Aerobic Training and Green Tea Extract Protect against NMU-induced Prostate Cancer.

INTRODUCTION Aerobic training and green tea extract can be used to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of eight-week aerobic exercise training and administration of green tea extract on the level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and p53 tumor suppressor protein (p53) in prostate of rats which were stimulated by N-Methyl-N-nitrosourea (NMU) to induce the prostate cancer. METHODS 60 adult male Wistar rats were assigned into six groups including healthy control (HCt), cancer control (CCt), cancer training (CTr: 45 min/day at low-moderate intensity, 5 times/week, 8 weeks), cancer extract (CEx: 1.34 ml of green tea extract, 3 times/week, 8 weeks), cancer training+ cancer extract (CTr+CEx) and sham groups. Rats were sacrificed 48 hours after the last intervention session, and the prostate tissue was isolated to measure the levels of NF-kB, COX-2, and p53. RESULTS The NF- kB level in CCt group was increased significantly compared to the HCt (P=0.02). In the CTr group, NF-kB level was decreased significantly compared to the CCt and CEx groups (P=0.001 and 0.05, respectively). In addition, the levels of P53 protein were reduced in CTr, CEx and CTr+CEx groups compared to CCt group (P=0.001, 0.02 and 0.004, respectively). No significant changes were found in the level of COX-2 between groups. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that a long-term exercise training combined with the intake of green tea extract may reduce levels of NF-kB and p53 in rats with prostate cancer. Given the importance of recognizing complementary therapies in this regard, future studies are warranted.