The Effect of Aerobic Exercise and Lycopene Consumption on MDA and TOS Levels in Balb-C Mice with Breast Cancer

Subject Areas : Physical Activity and Health

Amir Hossein Rostami ¹ , sanaz mirzayan shanjani ² , Zohreh Afsharmand ³ , یاسر کاظم زاده ⁴

1 -
2 - Azad University, Islamshahr Branch
3 - Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Physiology, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran
4 -

Received: 2025-09-01 Accepted : 2025-10-01 Published : 2025-10-05

Keywords: Selected Exercise, Lycopene, MDA, TOS, BALB/c Mice, Breast cancer,

Abstract :

 Aim:

Oxidative stress is a key factor in breast cancer progression, characterized by elevated markers such as Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Total Oxidant Status (TOS). This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of treadmill aerobic exercise and lycopene supplementation on these indicators in female BALB/c mice with breast cancer.

 Method:

Forty female BALB/c mice, after breast cancer induction with 4T1 cells, were randomly divided into four groups of ten: cancer control, treadmill exercise, lycopene supplementation, and combined exercise + lycopene. Interventions were conducted for 6 weeks (exercise: 20 m/min, 30 min/day, 5 days/week; oral lycopene: 100 mg/kg, 5 days/week). At the end, serum concentrations of MDA and TOS were measured using ZellBio kits. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA.

Findings:

Treadmill exercise and lycopene supplementation alone significantly reduced MDA and TOS levels, with large effect sizes (η²: 0.918–0.921) (P<0.001). The interaction effect between the two interventions was not statistically significant (P>0.05), but the greatest absolute reduction was observed in the combined group.

Conclusion:

Both treadmill exercise and lycopene supplementation independently led to significant improvements in oxidative stress indicators in breast cancer-bearing mice. Although the combination of these interventions did not show statistical synergy, it demonstrated a greater trend of biological improvement and could be beneficial in complementary strategies for breast cancer treatment.

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