Comparative Effects of Continuous Aerobic Training and Interval Aerobic Training on Molecular Pathways of Apoptosis in the Prostate Tissue of Wistar Rats with Prostate Cancer

Moemeni Kharaji, Mohammad; Keshavarz, Saeed; Marvi Esfahani, Mahnaz; Eftekhari Gheinani, Elham

doi:10.22038/mjms.2026.97008.5332

Comparative Effects of Continuous Aerobic Training and Interval Aerobic Training on Molecular Pathways of Apoptosis in the Prostate Tissue of Wistar Rats with Prostate Cancer

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Mohammad Moemeni kharaji ¹

Saeed Keshavarz ²

Mahnaz Marvi Esfahani ³

Elham Eftekhari Gheinani ³

¹ Department of Sport Sciences, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, NajafAbad, Iran

² Department of Sport Sciences, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, NajafAbad, Iran. (Corresponding Author).

³ Department of Sport Sciences, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, NajafAbad, Iran.

10.22038/mjms.2026.97008.5332

Abstract

Prostate cancer is considered one of the major challenges in cancer physiology due to disruption in the balance between cell survival and cell death. Exercise training may act as a non-pharmacological intervention capable of influencing the molecular pathways involved in this process. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of continuous aerobic training and interval aerobic training on the molecular pathways of apoptosis in the prostate tissue of Wistar rats with prostate cancer. In this experimental study, 50 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups of 10 animals each: healthy control, sham, cancer without training, cancer + continuous aerobic training, and cancer + interval aerobic training. Following the induction of prostate cancer, the training groups performed treadmill exercise for 8 weeks, 5 sessions per week. Continuous aerobic training was performed at approximately 60% of maximal capacity, whereas interval aerobic training consisted of high-intensity bouts at 85–90% of maximal capacity interspersed with active recovery at 50–60%. At the end of the intervention, the expression levels of p53, Caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, and NF-κB genes in prostate tissue were assessed using real-time PCR, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was calculated. Data were analyzed using MANOVA, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey’s post hoc test in SPSS version 27. The findings showed that prostate cancer decreased p53, Caspase-3, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, while increasing NF-κB expression. Both types of aerobic training moderated these alterations;

Keywords

Prostate cancer

interval aerobic training

continuous aerobic training

apoptosis

NF-κB

Subjects