AIMTo investigate the effects of exercise on JNK phosphorylation, protein and gene expression.

METHODSMale rats were randomly divided into control and trained groups. The trained rats were submitted to 1 h or 1.5 h of exercise daily and had a fragment of their excised gastrocenemius muscle, 24 h or 48 h after the last training session. The train lasted for 7 weeks. The changes in the expressions of JNK and p-JNK were determined by Western blotting. The expression of JNK mRNA was determined by RT-PCR.

RESULTSGlucose tolerance test found that blood insulin concentration was decreased with exercise training. Exercise led to a marked increase in p-JNK of trained groups 24 hours after exercise in rats that exercised for 1 hour per day and 24 and 48 hours after the exercise in those that exercised for 1.5 hours per day as compared with controls, and the protein expression of JNK significantly increased 24 and 48 hours after the exercise in rats that exercised for 1.5 hours per day. JNK mRNA was increased by exercise 1.5 h/d, 24 h after the last training session.

CONCLUSIONExercise could increase muscle responsiveness to insulin, improving the total JNK and p-JNK and mRNA expression.