The Effect of Exercise Training and Probiotic Supplementation on TGF-β gene Expression and Liver Factors in Male Rats with Cholestasis

Modirrousta, Mitra; Irandoust, Khadijeh; Nabiuni, Mohammad; Mojgani, Naheed; Karimzadeh Bardeei, Latifeh

doi:10.22059/jsb.2025.398988.1681

The Effect of Exercise Training and Probiotic Supplementation on TGF-β gene Expression and Liver Factors in Male Rats with Cholestasis

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

mitra modirrousta ¹

khadijeh irandoust ¹

mohammad nabiuni ²

naheed mojgani ³

latifeh karimzadeh bardeei ⁴

¹ Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Social Science, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran

² Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

³ Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization_Alborz, Iran.

⁴ Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jsb.2025.398988.1681

Abstract

Introduction: Cholestasis is a chronic liver disease that is closely associated with an imbalance in the gut microbiota. Since exercise training is a potent mediator of lipolysis, it is an effective approach to prevent cholestasis-related damage. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of exercise training and probiotic supplementation on cholestatic liver.

Method: 30 male Wistar rats (230-250 g) were randomly divided to five groups: control, cholestasis, cholestasis with exercise training (3times/week), cholestasis with probiotic treatment (5times/week , 108 CFU/ml), and cholestasis subjected to both exercise training and probiotic treatment for a duration of three weeks. Liver tissue was harvested for histomorphometric studies, TGFβ gene expression and blood serum was collected for analysis. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test with a significance level of P<0.001.

Results: The results showed a significant decrease in the number of healthy hepatocytes and a significant increase in Kupffer cells, blood TBili and ALP levels, as well as an increase in TGFβ gene expression in the cholestasis group compared to the control (P<0.001). Exercise training and probiotic consumption alone or in synergic compensated for liver tissue damage and the number of hepatocytes, a decrease in the number of Kupffer cells and a decrease in the amount of ALP, TBili, and TGFβ gene expression in the treatment groups. (P<0.001)

Conclusion: it is possible that probiotics, combined with exercise or alone, could be used as a treatment protocol in patients with cholestasis by reducing the process of liver tissue damage.

Keywords

Cholestasis

Exercise training

Probiotic

TGF-β

Subjects