Kameleh Astani - PhD Candidate, Department of Sport Sciences, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
Jabbar Bashiri - Associate Professor, Department of Sport Sciences, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
Hassan Pourrazi - Assistant Professor, Department of Sport Sciences, School of Social Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
Mir Alireza Nourazar - Assistant Professor, Department of Basic Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Tabriz, Iran

BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with several metabolic disorders and myocardial apoptosis. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and coenzyme Q۱۰ (CoQ۱۰) supplementation on myocardial apoptotic proteins in obese male rats.METHODS: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to ۶ groups including non-obese control (NOC), baseline obese control (BOC), HIIT, CoQ۱۰, HIIT + CoQ۱۰, and control. NOC and BOC groups were sacrificed at the beginning of the study. Exercise groups were subjected to a HIIT program over ۱۲ weeks. Rats in CoQ۱۰ group were gavage-fed with ۵۰۰ mg/kg-۱ CoQ۱۰ supplement throughout the study. The heart muscle was removed ۴۸ hours after the last training session. The B-cell lymphoma-۲ (Bcl-۲), Bcl-۲-associated X protein (Bax), cytochrome c, BH۳-interacting domain death agonist (Bid), caspase-۸, and caspase-۳ protein expressions were analyzed using western blotting. Data were analyzed using independent t-test and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).RESULTS: The Bax, Bid, cytochrome c, caspase-۸, caspase-۳ proteins, and Bax/Bcl-۲ were significantly higher in BOC group compared to NOC (P = ۰.۰۲۵, P = ۰.۰۰۰۱, P = ۰.۰۱۳, P = ۰.۰۱۷, P = ۰.۰۱۰, P = ۰.۱۸۰, respectively). Moreover, Bcl-۲ protein was lower in BOC compared to NOC group (P = ۰.۰۲۵). HIIT program decreased Bax/Bcl-۲ ratio (P = ۰.۰۱۲), Bid (P = ۰.۰۰۰۱), cytochrome c (P = ۰.۰۰۳), caspase-۸ (P = ۰.۰۰۶), and caspase-۳ (P = ۰.۰۰۲) proteins and increased Bcl-۲ (P = ۰.۰۰۱) proteins in heart muscle. CoQ۱۰ supplementation significantly increased Bcl-۲ protein content (P = ۰.۰۰۱).CONCLUSION: HIIT exerts an anti-apoptotic effect in heart muscle of obese rats. Although the administration of CoQ۱۰ increased Bcl-۲ anti-apoptotic protein, it did not show a potent synergistic effect along with HIIT to reduce obesity-related myocardial apoptosis.

High-Intensity Interval Training, Coenzyme Q۱۰, Myocardium, Apoptosis, Obesity