RESEARCH ARTICLE
Effects of Swimming Exercise and Protein Intake on Growth Factors and Stress Hormones in Mice
Hanyi Ko1, Kyeonglae Kim1*, Taebeom Seo2
1Korea National University of Education
2Jeju National University
Correspondence to Kyeonglae Kim, silzzang@knue.ac.kr
Brain, Digital, & Learning. Volume 14, Number 3, 431–444, September 2024. https://doi.org/10.31216/BDL.20240024
Received on August 28, 2024, Revised on September 22, 2024, Accepted on September 24, 2024, Published on September 30, 2024.
Copyright © 2024. Institute of Brain based Education, Korea National University of Education This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
This study investigates the combined effects of protein intake and swimming exercise on the expression of key growth factors (BDNF, IGF-1, VEGF) and stress-related hormones (CRHBP, cortisol, epinephrine). Six-week-old ICR male mice were divided into four groups based on dietary and exercise interventions: Group 1 received a protein diet with exercise (PEG), Group 2 received a protein diet without exercise (PNEG), Group 3 was provided with a proteinfree diet with exercise (NPEG) and Group 4 was given a protein-free diet without exercise (NPNEG). After a 6-week experimental period, BDNF, IGF-1, and VEGF mRNA expression levels were analyzed using the Real-Time Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) method. In contrast, the levels of stress-related hormones were measured through ELISA. The results reveal significant impacts of dietary protein intake and swimming exercise on the expression of these critical markers. BDNF and IGF-1 levels were highest in PEG, highlighting the beneficial effects of combining protein intake with swimming exercise. VEGF expression also showed significant differences, particularly between PNEG and NPNEG, and PNEG and PEG. CRHBP, cortisol, and epinephrine levels varied significantly across groups, especially between those subjected to different dietary and exercise regimens. This suggests a strong interaction between protein intake and exercise in modulating stress responses. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that protein intake and swimming exercise synergistically influence the expression of growth factors and stress hormones in mice. These findings provide valuable insights into the physiological adaptations to diet and exercise in mammals, which could inform future research on optimizing dietary and exercise interventions for health and stress management.
Keywords
Swimming exercise, protein intake, growth factor, stress hormone, mouse