Abstract
BackgroundPhysical exercise induces positive alterations in gene expression involved in the metabolism of obesity. Maternal exercise provokes adaptations soon after birth in the offspring. Here, we investigated whether adult mouse offspring of swim-trained mothers is protected against the development of the deleterious effects of high fat diet (HFD).MethodsOur study comprises two parts. First, female C57BL/6 mice were divided into one sedentary and one swim-trained group (before and during pregnancy, n = 18). In the second part, adult offspring (n = 12) of trained and sedentary mothers was challenged to HFD for 16 weeks. Notably, most of the analysis was done in male offspring.ResultsOur results demonstrate that maternal exercise has several beneficial effects on the mouse offspring and protects them from the deleterious effects of HFD in the adult. Specifically, swimming during pregnancy leads to lower birth weight in offspring through 2 months of age. When subjected to HFD for 4 month in the adulthood, our study presents novel data on the male offspring’s metabolism of trained mothers. The offspring gained less weight, which was accompanied by less body fat, and they used more calories during daytime compared with offspring of sedentary mothers. Furthermore, we observed increased adiponectin expression in skeletal muscle, which was accompanied by decreased leptin levels and increased insulin sensitivity. Decreased interleukin-6 expression and increased peptide PYY levels were observed in sera of adult offspring of mothers that swam during pregnancy.ConclusionsOur results point to the conclusion that maternal exercise is beneficial to protect the offspring from developing obesity, which could be important for succeeding generations as well.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12986-015-0052-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Physical exercise induces positive alterations in gene expression involved in the metabolism of obesity
No increase in body weight following high fat diet (HFD) in offspring of exercising mothers We investigated energy intake and body weight of adult male and female offspring during 16 weeks of HFD
Maternal swim exercise positively affects AdipoQ and Dnmt3l expression in adult offspring Given the importance of White adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), and skeletal muscle (SM) to energy expenditure and nutrient disposal, we investigated whether maternal exercise before and during pregnancy affected the expression of genes related to metabolism and DNA methylation in these tissues
Summary
Physical exercise induces positive alterations in gene expression involved in the metabolism of obesity. Maternal exercise provokes adaptations soon after birth in the offspring. Obesity during pregnancy may represent a risk to the offspring by promoting higher birth weight and increasing the odds of developing obesity or type 2 diabetes in adulthood [1]. It has become attractive to prescribe mild physical exercise to pregnant women for a determined duration and intensity to minimize both fetal and maternal risks. The prescribed paradigm allows previously active women to maintain their exercise routine during pregnancy and reduces the rates of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, heartburn and cesarean section in those who have never previously exercised, which may lead to better weight control [4]. Previous reports indicate that physical activity during pregnancy can reduce the risk of delivering a large baby [5]. Little is Wasinski et al Nutrition & Metabolism (2015) 12:56 known about maternal exercise and the long-term consequences for offspring
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