Effects of Endurance Training and High-Intensity Interval Training on Hippocampal BDNF and TrkB Gene and Protein Expression in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

10.22080/jaep.2026.31487.2250

Abstract

Background and Objective: Diabetes mellitus is associated with neurodegenerative alterations in the hippocampus, including reduced neurotrophic factors and impaired synaptic plasticity. The present study aimed to compare the effects of endurance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the gene and protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) in the hippocampus of diabetic male Wistar rats.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, forty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups: control, sedentary diabetic, diabetic + endurance training, and diabetic + HIIT. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg). The exercise groups completed an eight-week intervention consisting of moderate-intensity endurance training or HIIT. At the end of the intervention, hippocampal tissues were collected. The mRNA expression of BDNF and TrkB was quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and the corresponding protein expression levels were evaluated by Western blot analysis.
Results: iabetes significantly reduced the gene and protein expression of BDNF and TrkB in the hippocampus compared with the control group (P ≤ 0.05). Both endurance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) significantly increased the mRNA expression of BDNF and TrkB compared with the sedentary diabetic group (P ≤ 0.05), with HIIT producing a greater increase in BDNF mRNA expression. Although protein expression of BDNF and TrkB showed an upward trend following both exercise interventions, these increases did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusion: Both endurance training and HIIT significantly improved the gene expression of BDNF and TrkB in the hippocampus of diabetic rats. Among the two exercise modalities, HIIT produced a greater increase in BDNF gene expression, suggesting a stronger capacity to modulate hippocampal neurotrophic signaling. These findings indicate that exercise training, particularly HIIT, may represent a promising non-pharmacological strategy for improving the molecular status of the hippocampus in diabetes. However, further studies are needed to determine whether these molecular changes translate into enhanced neuroplasticity and improved cognitive function.

Keywords

Journal of Applied Exercise Physiology
Volume 22, Issue 43
June 2026
Pages 19-38

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History

  • Receive Date: 27 March 2026
  • Revise Date: 28 April 2026
  • Accept Date: 30 May 2026

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