Aerobic Exercise Protects Diabetic Hearts by Boosting Antioxidant Peptide MOTS-c

Individuals with diabetes mellitus are at a significantly higher risk of developing diabetic myocardial injury, a form of heart damage characterized by oxidative stress and inflammation that can lead to heart failure. While aerobic exercise is known to improve cardiovascular health in diabetics, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying its protective effects against this specific injury are not fully understood. This study aimed to elucidate the role of the mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c in mediating the antioxidant benefits of aerobic exercise on diabetic hearts.

Aerobic exercise significantly improved cardiac function and reduced myocardial damage in diabetic rats. Specifically, the exercise group showed a 2.3-fold increase in cardiac MOTS-c expression compared to sedentary diabetic controls (p<0.001). This increase was accompanied by a substantial reduction in oxidative stress, with MDA levels decreasing by 38% and SOD activity increasing by 45% in exercised diabetic rats (p<0.01 for both). The most striking finding was that aerobic exercise led to a 42% reduction in myocardial fibrosis and a 35% improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in diabetic rats compared to their sedentary counterparts (p<0.001). These beneficial effects were largely abrogated when MOTS-c was inhibited, suggesting its critical role. Furthermore, exercise normalized several inflammatory markers, showing a 28% decrease in TNF-α and a 33% decrease in IL-6 levels (p<0.05).