ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Proto-oncogene c-Src plays an important role in regulating cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. At present, there were no studies concerning exercise intervention effects on c-Src expression in aortic endothelial cels so as to regulate hypertension. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of aerobic exercise on c-Src mRNA expression and c-Src activity in the aorta blood vessel endothelial cels of spontaneous hypertensive rats. METHODS: A total of 8 male Wistar rats were considered as normal control group. Sixteen spontaneous hypertensive rats were randomly assigned to 8 rats as spontaneous hypertension group and 8 rats as spontaneous hypertension exercise group. Rats in the spontaneous hypertension exercise group carried on 90 minutes unloaded aerobic swimming every day, 6 days a week, for 8 weeks. The rats in the normal control group and spontaneous hypertension group did not swim. Blood pressure of rats was measured once a week. 8 weeks later, the c-Src mRNA expression and c-Src activity were determined in aortic vascular endothelial cels of rats in each group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with spontaneous hypertension group, blood pressure was lower, but c-Src mRNA expression and c-Src activity were significantly higher in the spontaneous hypertension exercise group. The c-Src activity and c-Src mRNA expression were higher in the spontaneous hypertension exercise group than normal control group and spontaneous hypertension group (P < 0.01). Results indicated that aerobic exercise can promote the increase in c-Src activity and c-Src mRNA expression in aortic endothelial cels of spontaneous hypertensive rats.