The effect of eight weeks of resistance training and Spirulina platensis supplementation on the signaling pathway of Wnt-GSK3β-TSC2-S6K in the kidney tissue of male rats

     Wnt signaling is one of the most important signaling pathways involved in resistance training, which has a great molecular impact on the evolutionary path of kidney tissue. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of resistance training with spirulina supplementation on Wnt/GSK-3β/TSC2/S6K signaling pathway in the kidney tissue of male rats. In the experimental design, 32 young male rats at 3 months of age and an average weight of 150±20 grams were randomly divided into four groups: control, resistance exercise, spirulina supplement, and exercise+supplement. The resistance training groups performed the resistance exercise of climbing a ladder for eight weeks and 5 sessions per week (3 sets and 5 repetitions, 1-minute rest between repetitions and 2 minutes between sets). The intensity was 30% of the body weight in the first week and reached 100% in the final week. Spirulina in the amount of 200 mg/kg/day was added to the water of the supplementary groups. 24 hours after the last training session, kidney tissue was removed and the expression level of the dependent variables was measured using the REAL TIME-PCR method. Cross-sectional analysis of variance was used to analyze the data at a significant level of 0.05. Changes in Wnt, GSK-3β and TSC2 gene expression were not significant in any of the groups compared to the control group (P≥0.05). In the interactive group of resistance exercise and Spirulina supplement, a significant increase in S6K gene expression was observed in comparison with the control group (P=0.017, F=6.511). Considering the lack of effect of Spirulina supplement on Wnt signaling, it seems that the use of spirulina does not have a negative effect on the kidney tissue, although due to the limited research, more investigations especially in the kidney patients are recommended.