatin, follistatin, as well as to examine follistatin-to-myostatin ratio in male rats with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: 60 male Wistar rats, with average weight of 250 ± 20 g, after induction of diabetes by injection of Nicotinic Amide- Streptozotocin, were randomly divided into 5 groups: Base-line control (n=12), HIIT Control (n=12), HIIT (n=12), Diabetic Control (n=12), HIIT Diabetic (n=12). The training groups performed the HIIT on a treadmill, which speeded from 16 meters per minute to the end of the eighth week to 38 meters per minute. 24 hours after the last training session, the rats were anesthetized.Then, soleus muscle tissue was immediately extracted, and the level of myostatin and follistatin gene expression was measured by Real Time-PCR and scale (2-ΔΔCt × 103).

Results: There was no significant difference in the expression of myostatin gene expression in the research groups (P>0.05). However, the expression of the follistatin gene and the ratio of follistatin to myostatin were significant in research groups (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Diabetic patients seem to have improved their health and muscle levels by employing HIIT training for at least 8 weeks in order to reduce myostatin levels, increase follistatin and also the ratio of follistatin to myostatin.