Hamid Reza Sadeghipour

Background and Objective: The mTOR signaling pathway and its associated genes are activated by resistance training, leading to muscle hypertrophy. Spirulina supplementation also enhances protein synthesis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of eight weeks of resistance training and spirulina supplementation on changes in the TNF-ɑ/IKKβ/TSC1/Rheb gene expression pathway in the kidneys of male rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two male rats were randomly assigned to four groups: control, supplementation, training, and combined (training + supplementation). The resistance training protocol consisted of eight weeks of exercises performed every other day, with three sets of five repetitions per session. Spirulina supplementation was administered daily at a dose of 200 mg per kg of body weight. Gene expression levels were evaluated using the Real-Time PCR method, and data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA. Results: Compared to the control group, TNF-ɑ gene expression significantly increased in the resistance training group (p < 0.05), decreased in the spirulina group (p < 0.05), and remained unchanged in the combination group (p > 0.05). Resistance training and the combined intervention significantly increased IKKβ gene expression (p < 0.05). Compared to the control group, all three experimental groups showed a significant increase in TSC1 gene expression (p < 0.05), while the increase in Rheb gene expression was slight and not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that spirulina supplementation alone had no significant effect on the hypertrophic signaling pathway in the kidney. However, resistance training combined with spirulina supplementation influenced the renal hypertrophic signaling pathway. Resistance training alone positively impacted the TNF-ɑ/IKKβ/TSC1/Rheb pathway in kidney hypertrophy.