Zadeh Hanzaleh Jafari, Roholamini Zahrasadat, Aminizadeh Soheil, Deh-Ahmadi Maedeh Amiri
Department of Motor Behavior, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Isfahan-Khorasgan Branch, Isfahan, Iran.
Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
J Clin Transl Res. 2022 Dec 13;9(1):1-7. eCollection 2023 Feb 25.
The hippocampus has a key role in memory and learning, which means that this brain structure has high-energy demand. Accordingly, mitochondrial dysfunction in the hippocampus has deleterious effects on brain function. MitoQ is an antioxidant that accumulates selectively in mitochondria at high concentration. In this study, the effect of MitoQ alone and in combination with endurance training (ET) was investigated on spatial memory (distance, time, and number of passes in the target quarter), antioxidant status (superoxide dismutase [SOD] and glutathione peroxidase [GPx]), and neurogenic factor levels (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] and brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF]) in male Wistar rats.
Rats were assigned to a control (CTL) group, ET group, ET+MitoQ group, and a MitoQ group. Rats were trained on a treadmill for 8 weeks, 5 days/week, and 50 min/day. MitoQ (250 μM daily) was administered through drinking water for 8 weeks. Spatial memory (Morris water maze test), gene expression (real-time PCR), protein expression (Western blotting), and antioxidants (ELISA method) were determined.
Distance and number of passes in the target quarter in the ET, MitoQ, and ET+MitoQ groups were higher than in the CTL group (=0.001). MitoQ+ET had more impact on the abovementioned indices than MitoQ or ET alone. Simultaneous use of MitoQ and ET significantly increased gene and protein expression of VEGF (=0.0001) and gene expression of BDNF (=0.004) and Sestrin 2 () (=0.0001) in hippocampal tissue. The expression of VEGF (=0.007) and SESN2 (=0.001) was higher in the MitoQ group compared to the CTL group. Tissue GPx levels were increased following all three interventions (≤0.013) compared to the CTL group while SOD levels remained unchanged in all groups.
The combination of ET and MitoQ has additive effects on spatial memory in rats by modulating parameters that are involved in hippocampal neurogenesis. In addition, MitoQ may have positive effects on the antioxidant defense by improving GPx activity.
Considering the positive effects of MitoQ on improving the memory and the antioxidant defense, it seems that it can play a positive role in improving the diseases associated with memory loss in the long term, and ET along with this supplement can increase the possible positive effects.
海马体在记忆和学习中起关键作用，这意味着该脑结构对能量需求很高。因此，海马体中的线粒体功能障碍会对脑功能产生有害影响。MitoQ是一种抗氧化剂，能以高浓度选择性地在线粒体中蓄积。在本研究中，研究了单独使用MitoQ以及将其与耐力训练（ET）联合使用对雄性Wistar大鼠空间记忆（在目标象限的距离、时间和通过次数）、抗氧化状态（超氧化物歧化酶[SOD]和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶[GPx]）以及神经源性因子水平（血管内皮生长因子[VEGF]和脑源性神经营养因子[BDNF]）的影响。
将大鼠分为对照组（CTL）、ET组、ET + MitoQ组和MitoQ组。大鼠在跑步机上训练8周，每周5天，每天50分钟。通过饮水给予MitoQ（每日250μM），持续8周。测定空间记忆（莫里斯水迷宫试验）、基因表达（实时PCR）、蛋白质表达（蛋白质印迹法）和抗氧化剂（酶联免疫吸附测定法）。
ET组、MitoQ组和ET + MitoQ组在目标象限的距离和通过次数均高于CTL组（P = 0.001）。MitoQ + ET对上述指标的影响大于单独使用MitoQ或ET。同时使用MitoQ和ET可显著增加海马组织中VEGF的基因和蛋白质表达（P = 0.0001）、BDNF的基因表达（P = 0.004）和Sestrin 2的基因表达（P = 0.0001）。与CTL组相比，MitoQ组中VEGF（P = 0.007）和SESN2（P = 0.001）的表达更高。与CTL组相比，所有三种干预后组织GPx水平均升高（P≤0.013），而所有组中SOD水平均保持不变。
ET和MitoQ联合使用通过调节参与海马体神经发生的参数，对大鼠空间记忆具有累加效应。此外，MitoQ可能通过提高GPx活性对抗氧化防御产生积极影响。
考虑到MitoQ对改善记忆和抗氧化防御的积极作用，长期来看它似乎可以在改善与记忆丧失相关的疾病中发挥积极作用，并且ET与这种补充剂一起可以增加可能的积极效果。
