Interactive effects of aerobic training and Crocin supplementation on some apoptosis markers in kidney tissue of rats exposed to doxorubicin

The use of doxorubicin for therapeutic purposes is associated with the occurrence of kidney disorders. However, this study aimed to investigate the interactive effects of aerobic training and Crocin supplementation on B-lymphocyte lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) in kidney tissue of rats exposed to doxorubicin.

40 male Wistar rats (age 8-10 weeks, weight 200-220 grams) were randomly divided to groups: (1) healthy control, (2) doxorubicin (2 mg/kg/day), (3) doxorubicin+training, (4) doxorubicin+crocin and (5) doxorubicin+exercise+crocin. Aerobic training was performed for eight weeks, three sessions a week (with an intensity of 60-70% of VO2max); and crocin was gavaged 50 mg/kg/day. To analyze the data, one-way analysis of variance with Tukey's post hoc test was used (P≥0.05).

Bax ​​and Bax/BCL2 ratio were lower in doxorubicin+crocin and doxorubicin+exercise+crocin groups and BCL2 values ​​were higher than doxorubicin group (P=0.001). Bax ​​and Bax/BCL2 ratio in doxorubicin+exercise group were lower than doxorubicin group (P=0.001). Bax ​​and Bax/BCL2 ratio were lower in doxorubicin+exercise+crocin group and BCL2 ​​was higher in this group than doxorubicin+crocin group (P=0.001). BCL2 ​​ in the doxorubicin+exercise+crocin group was higher and the Bax/BCL2 ratio in this group was lower than the doxorubicin+exercise group (P=0.001).

It seems that aerobic training with reduction of Bax and Crocin with increase of BCL2 have favorable effects on the inhibition of apoptosis in the kidney tissues of rats. But these two interventions have an interactive effect in inhibiting the apoptosis of kidney tissue following exposure to doxorubicin.