Exercise alters the molecular pathways of insulin signaling and lipid handling in maternal tissues of obese pregnant mice

Abstract

Obesity during gestation adversely affects maternal and infant health both during pregnancy and for long afterwards. However, recent work suggests that a period of maternal exercise during pregnancy can improve metabolic health of the obese mother and her offspring. This study aimed to identify the physiological and molecular impact of exercise on the obese mother during pregnancy that may lead to improved metabolic outcomes. To achieve this, a 20‐min treadmill exercise intervention was performed 5 days a week in diet‐induced obese female mice from 1 week before and up to day 17 of pregnancy. Biometric, biochemical and molecular analyses of maternal tissues and/or plasma were performed on day 19 of pregnancy. We found exercise prevented some of the adverse changes in insulin signaling and lipid metabolic pathways seen in the liver, skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue of sedentary‐obese pregnant dams (p110 β , p110 α , AKT, SREBP). Exercise also induced changes in the insulin and lipid signaling pathways in obese dams that were different from those observed in control and sedentary‐obese dams. The changes induced by obesity and exercise were tissue‐specific and related to alterations in tissue lipid, protein and glycogen content and plasma insulin, leptin and triglyceride concentrations. We conclude that the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolic outcomes in obese mothers may be related to specific molecular signatures in metabolically active maternal tissues during pregnancy. These findings highlight potential metabolic targets for therapeutic intervention and the importance of lifestyle in reducing the burden of the current obesity epidemic on healthcare systems.

Pregnancy‐induced changes in β‐cell function: what are the key players?

“…Intake of a diet high in both sugar and fat (HSHF) during pregnancy also impacts maternal β-cell adaptations, but the specific effect depends on the diet composition and dietary protocol used. Nevertheless, pregnant mice fed a HSHF diet show increased adiposity in association with an altered lipid profile, increased levels of leptin and defects in tissue insulin sensitivity (Holemans et al 2004;Sferruzzi-Perri et al 2013;Fernandez-Twinn et al 2017;Musial et al 2017Musial et al , 2019J Physiol 600.5 Martins Terra et al 2019). In addition, a HSHF diet during gestation induces hyperinsulinaemia, hyperglycaemia and glucose intolerance in the mother (Sferruzzi-Perri et al 2013;Fernandez-Twinn et al 2017;Musial et al 2017;Martins Terra et al 2019).…”

Impact of physical activity on course and outcome of pregnancy from pre- to postnatal

“…Overall, animal studies have shown that exercise improves insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism and glucose tolerance in diabetic and obese rodent pregnancies [ 33 ]. A study by Musial et al [ 34 ] used a mouse model and aimed to determine the effects of obesity during pregnancy with and without an exercise intervention on maternal body weight and composition, nutrient handling, and insulin and lipid signalling in liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue. It was found that exercise induced changes in the insulin and lipid signalling pathways in obese dams that differed from those observed in control and sedentary‐obese dams.…”

Maternal Obesity: A Focus on Maternal Interventions to Improve Health of Offspring

“…A similar study also investigated possible biochemical mechanisms that could explain the observed protective effects of exercise on obese, maternal mice during gestation ( 147 ). Control maternal mice were on a CD and remaining maternal mice were fed an obesogenic diet and divided into sedentary and exercise groups.…”