Iranian Journal of

Background: Myokines released from skeletal muscle have multiple metabolic and hypertrophic effects. On the other hand, one of proposed pathways for effects of exercise training on metabolic diseases is calcineurin signaling pathway. With considering to relation between interleukin-6 (IL-6) and calcineurin, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether the resistance training has an effect on mRNA expression of IL-6 myokine and regulator of calcineurin 1(RCAN-1) in skeletal muscle of diabetic rats.

Methods: Thirty two Rats randomly were divided into the control, training, diabetic control and diabetic training groups. Diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Training groups performed the 17 sessions of resistance training. The IL-6 and RCAN-1 mRNA expression were measured in Soleus skeletal muscle using the Real-time PCR method. Two-way analysis variance was used for statistical analysis. Also, Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Results: The results of this study showed that the mRNA expression of RCAN-1 was increased with resistance training in skeletal muscle of training groups (P<0.05). Also, diabetes was decreased expression of RCAN-1 in skeletal muscle of diabetic groups (P<0.001). Moreover, resistance training was increased mRNA expression of IL-6 in skeletal muscle (P=0.08).

Conclusion: With considering to our results, resistance training with direct effects on skeletal muscle could regulate calcineurin pathway in diabetes and concurrent increase in expression of IL-6 myokine. It seems that activation of this signaling pathway with resistance training could maintain skeletal muscle mass in diabetes.