Physical exercise mitigates doxorubicin-induced brain cortex and cerebellum mitochondrial alterations and cellular quality control signaling.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly effective anti-neoplastic agent, whose clinical use is limited by a dose-dependent mitochondrial toxicity in non-target tissues, including the brain. Here we analyzed the effects of distinct exercise modalities (12-week endurance treadmill-TM or voluntary free-wheel activity-FW) performed before and during sub-chronic DOX treatment on brain cortex and cerebellum mitochondrial bioenergetics, oxidative stress, permeability transition pore (mPTP), and proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, apoptosis and auto(mito)phagy. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into saline-sedentary (SAL+SED), DOX-sedentary (DOX+SED; 7-week DOX (2 mg · kg(-1)per week)), DOX+TM and DOX+FW. Animal behavior and post-sacrifice mitochondrial function were assessed. Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) subunits, oxidative stress markers or related proteins (SIRT3, p66shc, UCP2, carbonyls, MDA, -SH, aconitase, Mn-SOD), as well as proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC1α and TFAM) were evaluated. Apoptotic signaling was followed through caspases 3, 8 and 9-like activities, Bax, Bcl2, CypD, ANT and cofilin expression. Mitochondrial dynamics (Mfn1, Mfn2, OPA1 and DRP1) and auto(mito)phagy (LC3II, Beclin1, Pink1, Parkin and p62)-related proteins were measured by semi-quantitative Western blotting. DOX impaired behavioral performance, mitochondrial function, including lower resistance to mPTP and increased apoptotic signaling, decreased the content in OXPHOS complex subunits and increased oxidative stress in brain cortex and cerebellum. Molecular markers of mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics and autophagy were also altered by DOX treatment in both brain subareas. Generally, TM and FW were able to mitigate DOX-related impairments in brain cortex and cerebellum mitochondrial activity, mPTP and apoptotic signaling. We conclude that the alterations in mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics and autophagy markers induced by exercise performed before and during treatment may contribute to the observed protective brain cortex and cerebellum mitochondrial phenotype, which is more resistant to oxidative damage and apoptotic signaling in sub-chronically DOX treated animals.

Physical exercise improves brain cortex and cerebellum mitochondrial bioenergetics and alters apoptotic, dynamic and auto(mito)phagy markers.

We here investigate the effects of two exercise modalities (endurance treadmill training-TM and voluntary free-wheel activity-FW) on the brain cortex and cerebellum mitochondrial bioenergetics, permeability transition pore (mPTP), oxidative stress, as well as on proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, apoptosis, and quality control. Eighteen male rats were assigned to sedentary-SED, TM and FW groups. Behavioral alterations and ex vivo brain mitochondrial function endpoints were assessed. Proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS, including the adenine nucleotide translocator), oxidative stress markers and regulatory proteins (SIRT3, p66shc, UCP2, carbonyls, MDA, -SH, aconitase, Mn-SOD), as well as proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC1α, TFAM) were evaluated. Apoptotic signaling was measured through quantifying caspase 3, 8 and 9-like activities, Bax, Bcl2, CypD, and cofilin expression. Mitochondrial dynamics (Mfn1/2, OPA1 and DRP1) and auto(mito)phagy (LC3II, Beclin1, Pink1, Parkin, p62)-related proteins were also measured by Western blotting. Only the TM exercise group showed increased spontaneous alternation and exploratory activity. Both exercise regimens improved mitochondrial respiratory activity, increased OXPHOS complexes I, III and V subunits in both brain subareas and decreased oxidative stress markers. Increased resistance to mPTP and decreased apoptotic signaling were observed in the brain cortex from TM and in the cerebellum from TM and FW groups. Also, exercise increased the expression of proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, autophagy and fusion, simultaneous with decreased expression of mitochondrial fission-related protein DRP1. In conclusion, physical exercise improves brain cortex and cerebellum mitochondrial function, decreasing oxidative stress and apoptotic related markers. It is also possible that favorable alterations in mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics and autophagy signaling induced by exercise contributed to increased mitochondrial plasticity leading to a more robust phenotype.