Introduction: Oxidative stress and inflammation are recognized as key contributors to the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). The present study aimed to evaluate the potential effect of endurance training (ET) and the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant MitoQ, administered separately or in combination, in ovariectomized (OVX) rats subjected to UUO-induced renal damage.
Methods: Fifty-six OVX female Wistar rats were randomly assigned to eight groups (n = 7/group): Sham, Sham+ET, Sham+MitoQ, Sham+ET+MitoQ, UUO, UUO+ET, UUO+MitoQ, and UUO+ET+MitoQ. ET was performed on a treadmill for four weeks, while MitoQ (5 mg/kg/day, IP) was administered throughout the intervention period. Histopathological alterations, oxidative stress markers, antioxidant status, and inflammatory cytokines were evaluated in obstructed kidneys.
Results: Histological analysis demonstrated significant tubular injury, fibrosis, glomerulosclerosis, and inflammation in UUO rats (P < 0.001). Moreover, UUO increased renal malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels, while significantly reducing total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P < 0.001). ET or MitoQ treatment significantly attenuated these pathological alterations, whereas combined therapy exerted greater protective effects than either intervention alone.
Conclusion: ET and MitoQ supplementation effectively ameliorated UUO injury in OVX rats by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation. Combined intervention produced superior reno-protective effects, compared with either intervention alone. These findings suggest that ET and MitoQ may represent a promising therapeutic approach within the experimental ovariectomized UUO model.