The Impact of Eight Weeks of Interval Training and Resveratrol Supplementation on Autophagy-Related Factors in Rat Cardiac Tissue

Background and aims: Autophagy plays a critical role in maintaining cellular balance under normal physiological conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of eight weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) combined with resveratrol intake on the cardiac expression levels of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) proteins in rats. Methods: The experimental design employed a post-test-only approach with a control group. Forty male Wistar rats aged 12–18 months were randomly divided into resveratrol, HIIT, control, and combined HIIT with resveratrol groups (n=10 per group). The exercise and supplementation interventions were conducted over eight weeks. One-way ANOVA was performed to evaluate differences among groups, followed by the Tukey post-hoc test to determine the specific sources of these differences. Results: Significantly higher levels of NRF2 were observed in the combined training and resveratrol group compared to the control group (P=0.001). The groups undergoing only HIIT or only resveratrol supplementation also showed elevated NRF2 expression in comparison to the control group (P=0.001 for both). Correspondingly, Keap1 protein levels were significantly reduced in the combined intervention group compared to controls (P=0.001), with similar reductions observed in the individual HIIT and resveratrol groups (P=0.001 and P=0.007, respectively). Conclusion: Considering that KEAP1 is an inhibitor of NRF2, our findings revealed that the amount of KEAP1 decreased following training and resveratrol consumption. Interval training and resveratrol consumption increased NRF2 by inhibiting the KEAP1 protein.