Combination of Atorvastatin–Endurance Training Has Positive Effect on Apoptosis and Protein Expression of SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ Axis after Myocardial Infarction in Rat's Heart Tissue

Background: It is a well-known fact that both statins and exercise have beneficial effects in preventing cardiovascular disease; however, no information is available about their combinatorial effect on the cardiac cell apoptosis and protein expression of SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ after myocardial infarction (MI). This study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of endurance training and atorvastatin on the apoptosis and protein expression of SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ in the cardiac tissue of rats following MI.Methods: In total, ۳۰ rats (۸–۱۰ weeks old, weighing ۲۲۰–۲۴۰ g) were randomly divided into five groups. Myocardial infarction was induced by subcutaneous injection of isoprenaline (۱۵۰ mg/kg) in ۲ consecutive days. Drug and training intervention was initiated ۲ days after infarction and was continued for ۴ weeks. To assess apoptotis and protein expression of SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ axis, Tunnel and IHC staining were performed, respectively.Results: The combination of endurance exercise and atorvastatin significantly reduced the number of apoptotic cells and increased the protein expression of SDF-۱α compared with the other groups (P<۰.۰۰۱). Moreover, this combination significantly increased the protein expression of CXCR۴ compared with the control and sham groups (P<۰.۰۰۱) and with the atorvastatin group (P<۰.۰۵). Endurance exercise training and atorvastatin, individually induced a significant decrease in the apoptotic cell count (P<۰.۰۰۱) and nonsignificant increase in the protein expression of SDF-۱α /CXCR۴, compared with the control group.Conclusions: Results of this study revealed that the combined effects of training and atorvastatin are more efficient in reducing the apoptosis and upregulation of SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ than exercise or atorvastatin alone.Background: It is a well-known fact that both statins and exercise have beneficial effects in preventing cardiovascular disease; however, no information is available about their combinatorial effect on the cardiac cell apoptosis and protein expression of SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ after myocardial infarction (MI). This study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of endurance training and atorvastatin on the apoptosis and protein expression of SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ in the cardiac tissue of rats following MI. Methods: In total, ۳۰ rats (۸–۱۰ weeks old, weighing ۲۲۰–۲۴۰ g) were randomly divided into five groups. Myocardial infarction was induced by subcutaneous injection of isoprenaline (۱۵۰ mg/kg) in ۲ consecutive days. Drug and training intervention was initiated ۲ days after infarction and was continued for ۴ weeks. To assess apoptotis and protein expression of SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ axis, Tunnel and IHC staining were performed, respectively. Results: The combination of endurance exercise and atorvastatin significantly reduced the number of apoptotic cells and increased the protein expression of SDF-۱α compared with the other groups (P<۰.۰۰۱). Moreover, this combination significantly increased the protein expression of CXCR۴ compared with the control and sham groups (P<۰.۰۰۱) and with the atorvastatin group (P<۰.۰۵). Endurance exercise training and atorvastatin, individually induced a significant decrease in the apoptotic cell count (P<۰.۰۰۱) and nonsignificant increase in the protein expression of SDF-۱α /CXCR۴, compared with the control group. Conclusions: Results of this study revealed that the combined effects of training and atorvastatin are more efficient in reducing the apoptosis and upregulation of SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ than exercise or atorvastatin alone.

Keywords:

Endurance training , Atorvastatin , Myocardial infarction , SDF-۱α/CXCR۴ , Apoptosis.