Journal of Sport and Exercise Physiology

Journal of Sport and Exercise Physiology

The effect of six weeks of endurance training on MMP-2 and MMP-9 in heart tissue of rats suffering from myocardial infarction

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Reza Darabi 1
Bahram Abedi 2
Abbas Saremi 3
1 Department of exercise physiology, maha.C.,Islamic Azad university ,mahallat,Iran
2 Department of exercise physiology, NT.C.,Islamic Azad university ,Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Arak University, Arak, Iran
10.48308/joeppa.2025.239130.1345
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of mortality and is characterized by the loss of cardiac cells and extensive remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of proteolytic enzymes that play a significant role in these changes, leading to increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and exacerbating cardiovascular diseases and their associated complications. Physical activity can reduce cardiac fibrosis and improve cardiac dysfunction following myocardial infarction, while also decreasing the levels of negative and inflammatory factors. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of six weeks of endurance training on matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 in the myocardium of rats with myocardial infarction.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 20 male Wistar rats (8 weeks old, weighing 230 ± 30 g) were subjected to myocardial infarction induction by subcutaneous administration of isoproterenol (150 mg/kg). The animals were then randomly assigned to two groups: myocardial infarction with endurance training and myocardial infarction without training. Twenty-four hours after infarction induction, blood samples were collected to confirm myocardial infarction and were sent to the laboratory for cardiac troponin T analyses. In addition, electrocardiography (ECG) was performed to verify the induction of myocardial infarction. Both assessments confirmed successful induction of myocardial infarction.The training group underwent a six-week endurance training program (running on treadmill) consisting of three sessions per week, each session lasting 20-45 minutes at a speed of 13–18 m/min. Twenty-four hours after the final training session, following an overnight fast and anesthesia with ketamine and xylazine, blood samples were collected directly from the heart for the assessment of serum concentrations of MMP-2 and MMP-9. The samples were transferred to the laboratory and analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test and the independent-samples t-test in SPSS version 26.

Results: Data analyses showed that endurance training reduced the serum levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in rats with myocardial infarction. However, these reductions were not statistically significant. Specifically, the serum level of MMP-2 showed a non-significant decrease (P = 0.641), and the reduction in MMP-9 levels was also not statistically significant (P = 0.095).

Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study we conclude that 6 weeks of endurance training does not results in adapatations of matrix metalloproteinases associated with cardiac remodeling in rats with myocardial infarction.
Keywords
Endurance training
Matrix metalloproteinase-2
Matrix Metalloproteinase-9
Isoproterenol
Myocardial infarction
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 12 August 2025
  • Revise Date 11 October 2025
  • Accept Date 30 October 2025
  • First Publish Date 30 October 2025
  • Publish Date 21 March 2026