High-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training alleviate vascular dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats through the inhibition of pyroptosis

Figures

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  Fig. 1. Effects of MICT and HIIT on body weight, heart rate, and blood pressure in SHR. The WKY group, SHR group, SHR-MICT group, and SHR-HIIT group underwent treadmill training with varying intensities and methods for 12 weeks. Changes in body weight were recorded (A). ∗P < 0.05 indicates a significant difference between SHR-MICT and SHR-HIIT. (B) Heart rate, (C) systolic blood pressure, (D) diastolic blood pressure, and (E) mean arterial pressure were measured using the tail-cuff method before exercise (1st week) and after 12 weeks of exercise. ∗P < 0.05 denotes a significant difference between pre-exercise and post-exercise measurements.

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  Fig. 2. Effects of MICT and HIIT on vascular structure, p-eNOS, eNOS, iNOS levels, and ACh-induced relaxation of aortas in SHR. WKY, SHR, SHR-MICT, and SHR-HIIT rats underwent 12 weeks of treadmill training with varying intensities and methods. Representative hematoxylin and eosin-stained (HE) images of the aortas in each group were presented (A). The intima media thickness values were quantified using ImageJ software. The protein expression of p-eNOS, eNOS, iNOS in aortas were determined by Western blot (B), ACh-induced relaxation of aortas was measured by vascular reactivity experiment (C), vascular function was represented with Emax and -logEC50. ∗P < 0.05 (WKY vs. SHR), #P < 0.05 (SHR-MICT, SHR-HIIT vs. SHR), &P < 0.05 (SHR-MICT vs. SHR-HIIT).

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  Fig. 3. Effects of MICT and HIIT on Oxidative Stress in SHR. WKY, SHR, SHR-MICT, and SHR-HIIT rats underwent 12 weeks of treadmill training at varying intensities. (A) Serum levels of SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT were measured across all groups. (B) Western blot analysis was used to assess MnSOD and NOX4 protein levels in the aorta. (C) DHE fluorescence intensity and (D) 8-OHdG expression levels in aortas were evaluated using immunofluorescence. ∗P < 0.05 (WKY vs. SHR), #P < 0.05 (SHR-MICT, SHR-HIIT vs. SHR), &P < 0.05 (SHR-MICT vs. SHR-HIIT).

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  Fig. 4. Effects of MICT and HIIT on Inflammasome and Pyroptosis-Related Proteins in the Aortas of SHR. WKY, SHR, SHR-MICT, and SHR-HIIT rats underwent 12 weeks of treadmill training with varying intensities and methods. (A) Western blot analysis was used to measure the protein expression of AIM2, NLRP1, NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, and GSDMD in aortas. (B) Immunofluorescence was employed to assess the expression and localization of NLRP3 in aortas. ∗P < 0.05 (WKY vs. SHR), #P < 0.05 (SHR-MICT, SHR-HIIT vs SHR).

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  Fig. 5. Effects of MICT and HIIT on p-AMPKα, SIRT1, and SIRT3 Expression in the Aortas of SHR. WKY, SHR, SHR-MICT, and SHR-HIIT rats underwent 12 weeks of treadmill training with varying intensities. Western blot analysis was used to determine the protein expression of p-AMPKα, SIRT1, and SIRT3 in aortas. ∗P < 0.05 (WKY vs. SHR), #P < 0.05 (SHR-MICT, SHR-HIIT vs. SHR), &P < 0.05 (SHR-MICT vs. SHR-HIIT).