title: Muscle NT-3 levels increased by exercise training contribute to the             improvement in caudal nerve conduction velocity in diabetic rats.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to explore the role of exercise in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and the mechanisms involved. For this purpose, 31 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The rats were assigned to 5 groups: diabetic rats subjected to exercise training (swimming) for 8 weeks (D-Ex1 group), diabetic rats subjected to exercise training for 4 weeks after 4 weeks of being sedentary (D-Ex2 group), diabetic rats which remained sedentary for 8 weeks (D-Sed group), control rats subjected to exercise training for 8 weeks (C-Ex1 group) and control rats which remained sedentary for 8 weeks (C-Sed group). Blood glucose levels and caudal nerve conduction velocity (NCV) were evaluated at 0 (baseline), 28 (4 weeks) and 56 days (8 weeks) after the induction of diabetes. The levels of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in skeletal muscle were measured by ELISA at the end of the experiment. Blood glucose levels in the D-Ex1 group rats decreased significantly after 8 weeks of exercise. The caudal NCV markedly decreased in all diabetic rats and significantly increased after 4 or 8 weeks of exercise training. Muscle NT-3 levels were significantly lower in the D-Sed compared to the 4 other groups. Muscle NT-3 levels positively correlated with caudal NCV. In conclusion, swimming training has a beneficial effect on DPN and muscle NT-3 levels, which could help improve caudal NCV in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Jiangsu Lake Taihu Cadres Sanatorium of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital Group, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214086, PR China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhenhai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yawen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhongli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001835:Body Weight; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009431:Neural Conduction; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D020933:Neurotrophin 3