Impact of Aerobic Exercise on Cardiac Inflammatory Cytokines, Apoptotic Pathways, and Myocardial Preservation in a Rat Model of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, partially mediated by chronic inflammation and myocardial injury. This study aimed to investigate the Aerobic Exercise Reduces Cardiac Inflammation and Apoptosis in Diabetic Rats. Methods A total of 20 male Wistar rats (average weight: 240 ± 28 g) were randomly divided into four groups: diabetic exercise (Dia + Exe), healthy exercise (Heal + Exe), diabetic control (Dia + Con), and healthy control (Heal + Con). The Dia + Exe and Dia + Con groups were fed a diet consisting of 60% high-fat food for a specified duration before receiving intratracheal injections of streptozotocin to induce diabetes. The Dia + Exe and Heal + Exe groups underwent aerobic exercise on a treadmill at speeds ranging from 5 to 24 meters per minute for eight weeks. Levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were measured using ELISA, while caspase-3 activity was assessed via real-time PCR. Results Compared to the Heal + Con group, the diabetic control group (Dia + Con) displayed a notable elevation in TNF-α, IL-6, and caspase-3 levels (P ≤ 0.05), indicative of heightened inflammation and apoptosis. Conversely, the diabetic exercise group (Dia + Exe) that underwent aerobic exercise demonstrated a reduction in TNF-α, IL-6, and caspase-3 levels compared to the Dia + Con group (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusion The results of this study demonstrated that aerobic exercise could reduce inflammatory markers such as TNF-α, IL-6, and caspase-3, particularly in cardiac tissue. These findings underscore the potential of aerobic exercise as a non-pharmacological strategy to mitigate cardiac complications in diabetic patients.