Abstract
Background. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of aerobic-resistance training on the population of cardiac multipotent cells, thickness, and diameter of the ventricular through the C-Kit pathway of male rats during the growth stages.
Methods. Overall, 30 male Wistar rats in three age groups of 2 (n = 10), 8 (n = 10), and 96 (n = 10) weeks were accidentally divided into exercise and control groups. Resistance training programs (resistance ladder, 3 days a week) and aerobics (treadmill running, 3 days a week) were performed for 6 weeks. Hematoxylin-Eosin staining was done the heart tissue and histological images were prepared. Afterward, C-Kit gene expression was examined by the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. The statistical method of one-way analysis of variance (P ≥ 0.05) and Tukey’s test were used at a significant level (P ≥ 0.01).
Results. The trained neonatal group had higher values in heart weight to body weight index, and the trained neonatal and trained young adult groups had higher values in left ventricular thickness (P ≥ 0.01). The decrease in left ventricular internal diameter in the trained young adult group was significant compared to the control group (P ≥ 0.01). There was a significant increase in C-Kit gene expression in trained young adult and trained old groups (P ≥ 0.01).
Conclusion. Aerobic-resistance training can be an effective stimulus for increasing the number of cardiac stem cells and creating structural adaptations of the heart, including increasing thickness and ventricular diameter in neonatal and young adult groups.
Practical Implications. Participation in aerobic-resistance training programs leads to the improvement of the cardiac structure and an increase in cardiac stem cells.