The effect of HIIT on lactate transporters involved in the ANLS pathway and BDNF in the hippocampal tissue of young and aged male Wistar rats

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Sports Physiology, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Department of Sports Physiology, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

Background and Purpose: The increasing elderly population and the aging process pose challenges to memory, learning, neuroplasticity, and cognitive function of the central nervous system. Given the potential of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to alter body lactate levels, this study investigates the effects of HIIT and lactate as a non-pharmacological and therapeutic strategy on the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and lactate transporters associated with age-related markers, including cognition, memory, learning, and neural plasticity, in young adult and induced-aged rats.
Materials and Methods: In this study, 40 male Wistar rats with an average age of 12 weeks and a weight range of 200–220 grams were randomly divided into four groups: young adult control, induced-aged control, young adult with HIIT, and induced-aged with HIIT. To induce aging, two groups of rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of D-galactose for 8 weeks, while the other two groups received normal saline. Following the induction of aging, an 8-week HIIT protocol was implemented. This protocol consisted of 3 training sessions per week, with each session including 6 repetitions of 4 minutes of exercise at 85–95% of maximum training capacity, interspersed by 3 minutes of recovery at 40–50% of maximum training capacity. Forty-eight hours after the last training session, hippocampal tissue was extracted from the rat's brains. Lactate transporter levels (MCT2 and MCT4) were measured using Western blot, and BDNF levels were assessed using ELISA Technique. Data analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test, with statistical significance set at p≤0.05.
Results: The results indicated that HIIT had no significant effect on MCT2 levels in young adult rats (p>0.05). In induced-aged rats, MCT2 levels were significantly reduced (p<0.0001) and HIIT led to a significant increase in MCT2 levels (p<0.001). In young adult rats, HIIT resulted in a significant increase in MCT4 levels (p<0.01). Aging induction caused a significant reduction in MCT4 levels (p<0.0001), while, HIIT resulted in a significant increase in MCT4 levels (p<0.001) in this group. In young adult rats, HIIT had no significant effect on BDNF levels (p>0.05). In induced-aged rats, BDNF levels were significantly decreased (p<0.01). Although, HIIT in induced-aged rats led to a notable increase in BDNF levels, this increase was not statistically significant (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The levels of lactate transporters MCT2 and MCT4, as well as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), decrease with aging. However, HIIT exercise can partially compensate for this reduction and HIIT proves to be an effective method for enhancing the expression of MCT2, MCT4, and BDNF in aged rats, while its impact is less pronounced in young adults. This type of training can serve as an effective non-pharmacological strategy to improve cognitive function in the elderly by modulating lactate metabolism and age-related neural adaptations in the hippocampus.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 13 April 2025
  • Revise Date: 16 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 04 June 2025
  • First Publish Date: 04 June 2025
  • Publish Date: 22 December 2025

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