Efeitos da ovariectomia, do treinamento resistido e da terapia de reposição hormonal sobre a expressão gênica de marcadores da biogênese mitocondrial em cérebro de ratas

Abstract

Decreased levels of estrogen are associated with a decline in brain bioenergetics, which could be associated with a decrease in mitochondrial biogenesis (MB). Endurance training (ET) has been shown to increase markers of MB within the brain. However, the molecular events associated with this process were only investigated for ET but not for resistance training (RT) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). In the study, we attempted to investigate the effects of ovariectomy (Ovx), RT and HRT on markers of MB (mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator - activated receptor - γ coactivator 1 (PGC - 1α), nuclear respiratory fator- 1 (NRF - 1), and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM)) in specific brain regions, cortex (CX), hippocampus (HC), and hypothalamus (HT) in rats. Sprague - Dawley adult female rats were grouped into six groups: sham - operated sedentary (Sham - Sed); Ovx - Sed; Sham - RT; Ovx - RT; Ovx – Sed - HRT and Ovx - RT - HRT. The animals in HRT groups received subcut aneously implanted silastic capsules with a solution of 180 μg 17β - estradiol/ml sunflower oil. A 12- week RT period, during which the animals climbed a 1.1 - m vertical ladder with weights attached to their tails, was used. The sessions were performed once every 3 days, with 4 - 9 climbs. Gene expression was analyzed by RT - PCR by the ∆∆Ct method. The Ovx decreased the gene expression of molecules related to BM, PGC - 1α (28%), NRF - 1 (29%) and TFAM (20%) in the HC. These Ovx - induced lower gene expressions were totally restored in this structure by RT. RT increased the markers of MB, PGC - 1a (~33%), NRF - 1 (~31%) and TFAM (~44%) in CX, HC and HT. These findings suggest that OVX decreases brain MB, in our data observed in HC, and RT increases brain MB, which may have important implications with respect to various central nervous system diseases and age - related dementia that are often characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction. Stimulation or enhancement of mitochondrial biogenesis may prove a novel neuroprotective strategy in the future.