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Combined Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Cannabidiol Supplementation on Prostate mTOR Gene Expression and Oxidative Stress Markers in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Male Rats
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M Hafezi Eirdmousa1   , M Gholami2 , H Parsian3 , H Abed-Natanzi1 |
1- Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran , m.gholami@srbiau.ac.ir
3- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahr-E- Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. |
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Abstract: (1725 Views) |
Background & aim: Obesity is a well-established risk factor for prostate cancer, potentially mediated through oxidative stress and dysregulation of the mTOR signaling pathway. While aerobic exercise and phytochemicals like cannabidiol (CBD) are known to mitigate these risks, their combined therapeutic efficacy remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 6-week moderate-intensity aerobic exercise protocol and CBD supplementation on prostate mTOR gene expression and serum antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and GPX) in male rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD).
Methods: Forty male Wistar rats (240±20 g) were randomly assigned to five groups (n=8): 1) Healthy Control (standard diet); 2) HFD Control; 3) HFD + Exercise (Exe); 4) HFD + CBD (Sup); and 5) HFD + Exercise + CBD (Exe+Sup). CBD was administered orally (100 mg/kg) five days per week for six weeks. The exercise group underwent treadmill running (60 min/day, 5 days/week) for the same duration. Following the 6-week intervention, prostate tissues and blood samples were collected. Prostate mTOR gene expression was quantified using Real-Time PCR, and serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities were measured via ELISA kits.
Results: Prostate mTOR expression was significantly downregulated in the Sup (p=0.023) and Exe+Sup (p=0.019) groups compared to the HFD Control group. Conversely, serum SOD and GPX activities were significantly reduced in the HFD Control group relative to the Healthy Control (p<0.001). All intervention groups (Exe, Sup, and Exe+Sup) demonstrated a significant restoration of SOD and GPX activities compared to the HFD Control group (p<0.05). Notably, the combination of exercise and CBD showed the most pronounced effects on antioxidant markers.
Conclusion: The combined intervention of aerobic exercise and CBD supplementation effectively downregulated prostate mTOR gene expression and enhanced systemic antioxidant defenses in obese rats. These findings suggest that this dual approach may offer a synergistic protective effect against obesity-induced prostatic oxidative stress and carcinogenesis-related signaling pathways.
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| Keywords: Cannabidiol, Aerobic Exercise, mTOR Signaling, Oxidative Stress, Prostate Health, High-Fat Diet, Obesity |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Sport Physiology
Received: 2025/09/8 | Accepted: 2025/11/26 | Published: 2025/11/29
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