Increased gene expression of selected vesicular and glial glutamate transporters in the frontal cortex in rats exposed to voluntary wheel running.

Though positive effects of exercise on mood and well being are well recognised, the central regulatory mechanisms are still not fully understood. The present study was aimed to testing the hypothesis that voluntary wheel running activates the gene expression of glutamate transporters in the brain cortex of rats. The animals were assigned to the control and voluntary wheel running groups. Voluntary wheel running rats had free access to a stainless steel activity wheel for 3 weeks. The daily running distance gradually increased to 6.21 ± 1.05 km by day 21. Vesicular glutamate transporter 3 (VGLUT3) mRNA levels in the frontal cortex were significantly elevated in the group of running animals compared to the values in sedentary controls, while the expression of other vesicular transporters were unchanged. The concentrations of mRNA coding for glial glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1), but not glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST) were increased by running. Voluntary wheel running resulted in an elevation of plasma corticosterone and increased expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the frontal cortex. In conclusion, chronic voluntary wheel running results in increased gene expression of VGLUT3 and GLT-1 in the brain cortex without changes in other glutamate transporter subtypes.