Regulation of mTOR Pathway in Exercise-induced Cardiac Hypertrophy

Abstract

This study was designed to examine whether the mTOR signaling pathway would respond to long-term different intensity exercises and to observe the impact of exercise upon possible cardiac damage. Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group, moderate-intensity exercise group and high-intensity exercise group, and each exercise group had 4 observation time points (1–24 h). Exercise training lasted 8 weeks with a 2-day break for each week. Serum cTnI was measured by ELSIA and myocardium histology was assessed by HE and HBFP. The expressions of Akt, mTOR, p70^S6K and their phosphorylated forms were determined by western-blot. Both exercises were effective at inducing cardiac hypertrophy, wherein magnitude increased with exercise intensity. The significantly high level of serum cTnI in the high-intensity group was accompanied by obvious myocellular abnormalities and ischemia in the myocardium. Significant activation of Akt, mTOR and p70^S6K were observed in the moderate exercise group but not in the high-intensity exercise group. Results indicate that long-term high-intensity exercise training would induce cardiac hypertrophy accompanied by damage to the heart, entailing a risk of pathological changes. There might be a pivotal regulatory role of the mTOR signaling pathway on cardiac hypertrophy after long-term moderate exercise, but not after high-intensity exercise.

Key words

mammalian target of rapamycin - cardiac hypertrophy - exercises - signaling transduction

• References

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