Journal of Exercise & Organ Cross Talk
Journal of Eexercise & Organ Cross Talk

Combined resistance training and pineapple extract slow melanoma growth and alter liver apoptosis in mice

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Saeid Shahrestani
Hossein Abednatanzi
Mandana Gholami
Farshad Ghazalian

Department of physical education and sport sciences, SR.C., Islamic Azad university, Tehran, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22122/jeoct.2025.554729.1176
Abstract
Melanoma is an aggressive malignancy with a high propensity for metastasis, particularly to the liver. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of resistance training (RT) and pineapple extract (PE) supplementation on primary melanoma tumor growth and the expression of hepatic apoptotic markers (Bax, Bcl-2) in a murine model. C57BL/6 mice bearing subcutaneous B16F10 melanoma tumors were allocated to four groups: Tumor Control (TC), RT, PE, and Combined (RT+PE). The six-week intervention consisted of ladder-climbing RT and/or oral PE supplementation. Tumor volume was measured throughout the study. Upon completion, hepatic Bax and Bcl-2 gene expression was analyzed via qPCR. While RT and PE alone did not significantly affect tumor volume, the Combined (RT+PE) group showed a significant reduction compared to the TC group (p<0.05). In the liver, all intervention groups (RT, PE, and Combined) significantly decreased pro-apoptotic Bax expression and increased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression relative to the TC group (p<0.05). The combination of resistance training and pineapple extract exhibits a synergistic effect in reducing primary melanoma tumor growth. Furthermore, both interventions independently and collectively modulate systemic apoptotic markers in the liver, suggesting a potential role in influencing the hepatic microenvironment. This non-invasive combinatorial approach may represent a promising complementary strategy for managing melanoma progression and its systemic effects.

What is already known on this subject?

Melanoma is a highly aggressive form of skin cancer originating from melanocytes, characterized by its propensity for early metastasis and resistance to conventional therapies.

 

What this study adds?

Both resistance training and pineapple extract independently shifted the hepatic apoptotic balance by reducing Bax and increasing Bcl-2 expression, an effect that may support liver health but requires further study to understand its systemic implications in cancer.

Keywords

Apoptosis
Liver
Experimental melanoma
Resistance exercise
Tumor burden

Subjects

Acknowledgements

None

Funding

None

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest in the present research.

Ethical approval All ethical and professional standards for animal care were rigorously followed; a single individual performed all handling and training, and any procedures, including painless euthanasia, surgery, and sampling, were executed in full compliance with established ethical guidelines for research on laboratory animals. The study protocol received formal approval under the research ethics code IR.IAU.YAZD.REC.1400.050 from the Azad University of Yazd.

Informed consent Animal study.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH., Methodology: S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH., Software: S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH., Validation: S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH.,; Formal analysis: S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH.,; Investigation: M.M., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH.,; Resources: S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH.,; Data curation: S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH.,; Writing - original draft: S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH.,; Writing–review & editing S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH.,; Visualization: S.Sh., H.A, F.Gh., M.GH.,; Supervision: H.A.; Project administration: H.A.,.; Funding acquisition: H.A.    

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Journal of Exercise & Organ Cross Talk
Volume 5, Issue 4
Autumn 2025
Pages 153-160

  • Receive Date 21 July 2025
  • Revise Date 01 September 2025
  • Accept Date 05 September 2025

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