fa تحقيقي Original Paper <div><strong>ABSTRACT</strong><br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Background and Objectives:</strong> The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 12 weeks of intense endurance training and bee pollen consumption on <em>ABCA1</em> gene expression in small intestine, liver and gastrocnemius muscle tissues of male rats.<br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Methods:</strong> In this study, 24 male Wistar rats (aged 6-8 weeks and weighing 90-110 g) were randomly divided into four groups of saline-control (n=6), saline-training (n=6), bee pollen-control (n=6) and bee pollen-training (n=6). The training groups exercised on a treadmill for 12 weeks (30 m/min, 90 min/day, five days/week). The bee pollen groups were given bee pollen orally (500 mg/Kg) for 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA at significance level of 0.05.<br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Results:</strong> <em>ABCA1 </em>gene expression was highest in the liver, gastrocnemius muscle and small intestine, respectively. The findings also revealed that the intense endurance training caused a non-significant increase in <em>ABCA1</em> gene expression in the small intestine and liver. However, the training caused a non-significant decrease in <em>ABCA1</em> gene expression in the gastrocnemius muscle. In addition, consumption of bee pollen significantly increased <em>ABCA1</em> gene expression in the small intestine and gastrocnemius muscle of male rats. However, the effect of bee pollen on the gene&rsquo;s expression in the liver was not statistically significant.<br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Conclusion:</strong> Based on our findings, it can be concluded that consumption of bee pollen has more beneficial effects on the <em>ABCA1</em> gene expression and reverse cholesterol transport compared with the intense endurance training.<br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Keywords:</strong> ABCA1 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/67577836">protein</a>, Pollen, exercise.</div> ABCA1 protein, Pollen, exercise. 11 16 http://mlj.goums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-499&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Amir Taghipoor Asramy 100319475328460014332 100319475328460014332 No Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran Abbas Ghanbari-Niaki ghanbara@umz.ac.ir 100319475328460014333 100319475328460014333 Yes Department of Exercise Biochemistry, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran Shirin Hakemi 100319475328460014334 100319475328460014334 No Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mehran Naghizadeh Qomi 100319475328460014335 100319475328460014335 No Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran Mohammad Mehdi Moghanny Bashi 100319475328460014336 100319475328460014336 No Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Kazeroon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kazeroon, Iran