LAUSR

Background Diabetes mellitus (Di) induces the inflammation and destruction of remodeling in cardiovascular environment. Exercise with increase in levels of cardiokines such as FSTL-1 and angiogenesis-inducing factors has cardioprotective effect in some heart diseases. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and insulin injection on levels of cardiac FSTL-1, NDNF, and VEGF in diabetic rats. Methods To test the hypothesis that FSTL-1 may be a molecular link between exercise and improved cardiac remodeling and angiogenesis in diabetic heart, we subjected diabetic rats, induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ (55 mg/kg, freshly dissolved in 0.4 ml citrate buffer, pH 4.5). The rats were randomly divided into four groups ( n  = 6 in each group): control Di (without exercise and without insulin), insulin Di (without exercise and with insulin), exercise Di (with exercise and without insulin), and insulin and exercise Di (with exercise and with insulin), for 6 weeks and examined the relevance of FSTL-1, NDNF, and VEGF to exercise-mediated cardiac effects. The 6-week exercise training intervention involved 30 min of moderate-intensity running on a treadmill once daily (5 d/w). Measurement levels of cardiac FSTL-1, NDNF, and VEGF were performed an ELISA kit. Representative image of myocardium stained with H&E. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results The results of this study show that exercise or insulin injection alone has a significant effect on FSTL-1 and NDNF (p ≤ 0.05). Also, there is a significant interaction between exercise and insulin in FSTL-1 ( P  = 0.001, F  = 61.612), and NDNF ( P  = 0.001, F  = 29.414) and VEGF ( P  = 0.001, F  = 29.414). Conclusion The results of this study showed that insulin and exercise Di group had better effects on NDNF and VEGF in diabetic animal. Also, FSTL-1 changes and functions in the heart of diabetic rats were different from other pathology such as MI sample. However, in this regard and investigating these factors in the heart of the diabetic sample, more studies are needed.