Background and Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the expression of the Fetuin-A gene and insulin resistance in the liver of rats with type 2 diabetes.
Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 40 male Wistar rats (10 weeks old, mean weight 195 ± 30 g). Type 2 diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of nicotinamide (110 mg/kg) and streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). The rats were randomly divided into healthy control, diabetic control, and diabetic HIIT training groups. The HIIT protocol was performed for 8 weeks, 5 sessions per week for diabetic HIIT training group. Following the intervention, blood and liver tissue samples were collected, Fetuin-A gene expression was assessed using real-time PCR, and insulin resistance was evaluated using commercial kits. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test (significance level P ≤ 0.05).
Results: The levels of Fetuin-A showed a significant difference between groups, increasing in obese diabetic rats compared to healthy controls, while exercise training significantly reduced its levels. The insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was highest in the obese diabetic group, and exercise resulted in a significant reduction. Moreover, no significant difference was observed between the trained diabetic group and the healthy control group.
Conclusion: The findings indicated that HIIT can improve metabolic parameters in rats with type 2 diabetes. These results suggest that HIIT may serve as an effective intervention for the management of type 2 diabetes