Ethical consideration and feasibility demonstration of high-intensity interval training without the use of electrical shocks in mice with and without doxorubicin exposition

Maxime Caru; François Lalonde; Elise Legault; Daniel Curnier; David H St-Pierre; Alain Steve Comtois; François Tournoux

Ethical consideration and feasibility demonstration of high-intensity interval training without the use of electrical shocks in mice with and without doxorubicin exposition

Am J Cancer Res. 2019 Dec 1;9(12):2813-2820. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Maxime Caru^{1

2

3}, François Lalonde^{1

4

5}, Elise Legault^{4

5}, Daniel Curnier^{1

3

4}, David H St-Pierre^{3

5}, Alain Steve Comtois⁵, François Tournoux⁴

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Pathophysiology of EXercise (LPEX), School of Kinesiology and Physical Activity Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
² Laboratoire EA 4430 - Clinique Psychanalyse Developpement (CliPsyD), Department of Psychology, University of Paris Nanterre Nanterre, Ile-de-France, France.
³ Sainte-Justine University Health Center, Research Center Montreal, Canada.
⁴ University Hospital of Montreal, Research Center Montreal, Canada.
⁵ Department of Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal Montréal, Canada.

PMID: 31911864
PMCID: PMC6943355

Abstract

Introduction: Most protocols intended to stimulate cardiovascular training in mice use electrical shocks that cause psychological stress and interfere with running performance. The aim of this study was to: 1) demonstrate the feasibility of a two-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program without the use of electric shocks in mice and 2) show that HIIT without electric shocks is feasible in the specific context of mice exposed to chemotherapy (i.e., doxorubicin).

Methods: Ten C57bl/6 6-week-old female mice underwent a maximal exercise capacity test before and after two weeks of HIIT (five sessions per week) to measure their maximum running speed. The electrical stimulus was substituted by gently lifting the hind legs of the training mice using a tongue depressor. A second sample of ten C57bl/6 10-week-old female mice receiving a single intravenous injection of 20 mg/kg of doxorubicin underwent a single session of HIIT post-DOX using the same gentle stimulation method.

Results: After two weeks of HIIT without the use of electric shocks, non-treated mice had a significant increase in their maximal speed (4.4 m•min^-1; P = 0.019). In DOX-treated mice, the compliance rate to run went from 100% during the acclimation period prior to doxorubicin treatment to 100% when HIIT was performed after the DOX treatment. Doxorubicin treatment seemed to affect exercise compliance in DOX-treated mice. Our study demonstrated that a two-week HIIT program in non-treated mice and a single HIIT session in DOX-treated mice are feasible.

Conclusion: The use of electric shocks was not required to obtain acceptable exercise compliance and a significant change in mice physical capacity. Our technique to perform a treadmill maximal exercise capacity test was shown to be feasible, even in specific pathological conditions like chemotherapy infusion, and could become a reference for future research protocols aimed at reducing the impact of psychological stress caused by electric shocks in mice. This model of exercise training in mice introduces an alternative to ethical conduct standards in animal research.

Keywords: Exercise; animal ethics; doxorubicin; exercise testing; high-intensity interval training.

Publication types

Editorial