AIM To explore the improvement of myocardial injury in rats with high-fat diet through regulating mitochondrial ATP release by running.

METHODS Rats were randomly divided into Con group, HD group and AE group, 10 rats in each group. Rat cardiac functions (LVEF, LVFS, LVEDD, LVESD) and rat biochemical indexes (LDH, GPT activity and TG, TC content) were compared. Myocardial histopathological changes were detected by HE staining, rat ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential changes were detected and resitin and adiponectin expressions in myocardial tissue were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS Compared with those in Con group, LVEF and LVFS of the rats in HD group were significantly decreased, while LVEDD and LVESD were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with those in HD group, LVEF and LVFS of the rats in AE group were significantly increased while LVEDD and LVESD were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with those in Con group, the activities of LDH and GPT and the contents of TG and TC in the serum of the rats in HD group were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with those in Con group, the content of ATP, the number of normal myocardial cells and the percentage of cells with unreduced mitochondrial membrane potential in the myocardial tissue in HD group were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The content of ATP, the number of normal myocardial cells and the percentage of cells with no decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with those in Con group, the expression of resistin in the myocardial tissue in HD group was significantly increased and the expression of adiponectin was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The protein expression was significantly increased (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION Running can improve myocardial injury in rats with high-fat diet, which may play a protective role by increasing the release of mitochondrial ATP.