Changes in Cyclooxygenase Enzymes and Liver Tissue Antioxidants Following Aerobic Exercise and using Pineapple Extract in Mice with Skin Cancer

The aim of the present study was to study the changes in the expression of Cox-1 and Cox-2 genes in liver tissue and tumor volume after aerobic exercise and consumption of pineapple extract in mice with skin cancer.

This fundamental-laboratory study was conducted on 32 male C57BL/6 mice in four groups including control, aerobic exercise, pineapple extract and aerobic-pineapple exercise. After tumor induction, the animals underwent aerobic training program for six weeks and pineapple extract was gavage at 300mg/kg. The weight and tumor volume of mice were measured. After obtaining blood and tissue samples, expression of Cox-1 and Cox-2 genes in liver tissue was done by RT-PCR method. Then the data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance, two-factor analysis of variance and post hoc test, and the significance level of p≤0.05 was considered.

Compared to the control group, aerobic exercise and pineapple-exercise showed a significant decrease in tumor volume and a decrease in the expression of Cox-1 (0.59±0.97) and Cox-2 (0.5±0.4) gene expression in the aerobic-Pineapple compared to the control group (1±0) (p≤0.05). Cox1 gene expression increased significantly in the Aerobic exercise group, but a significant decrease was observed in the pineapple-Aerobic group. Also, Cox2 gene expression in the liver tissue in the exercise group Aerobic and interactive Aerobic-pineapple group had a significant decrease compared to the control, but in the pineapple group compared to the control, the difference in the expression of this gene was not significant.

The results of the present study showed that the expression of Cox 1 gene was significantly increased in the aerobic training group and significantly decreased in the pineapple-training group. Cox-2 gene expression in the liver tissue in the aerobic training group and the pineapple-training interactive group had a significant decrease compared to the control, because the Cox-2 enzyme is related to inflammation and pain, angiogenesis, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, it can be concluded that its inhibition or reduction can be considered as a promising and effective strategy for the treatment and prevention of cancer.