The effect of eight weeks of interval training and quercetin nanoliposome supplementation on NF-κB and FGF-2 gene expression in the heart tissue of myocardial infarction rats

Background and aims: The activation of inflammatory reactions is essential immediately after the onset of myocardial infarction (MI). On the other hand, the path of inflammatory activators should be controlled to prevent the recurrence of MI. In this vein, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of eight weeks of interval training and quercetin nanoliposome consumption on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) gene expression in the heart tissue of MI rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 30 male rats, aged approximately 6-8 weeks, were randomly divided into five groups including MI + training, MI + supplement, MI + training + supplement, healthy control, and MI. The MI was induced by the subcutaneous injection of isoprenaline hydrochloride at a dose of 80 mg/kg. Quercetin was daily administered at a dose of 0.25 mg for 8 weeks, and interval training was performed 5 days a week. NF-κB and FGF-2 gene expressions were measured by the real-time polymerase chain reaction. Finally, data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s post hoc tests (P<0.05). Results: Training significantly increased NF-κB gene expression in the MI+ training, MI + supplement, and MI + training + supplement groups (P=0.001) while significantly decreasing FGF-2 gene expression in the MI group (P=0.04). Conclusion: Interval training may prevent the negative effects of MI by reducing pro-inflammatory gene expression in the heart tissue, leading to improved cardiovascular function and the prevention of this disease.