Preconditioning Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Berberine Supplementation on the Gene Expression of Angiogenesis Regulators and Caspase-3 Protein in the Rats with Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion (IR) Injury

OBJECTIVE: It has been shown that angiogenesis is a desirable treatment for patients with ischemic heart disease. We set out to investigate the impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and berberine supplementation on the gene expression of angiogenesis-related factors and caspase-3 protein in rats suffering from myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury. METHODS: Fifty rats were divided into the following groups: (1) trained, (2) berberine supplemented, (3) combined, and (4) IR. Each cohort underwent five sessions of HIIT per week for a duration of 8 weeks followed by induction of ischemia. Seven days after completion of reperfusion, changes in the gene expression of angiogenesis-related factors and caspase-3 protein were evaluated in the heart tissue. RESULTS: We observed a significant difference between four groups in the transcript levels of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), and thrombospondin-1(TSP-1) (p ≤ 0.05). However, the difference in endostatin (ENDO) levels was not significant among the groups despite a discernible reduction (p ≥ 0.05). Moreover, caspase-3 protein and infarct size were significantly reduced in the intervention groups (p ≤ 0.05), and cardiac function increased in response to these interventions. CONCLUSION: The treatments exert their effect, likely, by reducing caspase-3 protein and increasing the expression of angiogenesis-promoting factors, concomitant with a reduction in inhibitors of the process.