Swimming training and royal jelly effects on caspase-3 expression in lung cancer mice

Introduction: Caspase-3 (CASP3) is a key regulator of apoptosis and plays a critical role in tumor growth and metastasis in lung cancer. This study aimed to investigate the effects of swimming training (ST) and royal jelly (RJ) consumption on CASP3 gene expression in lung tissue using a murine lung cancer model. Material & Methods: In this experimental study, 24 male Balb/c mice (aged 8 months; weight: 18–22 g) were divided into healthy control, sham, and cancer-induced groups. Lung cancer was induced via benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) injection (100 mg/kg). The intervention groups received either ST (12 weeks, 3 sessions/week), RJ (50 or 100 mg/kg), or a combination of both. After the intervention period, lung tissue was dissected, and CASP3 gene expression was measured using real-time PCR. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. Results: B[a]P-induced cancer led to a significant decrease in CASP3 expression compared to the healthy control and sham groups (P < 0.05). However, the combination of ST and RJ significantly increased CASP3 expression compared to the B[a]P group and even the groups receiving individual interventions (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that ST and RJ, particularly when combined, exert anticancer effects by restoring apoptosis suppression caused by B[a]P.