Animal exercise studies in cardiovascular research: Current knowledge and optimal design-A position paper of the Committee on Cardiac Rehabilitation, Chinese Medical Doctors' Association

Yihua Bei¹, Lei Wang², Rongjing Ding³, Lin Che⁴, Zhiqing Fan⁵, Wei Gao⁶, Qi Liang⁷, Shenghui Lin⁸, Suixin Liu⁹, Xiao Lu¹⁰, Yuqin Shen⁴, Guifu Wu¹¹, Jian Yang¹², Guolin Zhang¹³, Wei Zhao⁶, Lan Guo¹⁴, Junjie Xiao¹⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University, Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong 226011, China; Cardiac Regeneration and Ageing Lab, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Life Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
² Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
³ Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China.
⁴ Department of Cardiology, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China.
⁵ Department of Cardiology, Daqing Oilfield General Hospital, Daqing 163000, China.
⁶ Department of Cardiology and Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Beijing 100191, China.
⁷ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
⁸ School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China.
⁹ Division of Cardiac Rehabilitation, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
¹⁰ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
¹¹ Department of Cardiology, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China; Guangdong Innovative Engineering and Technology Research Center for Assisted Circulation, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
¹² Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai 200031, China.
¹³ Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China.
¹⁴ Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China. Electronic address: guolan1993@126.com.
¹⁵ Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University, Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong 226011, China; Cardiac Regeneration and Ageing Lab, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Life Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China. Electronic address: junjiexiao@shu.edu.cn.

PMID: 34454088
PMCID: PMC8724626
DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2021.08.002

Animal exercise studies in cardiovascular research: Current knowledge and optimal design-A position paper of the Committee on Cardiac Rehabilitation, Chinese Medical Doctors' Association

Yihua Bei et al. J Sport Health Sci. 2021 Dec.

. 2021 Dec;10(6):660-674.

doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2021.08.002. Epub 2021 Aug 25.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University, Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong 226011, China; Cardiac Regeneration and Ageing Lab, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Life Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
² Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
³ Department of Cardiology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China.
⁴ Department of Cardiology, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China.
⁵ Department of Cardiology, Daqing Oilfield General Hospital, Daqing 163000, China.
⁶ Department of Cardiology and Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Molecular Biology and Regulatory Peptides, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Receptors Research, Beijing 100191, China.
⁷ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
⁸ School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China.
⁹ Division of Cardiac Rehabilitation, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
¹⁰ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
¹¹ Department of Cardiology, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China; Guangdong Innovative Engineering and Technology Research Center for Assisted Circulation, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
¹² Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai 200031, China.
¹³ Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China.
¹⁴ Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China. Electronic address: guolan1993@126.com.
¹⁵ Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University, Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Nantong 226011, China; Cardiac Regeneration and Ageing Lab, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Life Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China. Electronic address: junjiexiao@shu.edu.cn.

PMID: 34454088
PMCID: PMC8724626
DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2021.08.002

Abstract

Growing evidence has demonstrated exercise as an effective way to promote cardiovascular health and protect against cardiovascular diseases However, the underlying mechanisms of the beneficial effects of exercise have yet to be elucidated. Animal exercise studies are widely used to investigate the key mechanisms of exercise-induced cardiovascular protection. However, standardized procedures and well-established evaluation indicators for animal exercise models are needed to guide researchers in carrying out effective, high-quality animal studies using exercise to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases. In our review, we present the commonly used animal exercise models in cardiovascular research and propose a set of standard procedures for exercise training, emphasizing the appropriate measurements and analysis in these chronic exercise models. We also provide recommendations for optimal design of animal exercise studies in cardiovascular research, including the choice of exercise models, control of exercise protocols, exercise at different stages of disease, and other considerations, such as age, sex, and genetic background. We hope that this position paper will promote basic research on exercise-induced cardiovascular protection and pave the way for successful translation of exercise studies from bench to bedside in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: Animal studies; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular research; Exercise; Exercise models.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Image, graphical abstract — **Graphical abstract**

Fig 1 — **Fig. 1**
Animal exercise models commonly used in cardiovascular research. Model establishment and assessment of exercise for treadmill running, voluntary wheel running, swimming exercise, and resistance exercise.

Fig 2 — **Fig. 2**
Optimal design of animal studies in cardiovascular research. CVD = cardiovascular disease; I/R = ischemia-reperfusion; VO_2max = maximal oxygen uptake.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Animal exercise studies in cardiovascular research: Current knowledge and optimal design-A position paper of the Committee on Cardiac Rehabilitation, Chinese Medical Doctors' Association

Affiliations

Animal exercise studies in cardiovascular research: Current knowledge and optimal design-A position paper of the Committee on Cardiac Rehabilitation, Chinese Medical Doctors' Association

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

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