Effect of exercise during pregnancy on offspring development through ameliorating high glucose and hypoxia in gestational diabetes mellitus

Abstract

BACKGROUND Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) women require prenatal care to minimize short- and long-term complications. The mechanism by which exercise during pregnancy affects organ development and whether glucose transporter (GLUT) 1 plays a role in GDM offspring organ development remains unknown. AIM To determine the effect of exercise during pregnancy on the cardiac, hepatic and renal development of GDM mother’s offspring. METHODS Placenta samples were collected from humans and mice. GDM mouse models were created using streptozotocin along with a GDM with exercise group. The hearts, livers and kidneys of 3- and 8-week-old offspring were collected for body composition analysis and staining. The effects of high glucose levels and hypoxia were investigated using HTR8/SVneo. Transwell and wound-healing assays were performed to assess cell migration. Immunofluorescence accompanied with TUNEL and Ki67 staining was used to explore apoptosis and proliferation. RESULTS Exercise during pregnancy downregulated the GLUT1 and hypoxia inducible factor-1α expression in placenta from individuals with GDM. Cobalt chloride-induced hypoxia and high glucose levels also significantly decreased migration and apoptosis of HTR8/SVneo cells. In addition, exercise reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver and decreased the tubular vacuolar area in the kidneys of offspring. CONCLUSION GDM affects the growth and development of organs in offspring. Exercise during pregnancy can reverse adverse effects of GDM on the development of the heart, liver, and kidney in offspring.