Project R-9785

High-intensity interval training in diabetic cardiomyopathy: from molecular changes towards clinical benefits (Research)

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is defined as cardiac remodeling, related to diabetes, not directly attributable to other confounding factors such as coronary artery disease or hypertension. DCM is an important cause of death in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Unfortunately, effective medical treatment for DCM is lacking. To date, exercise training is a cornerstone in the treatment of T2DM without DCM due to its positive impact on blood glucose regulation, exercise tolerance and body composition. However, the impact of this intervention on blood glucose control and heart function in patients with DCM is unknown. Here, we propose to determine the cardiovascular effects in vivo and the molecular mechanisms in vitro of high-intensity interval training (HIT, successive bouts of short duration (1-4 min) at a high-intensity workload, alternated with small periods of active rest) and compare those to cardiac remodeling induced by moderate-intensity endurance training (MIT, current standard exercise training) in a rat model for T2DM with DCM. In the coming 4 years, we will investigate a new approach to rescue and prevent DCM without any pharmacological intervention, rending our project in itself, original, innovative and of societal importance as DCM is considered as an epidemic disease. In addition, we believe that the strength of our project lies on its high clinical relevance and translational nature, as it combines fundamental and clinical research.

01 October 2019 - 30 September 2023