Aerobic exercise protects cardiac function of T2DM mice by activation of PI3K (p110α)/Akt signaling pathway

AIM: To study the protective effect of aerobic exercise on cardiac dysfunction in mice and its mechanism, and to provide theoretical and practical basis for the exercise therapy of diabetic cardiac dysfunction.METHODS: The mice were divided into normal control non-exercise (NNC) group, normal control exercise (ENC) group, diabetic non-exercise (NDM) group and diabetic exercise (EDM) group. At the end of the experiment, the cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography. The pathological changes of the myocardial tissues and the development of fibrosis were observed. The mRNA expression of ANP, and the protein levels of PI3K (p110α) and Akt were determined. RESULTS: The decrease in cardiac function of diabetic mice was observed, and the cardiac function recovered after exercise intervention (P<0.05). Under light microscope with HE and Masson staining, the myocardial structure in NDM group was in extreme disorder, cell arrangement was not neat, and the degree of fibrosis increased, but the myocardial damage was improved in ENC group. Compared with NNC group, the mRNA expression of ANP in the myocardium of diabetic mice was up-regulated (P<0.05). The protein levels of PI3K (p110α) and Akt were decreased (P<0.05), and the cascade was inactivated. Compared with NDM group, the mRNA expression of ANP was down-regulated and the protein levels of PI3K (p110α) and Akt were up-regulated in EDM group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Diabetes results in myocardial damage in mice, and reduces cardiac function. Exercise intervention alleviates the heart dysfunction induced by high glucose via activating PI3K(p110α)/Akt signaling pathway to protect the structure and function of the myocardium.