The effect of CGRP antagonist and exercise training on mitochondrial dynamics in the aorta of male rats

Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide (CGRP) is expressed in the cardiovascular system and demonstrates vasodilatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of exercise training and CGRP antagonism on the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial dynamics in the aorta. Forty-two male rats were randomly divided into six groups (n=7 each): 1) Control; 2) Endurance Training (ET); 3) High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT); 4) CGRP antagonist (CGRPi); 5) CGRPi-ET; and 6) CGRPi-HIIT. Protein expression was analyzed using Western blotting, while gene expression was quantified via real-time PCR. Both ET and HIIT significantly upregulated the protein levels of eNOS and the gene expression of Pgc-1 alpha, Bcl-2, Nrf-1, Sirt3, Parkin, and eNOS. The increase in Bcl-2 expression induced by ET was attenuated by CGRPi in the groups receiving the combination of CGRPi and ET (P = 0.02). While CGRP is recognized as a vasodilator, our results suggests that CGRPi does not affect eNOS expression, indicating that CGRP exerts vasodilatory effects through mechanisms other than eNOS in the aorta. Furthermore, CGRPi does not negatively affect genes associated with mitochondrial dynamics, indicating its potential safety for use in migraine treatment and other conditions.