Despite its negative effect on the cardiovascular system, waterpipe smoking (WPS) is currently popular worldwide, especially among youth. This study investigated the effects of moderate endurance exercise on heart function of rats exposed to WPS and its possible mechanism. The animals were randomly divided into four groups: control group (CTL), the exercise group (Ex) which trained for 8 weeks, the waterpipe tobacco smoking group (S) exposed to smoke inhalation (30 min per day, 5 days each week, for 8 weeks), and the group that did exercise training and received waterpipe tobacco smoke inhalation together (Ex + S). One day after the last session of Ex and WPS, cardiac pressures and functional indices were recorded and calculated. The levels of SIRT1, SIRT3, Klotho, Bax, and Bcl-2 in the serum and heart, the expression of phosphorylated GSK3β of heart tissue, and cardiac histopathological changes were assessed. WPS reduced systolic pressure, +dP/dt max, -dP/dt max, and heart contractility indices (P < 0.001 vs. CTL) and increased cardiac tissue lesions (P < 0.05 vs. CTL) and end diastolic pressure and Tau index (P < 0.001 vs. CTL) of the left ventricle. Exercise training normalized the left ventricular end diastolic pressure, +dP/dt max, and contractility index. Also, exercise improved the levels of SIRT1, SIRT3, Klotho, and Bcl-2 and reduced Bax level in the heart. The findings showed that WPS causes left ventricular dysfunction. Moderate exercise prevented WPS-induced heart dysfunction partly through its anti-apoptotic features and activation of the sirtuins and Klotho pathways.

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Introduction The increasing prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) and its detrimental effects on memory function have been reported. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of moderate-intensity endurance exercise on the detrimental effects of WTS on learning and spatial memory in rats. Methods Animals were divided into: control group (CTL), the exercise group (Ex) which trained for 8 weeks, the waterpipe tobacco smoking group (Wp) exposed to smoke inhalation (30 min per day, 5 days each week, for 8 weeks), and the group that did exercise training and received waterpipe smoke together (Ex + Wp). Thereafter, learning and spatial memory were assessed by Morris water maze test and hippocampal molecular measurements were done. Results Waterpipe smoke significantly impaired learning and spatial memory, decreased expression of neurotrophic factors IGF-1 and BDNF (P<0.01 and P<0.05 vs. CTL group, respectively), increased BAX /BCL-2 ratio (P<0.001 vs. CTL group) in hippocampal tissue, and increased the percent of damaged neurons in the hippocampal CA1 area (P<0.05 vs. CTL group). Combination of exercise training with WTS prevented learning and spatial memory disturbances and recovered expression of neurotrophic factors IGF-1 (P<0.05 vs. Wp group), decreased BAX/ BCL-2 ratio (P<0.001 vs. Wp group), and reduced percentage of damaged neurons (P<0.05 vs. Wp group). Conclusion Findings suggest that moderate-intensity endurance exercise training can ameliorate learning and memory impairment caused by waterpipe smoke in rats. This effect partly results from increasing the expression of neurotrophic factors BDNF and IGF-1 and correcting pro/anti-apoptotic proteins balance in the hippocampal tissue. Implications Popularity of waterpipe tobacco smoking especially in youth is increasing. We assessed the effect of hookah smoke with/without exercise on learning and memory. Hookah smoke leads to CA1-neural injury and impairs learning and memory in rats. A combination of exercise training with hookah smoke attenuates these complications. This positive effect of exercise is partially mediated by the balancing of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and also the BAX / BCL-2 ratio, a significant predictor of cell susceptibility to apoptosis. Extrapolation of these positive findings to humans needs complementary studies.

BackgroundEstrogen has a protective effect on acute kidney injury (AKI). In addition, reducing daily calorie intake prevents disease. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of calorie restriction (CR) and time restriction (TR) diets on the expression of SIRT1, TGF-β1 and other indicators in the presence or absence of Ovaries in female rats with AKI.MethodsFemale rats were divided into two groups of resected ovaries (OVX) and sham and were subjected to CR and TR diets for eight weeks. AKI was then induced by glycerol injection and renal injury indices and biochemical parameters were measured before and after AKI.ResultsAfter AKI, the levels of urine albumin excretion rate, urea, and creatinine in serum, and TGF-β1 increased, while GFR and SIRT1 decreased in kidney tissue. CR improved kidney indicators and caused a reduction in TGF-β1 and an increase in SIRT1 in ovary-intact rats. Moreover, CR prevented TAC decrease and MDA increase resulting from AKI. Before AKI, an increase in body weight, fasting blood sugar (FBS), LDL, TG, and TC and a decrease in HDL were observed in OVX rats compared to sham rats, but CR prevented these changes. The effects of TR were similar to those of CR in all indicators except for TGF-β1, SIRT1, urea, creatinine, and albumin. ConclusionThis study showed that CR diet is more effective than TR diet in preventing AKI by increasing SIRT1 and reducing TGF-β1 in ovary-intact animals.