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Background & objectives: Toluene as a systemic toxin and industrial solvents has different effects on vital organs of the body. There is little mechanistic study of the interactions between toluene and human lymphocytes. In this study, the direct toxicity of toluene and the potential of agents with antioxidant, mitochondrial/lysosomal protective effects to reduce its possible toxicity in human lymphocytes were studied.
Methods: Blood lymphocytes were isolated from healthy male volunteer's blood, using Ficoll Paque Plus followed by gradient centrifugation. In this study, cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, lipid peroxidation (LPO), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), lysosomal membrane damage, glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels, were determined in blood lymphocytes after incubation with toluene and antioxidant, mitochondrial and lysosomal protective compounds.
 Results: Results showed that toluene reduced lymphocyte viability, increased ROS levels, LPO content, damage to lysosomal membranes, mitochondrial damages and GSH depletion, which these damages were significantly inhibited by dibutyl hydroxytoluene (BHT) as a synthetic antioxidant, cyclosporine A (Cs. A) as an inhibitor of mitochondrial pores, and chloroquine as a lysosomotropic agent.
Conclusion: Results of our study suggest that using of antioxidants, mitochondrial and lysosomal protective agents can be effective in reducing toluene-induced toxicity in exposed individuals.

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Background & objectives: Dynamic disorders of mitochondria cause the pathogenesis of many diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the interactive effect of aerobic exercises and atorvastatin consumption on the expression of MFN1/2 and DRP1 in hepatocytes of rat liver with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: In this experimental study, 25 male rats were divided into 5 equal groups: diabetes, healthy control, persistence+diabetes, atorvastatin+diabetes, persistence+atorvastatin+ diabetes. Type 2 diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) in mice. The training groups performed the running program on the treadmill for eight weeks. Atorvastatin and atorvastatin-exercise groups received atorvastatin (10 mg/kg) by gavage. 48 hours after the last training session, the rats were dissected; their liver tissue was removed and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen solution at a temperature of minus 80 ° C to measure MFN1/2 and DRP1. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc test were used for statistical analysis at a significance level of p<0.05.
Results: The results showed that induction of type 2 diabetes decreased the expression of MFN1/2 and increased DRP1 compared to the healthy group. After eight weeks of intervention, a significant increase was observed in the expression level of MFN1 (p<0.05), but this increase was not significant in MFN2 and there was no significant difference in the expression of factors between the groups. Also, after eight weeks, a significant decrease in DRP1 gene expression was observed (p<0.05). This decrease was significant in comparison with the combined groups compared to the patient group.
Conclusion: It is possible that a combination of aerobic exercises and atorvastatin may positively regulate the expression of genes related to mitochondrial dynamics in diabetes.
 

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Background & objectives: Maintaining the capacity of mitochondrial biogenesis during aging is considered a key factor to prevent the development of age-related diseases. this study aimed  to investigate the effect of 8-weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and hawthorn extract on the peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor-γ gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) proteins levels in the soleus muscle of aged rats.
Methods: Thirty-six aged rats were randomly and equally assigned into control (CON), HIIT, extract or combined (COM, HIIT+ extract) groups. The HIIT protocol consisted of 6 to 9 sets×5-min of running on a treadmill, which was performed 4 minutes at 16 m/min and one minuteat a speed velocity of 25 m/min, 5 times a week for 8 weeks. Over the intervention period, rats in the extract and COM groups received 100 mg/kg per day hawthorn. After the interventions, TFAM and PGC-1α protein expression levels were detected in the soleus muscle using the western blotting method.
Results: There was a significant increase in PGC-1α for all interventions when compared to the CON, although this increase in the COM was significantly higher than the other groups. After 8 weeks , there was a significant increase in TFAM level in  extract group compared to CON,also, the training groups had more effects on this marker in comparison to the former intervention (p>0.05).   
Conclusion: It seems that, 8-weeks of the HIIT+ intake hawthorn is a more efficient approach in improving mitochondrial oxidative capacity compared to HIIT and extract alone.