Resistance exercise training increase activation of AKT-eNOS and Ref-1 expression by FOXO-1 activation in aorta of F344 rats.

This study investigated the effects of resistance exercise on the Akt-eNOS, the activation of antioxidant protein and FOXO1 in the aorta of F344 rats.Male 7 week-old F344 rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: a climbing group (n = 6) and a sedentary group (n = 6). H&E staining and western blotting were used to analyze the rat aortas and target proteins.Resistance exercise training did not significantly affect aortic structure. Phosphorylation of AKT and eNOS and expression of MnSOD and Ref-1 were significantly increased while FOXO1 phosphorylation was significantly decreased in the resistance exercise group compared with the sedentary group.We demonstrate that resistance exercise activates the Akt-eNOS and Ref-1 protein without changes to aortic thickness via FOXO-1 activation in the aorta of F344 rats.