New research developments and insights from Metabolism

Exercise during pregnancy protects adult mouse offspring from diet-induced obesity

BACKGROUND

Physical 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).

METHODS

Our 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.

RESULTS

Our 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.

CONCLUSIONS

Our 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.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response in Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis: The Possible Role of Physical Exercise

Sedentary lifestyle coupled with excessive consumption of high caloric food has been related to the epidemic increase of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which can progress from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis and, eventually, may culminate in hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the precise mechanisms underlying the progression of NASH are not completely understood, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) dysfunction seems to play a key role in the process. Hepatic ER stress has been associated to hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress and hepatocyte death, contributing to liver dysfunction. Physical exercise seems to be the most effective preventive and therapeutic non-pharmacological strategy to mitigate several features related to NASH, possibly targeting most of the referred mechanisms associated with the pathophysiology of ER-related NASH. Nevertheless, little is known about the impact of physical exercise on NASH-related ER stress. In this review, we will discuss the ER stress associated to NASH conditions and highlight the possible benefits of physical exercise in the attenuation and/or reversion of NASH-related ER stress.